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Will we start paying more to use our phones?

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    Eric Chan on what you can expect from mobile companies this summer

  • Duration 7:04
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Well I tell you when I was reading about this this is a little disturbing.

Are we about to start paying more to use our own phones.

Let's find out Eric Chan is gonna join us he's the president of mobile slate at mobile slate if you want to follow him on Twitter good to see this morning Eric.

To morning and thanks for having me on the show absolutely not tell me why we might be starting to pay more for the phones we already have.

So what -- phone companies have decided to do is we all talk on our phone less.

And instead of trying to provide confusing rate plans and everybody seems to be going towards an unlimited -- plan.

And as an example of that we used to talk on our phone an average of three minutes before the iPhone came out.

And last year was published that we're only talking about half of that only about a minute and a half more phone calls because -- -- have Julie two other things.

That's right were were texting more -- were sending emails were tweeting to our friends were updating our FaceBook status.

And we're just making fewer and shorter voice calls.

Sure well and and they -- to -- that we now Eric didn't communicate.

Like I can be communicating to anybody while you and I are doing this interview I'm not because that would not be respectable but sometimes some of the live chat and that final cast with my Twitter page when I choose it -- I'm not doing it today that when -- -- it -- So I can communicate with thousands of people -- it at a single point and never have to pick up the phone so it's out of convenience.

How are they going to -- win back the voice market if you well.

Also about a year ago wrote in wireless week there were a couple things I thought the phone companies could try and do one of them.

Would be and more aggressive version of voice -- essentially.

Calls are are are made and if you don't reach someone like if I were to call you I get your voicemail right a problem is is that.

-- lost revenue if I actually don't get to talk to and I just talked to your voice -- OK so if there was a way where.

I could find you so instead of calling your desk phone it would automatically find -- -- well.

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa haven't been stock I'm not a fan.

It's.

Really don't -- don't think I'm.

It is honestly being stocked -- trying to I'm trying to reach you I'm trying to you know talk to about -- a follow up interview that we're gonna do after this L and and that it's really important that we try to schedule the meeting rather than.

In -- I leave a message on your voice mail and then you call me back I'm not available cause I'm I'm maybe talking to some other news show.

You know you you really want to be able to reach -- and just by doing that simple thing.

It phone companies can increase their revenue by anywhere from five to 10%.

So in order to combat this they're switching to unlimited pollutants so rather than you and I'm thinking about how many minutes I talk a month.

Let's just say.

You can talk as much as you want for flat rate and it doesn't matter.

You know and and that's the way for them to unfortunately raise rates for some people who are.

Who are sort of watching their minutes.

But for others like probably you and me it just.

It doesn't matter you know upon an -- little's we want.

I don't I don't talk himself on -- -- -- because I have little kids and I don't want them to physically seeing me on the phone all the time.

So I can kind of text down low at least I think I'm viewing it in my purse I think my five year old -- now.

All right so you say video calls may also -- you I I'm not a fan you think there.

Did you know iPhone has this and I'm walking around the house and parlors which -- want to do.

I don't video call with anybody.

Well maybe maybe it doesn't have to be to weigh all the time I can think of situations where you're in a in a conference call.

And perhaps the person speaking is going to be on video -- like and everyone else listening.

Maybe you just have great had shot of yourself and that's your -- -- video call.

-- breath hair done.

-- fun.

OK better phone directories you say that people let's start not to use their phones that it is the most difficult part of my cellphone by the way.

Yeah I mean look.

I I just looked before we -- have this interview I think I have about 2000 contacts.

And my phone book on my phone.

And most of those were imported through my email my Gmail in a few other places.

If there was a better way to keep that up to date.

As well as utilize that -- convenient way I just can't manage that many Comcast you know it's just it's there for convenience but I just can't manage.

I'm I was a little more convenient when I get a new phone and I wanna download that information sometimes it doesn't work they don't transfer and then I try to like put it on my computer and then transfer from there.

I mean it is -- very user friendly you bring up an excellent point.

Messaging within the call what does that.

So what that means is that well again going back to what we talked about earlier while we're doing this interview.

Perhaps.

There's the little messages -- of flash on your on your mobile phone screen to kind of enhance the call.

So we would talk -- -- bit longer as we're exchanging messages or maybe it's.

A link I'm gonna send you that you can click on and then.

And then show up on your phone you want to browse to a site that we're talking about maybe my wireless week article that I wrote.

And that sort of further enhances the experience of just simply talking on the phone with actually multitasking and looking at.

A web browser and application or some kind of maybe -- video -- All right real quickly cheaper international rates were talking about ways that phone companies can get us to go back to talking.

Rather than taxing and doing everything out your last night is cheaper international rates.

Sir I mean look if Skype can do it.

Right provide a very inexpensive.

Rates for calling internationally mean that's most of the reason why people use it on their phone.

I'm sure the phone companies could do the same thing.

The margin.

Can definitely allow for greater use of use of it.

Why not just cut the rates and get a little talk on the phone you know call their loved ones call their friends and family.

Maybe just randomly call stranger who knows.

-- -- I -- all three -- accelerator have active live chat that I do -- -- mostly text or use email I had asked if people.

Are talking on their phones.

A whole lot less Eric -- you're a fascinating -- I'm glad you came on really really good information and I'm telling me if I'm sitting at home and I I run a phone company or IL line or -- got a lot of stuff I'm calling you.

If you could make people a whole lot of mostly.

Well that make -- money's great but you know we we just wanna communicate at the end of the day I mean whether you buy -- taxed or or by voice it's true.

Thank you get to talk with you to thank you back any time.

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