Category: Featured News

Customers with the mobile network will soon be able to make and receive calls without limitations or apps.

Across the United Kingdom, customers with Vodafone will soon be able to take advantage of WiFi calling that will be available without needing to use any special apps, and without any restrictions on who they will be able to call.

The telecom is rolling out this service nationwide to reduce problems associated with cell signals.

Vodafone has stated that by making WiFi calling available to its customers, then they will not be limited by places that their cellular signals can’t reach. This way, customers will be able to place and receive calls from well inside buildings, from rural areas, and even while taking the London Underground. Any place with a WiFi connection will open up the ability for these device users to be able to use the service. This service is rolling out across the country over the span of the next few weeks.

The WiFi calling will be available to Vodafone customers at no additional charge and without plan changes.

The service will be available by way of a range of different leading smartphones and mobile technology devices. According to Vodafone UK consumer director Cindy Rose, “Our wi-fi calling service allows customers to talk to loved ones, friends and colleagues for longer and in many more places.” She also stated that it is simple for customers to use and it won’t cost them any more money on their plans. “It works wherever a customer is connected to wi-fi, in a café, at home or the office, and automatically connects just like a normal call when a mobile signal is weak or non-existent.”

This WiFi calling feature is only a part of a broader spectrum of efforts that Vodafone has been making to enhance its voice network. This has also included the nationwide launch of HD Voice Technology, as well as the rollout of 4G+, as well as the Vodafone Rural Open Sure Signal program. The goal of that last program is to ensure that even remote communities will be able to enjoy coverage for their mobile devices.

The company is working to be able to use smartphone ads, but progress has been slow so far.

AOL has made it more than clear that mobile marketing is a goal for their future, particularly through the acquisition of Millennial Media, which also helped to reveal precisely who their ads will be targeting.

That said, the millennial generation is one that is being broadly targeted, so this could be a bumpy road.

eMarketer has recently stated that “According to eMarketer’s latest U.S. ad spending forecast, catching rivals Google and Facebook could prove challenging.” The company went on to explain that “Google commands 32.9 percent of mobile ad revenue in the U.S., or nearly $10.02 billion. Facebook captures 19.4 percent, or nearly $5.9 billion,” and pointed out that only about 0.3 percent (about $101.2 million) of that mobile marketing ad revenue is captured by Millennial Media.

The fact is that mobile marketing has broadened to the level that it is now highly challenging to carve out a portion.

In order to actually become a major player in the industry, it would take a great deal of strategy and a massive amount of investment. Companies that want to be able to offer something to mobile advertisers need to be able to provide them with a tremendous scale, a huge audience targeting ability, and precise measurement tools with some considerable sophistication. This was pointed out by Cathy Boyle, an analyst at eMarketer.

According to Boyle, “AOL will gain ground in two of those areas through its purchase of Millennial Media.” She also said that by acquiring that company, AOL will be able to enjoy a notable expansion of the depth of the ad and in-app display inventory that it can provide to advertiser clients. This will help them to be able to boost their scale in a meaningful way. Furthermore, she also underscored the fact that publishers will have the chance to obtain Millennial Media’s sizeable user profile data, which will assist in improving the ability at AOL to locate specific target audiences through using mobile technology.

Still, what cannot be forgotten is that they are not the only player in mobile marketing at this level, and that the competition from other leaders – in fact, the competition from Google, alone – remains tremendous.