Mobiles ' most popular way to bank'

Banking on smartphones is a 'game changer' which is set to be more popular than using a computer to bank.

Customers will check their current accounts 895 million times on their mobiles in 2015, research for the British Bankers Association suggests.

This will outstrip 705 million checks on computers, 427 million branch visits and 64 million telephone calls.

Five years ago, internet banking was the most popular.

In 2010, customers checked accounts 565 million times on their computer, 502 million times at a branch and only 86 million times on mobile phones.

"Technology is changing our lives and banking is no different," said Anthony Browne, Chief Executive of the BBA.  "The rapid take up of apps and mobile banking appears to be a real game changer for the British public".

Cash Drop

Customers have moved £2.9bn a week using  banking apps in 2015, compared with £2bn a week on average in 2014, the BBA said.

The figures come after a report in May found that cashless payments had overtaken the use of notes and coins for the first time.

Some 52% of payments last year were made up of electronic transactions, ranging from high-value transfers to debit card payments, as well as cheques, according to the Payments Council.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33132111

VODAFONE TRIALS BIRD BOX ANTENNA

Vodafone has developed a mini-antenna designed to look like a bird nesting box.

The new mini-antenna, designed in conjunction with NET Coverage Solutions, picks up signal from a nearby mobile mast and boosting it to strengthen indoor coverage.

Early  Bird

The box is currently being trialled in a garden in Wiltshire, with the design specifically aimed at blending in the a rural setting

Vodafone UK head technical engineer Pedro Santos, who installed the system, said "We take great care about the visual impact our systems have on the beautiful countryside.  A standard external mobile antenna can look out of place situated on, or near, a rural cottage so we are always looking at clever ways to ensure they blend in to the surroundings".

"The Vodafone bird box in working well and no birds have been sufficiently fooled to try to get in to it, although the customer says it looks very convincing"

Does BT’s purchase of EE mean the end of mobile networks?

So BT having originally sold Cellnet/O2 to balance the books have now entered the mobile market again as a network operator as opposed to a virtual with EE as its portfolio mobile offering. While this on the surface may look like a plan to rival Sky and Virgin with the consumer all in offering of TV, Broadband, Mobile and Telephone, I believe it goes much further than that. 

Last week EE announced that it’s customers can now make calls over WiFi, just like O2 customers can with TU GO. I’m pretty sure it won’t be long before Vodafone announce the same. This means that there won’t really be a need for  the home/office boost box as the calls can be routed straight over WiFi using most 3G handsets. BT though have millions of WiFi locations which currently offer its customers use of BT WiFi, formerly Openzone and Fon. Now Fon for those of you who don’t know is BT’s jewel. This is where it lets you use bandwidth on any BT home or business users network without you even needing their WPA password. This means that BT & EE customers will now be able to make and receive calls & data in more locations than O2 & Vodafone put together. 

BT also have the added advantage that for pretty much all broadband installations require Openreach to attend and operate a phone line. The only thing holding everything back for now is that call quality is only as good as the network you are on and too many places in the UK are still offering substandard speeds especially in rural areas. 

I've just taken delivery of a device this morning to help a customer who can’t get a line in at his new premises, but this device can plug in to his WiFi and propagate it’s signal 2 miles away. He can then have the ability to run a VOIP phone system on it without a phone line or WiFi on the premises. It will also provide the same quality data connection speed in his new location. With this kind of tech available right now, the rollout of fibre and the inevitability of WiFi improving all the time, how long will it be before the mobile mast becomes a thing of the past? 

Smile ...... iPhone Selfies on a timer 

Take selfies on a timer

Selfies may of been banned in Cannes, but everywhere else they are still in vogue.  So, how to achieve that snap without your arm in the way?  Use the shutter timer...... frame your shot, tap the timer icon  and the number of seconds, then tap the shutter button and jump in to the shot.

Go Faster with Your iPhone.........

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