Tag: mobile tech

Mobile technology etiquette guide issued in North Korea

| October 6, 2014

Socially acceptable ways of using smartphones have been the focus of many studies and discussions lately.

Due to the exceptionally rapid adoption of mobile technology, there hasn’t been much of an opportunity for a standard of polite use to have naturally developed in the majority of countries, but in Korea – as with many other social issues – the government has taken it upon itself to create its own set of rules with regards to smartphone etiquette.

Etiquette while using these devices – which function in nearly every public place – is typically considered an important issue.

In North Korea, there are nearly 2.5 million people (representing about 10 percent of the total population of the country) that subscribe to the wireless services of the country’s carrier, Koryolink, which was first established in 2008. This number has stayed quite low when compared to the majority of the rest of the world as a result of the prohibitively expensive prices of mobile technology devices in the country. A BBC News story that ran last year reported that the average annual salary in the country is under $1,000, and handsets are being sold for a few hundred dollars at Koryolink.

Still, mobile technology is seen by the government as a growing trend, and they have decided to step into its use.

Mobile Technology Etiquette Guide - North KoreaA cultural magazine from North Korea was obtained by a news agency in South Korea, called Yonhap, which reported that the government sees smartphones as a rising trend and has now issued a range of etiquette lessons with regards to answering and placing calls on these devices while in public. All of North Korea’s official media is controlled by its government’s regime.

The translation provided by Yonhap stated that the etiquette lesson for mobile technology device use in public instructed that “Speaking loudly or arguing over the phone in public places where many people are gathered is thoughtless and impolite behavior.” It underscored the point that the increase in use of smartphones in today’s society has brought about a trend in which proper phone etiquette is being neglected by some people.

The article went on to provide a number of other instructions, including to highlight the importance of polite and appropriate greetings when using mobile technology, which they say is different from the use of landlines. For example, it stated that the device user may or may not have a caller ID function and, therefore, “one must not neglect to introduce oneself or offer greetings.”

Data plans from AT&T are now offering double the plan size

| October 1, 2014

Users of mobile devices are always looking for promotions with the best offerings.

As consumers use their mobile devices on an increasing rate for various daily online activities, data plans have become a critical part of their ability to access the internet when they are not within range of a WiFi connection.

This has created massive competition among the mobile service carriers across the country.

AT&T has now announced its latest promotion which doubles the size of its largest data plans. At the moment, the 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50GB Mobile Share Plans will all be doubled so that they will provide their subscribers with 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100GB respectively, for the same price. This promotion is already in effect and is generating a massive amount of interest for consumers who already adore their mobile internet and for those who have been looking to connect for the first time.

Considering the use of mobile devices, these days, it is easy to burn through data plans in one month.

At&T - Data PlansThis has given consumers every reason to sign their mobile devices up for shared plans with friends or family in order to be able to save money on their internet usage while outside of WiFi range. The plan that appears to be drawing the largest amount of interest, at the moment, currently costs $130 for 30GB. It costs only $30 more than the AT&T standard price for 10GB.

This means that on the promotion for 30GB, the consumer would pay $4.33, instead of paying $25 per GB on the off-promotion standard 10GB plan. That said, if consumers are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, then they are urged to contact the company now because it is running the promotion only until Halloween. That said, once signed up, as long as the plan is not changed, it will be grandfathered for life, so this could be a deal worth checking out.

AT&T is offering these data plans not only to new customers, but they have also made the noteworthy move of offering their customers who already have one of these plans the opportunity to sign up for the improved pricing for double the data, provided that they contact the company within the required period of time.