Archives For m1

Facebook offering discounted data access to Messaging but don’t expect it here

February 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

Facebook MessengerFacebook is partnering with telcos worldwide to provide “free or discounted data access to Facebook messaging for their subscribers”. With version 2.1.1 of the Messenger app, Facebook users can have voice chat with other Facebook friends straight from the app (US-only) and also send audio messages to their friends. This new partnership will bolster their presence in the midst of heavy competition from other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Line and Viber.

Through this promotion, free or discounted data access will be available in the coming months on Messenger for Android, Messenger for iOS and Facebook for Every Phone, which is now optimized for chat.

This promotion will be available from more than 18 operators in 14 countries. Operators committed to special pricing for Facebook messaging include TMN in Portugal, Three in Ireland, Airtel and Reliance in India, Vivacom in Bulgaria, Backcell in Azerbaydzhan, Indosat, Smartfren, AXIS and XL Axiata in Indonesia, SMART in Philippines, DiGi in Malaysia, DTAC in Thailand, Viva in Bahrain, STC in Saudi Arabia, Oi in Brazil, Etisalat in Egypt, and Tre in Italy.

None of the 18 operators are from Singapore and I doubt this will1 happen as local Telcos (SingTel and Starhub) are more interested in developing their own platforms to counter declining use of the more traditional SMS messaging.

StarHub, for example, is working with its alliance partner Vodafone to launch a new, interoperable service in the second half of this year. Using just one platform, users can make video calls, share photos or music on one single platform, without the need to download different applications.

SingTel is also looking to launch its own apps in the coming months, as it seeks to “shape the app market”. “This requires a total strategy in terms of apps and content, handsets, network enhancements, price plans and customer experience,” Mr Johan Buse, SingTel’s Vice-President of Consumer Marketing, said.

To be honest, their money will be more well spent if they invest on improving their existing 3G/4G network and such services are almost saturated with customers already entrenched with their favorite messaging platform. It will take much more than a miracle for them to switch.

As for M1 customers, there is a glimmer of hope this Facebook-collaboration might happen:

A spokesman said: “Rather than telcos developing their own Internet-based messaging apps to compete, we believe app developers and owners will work with the telcos in future to ensure that their users have access to their applications in an efficient and affordable manner.

What is your primary app/platform for messaging with your friends – SMS, FaceBook, MSN, WhatsApp?

  1. SinTel does offer a service where you can access Facebook via a strip-down version of the site without having to pay data charges ↩

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Changing your SingTel/M1 logo without jailbreaking

January 1, 2013 — Leave a comment

See the Apple logo on the status bar on top?If you don’t like to see SingTel or M1 on the top of your iPhone, there is an Mac app – CarrierEditor – created by @uhelios and @Pix3lDemon that will help you to change that without jailbreaking your iPhone (see mine updated with the Apple logo on the right). However, as of now, this doesn’t work for Starhub customers as CarrierEditor replaces the carrier logo that is in graphic format.

Update – there is a Windows alternative which you can try – CustomCarrierLogo – Direct download created by @DanyL931. The instructions are similar with CarrierEditor and you can follow them as posted in iDownloadBlog.

CarrierEditor lets you select the graphic you want to replace your carrier logo with and the app will create a carrier-update .ipcc file which you can update when connecting your iPhone to iTunes. The app comes with 11 sets of logos for you to choose from. If you decide to create your own, make sure there are two versions – one when the status bar is black and the other when the status bar is grey when an app is active.

The steps to do so is as follows:

  1. Download and launch CarrierEditor on your Mac
  2. Find out which Carrier version you’re phone is using:
    1. Launch Settings on your iPhone
    2. Tap General->About
    3. Look for the Carrier entry and find the version number (eg. M1 Singapore 13.0 – 13.0 is the version number)
  3. Choose your device – CarrierEditor currently supports iPhone and iPAD 3G/LTE
  4. Select your Carrier
  5. Drop the .png files of the icons you’d like to replace the carrier logo with
  6. Let the app compile the .ipcc files which will be saved onto your Desktop
  7. Launch iTunes and connect your device to the Mac
  8. Select your device on iTunes and press ALT/OPTION and click on the Restore your iPhone/iPad button
  9. Select the new .ipcc file (an original will be saved in case you want to revert to original) and click Restore
  10. The new icon will show up on your screen

Do remember to keep the original .ipcc file that was created as well in case you need to restore your iPhone/iPad for servicing or redeeming of offers with your respective telcos.

Let us know how it works for you.

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Apple vetting telcos on LTE performance

December 3, 2012 — Leave a comment

According to this article at Telecoms.com, Apple vetted telcos on their LTE performance before allowing them to release the iPhone 5.

Apple is not allowing mobile operators to offer the iPhone 5 as an LTE device unless they pass the Californian vendor’s own, independent tests for LTE network performance, Swisscom has confirmed.

This is news to many as previously, handset manufacturers do not have the clout to demand such tests and it is usually the carriers who have the upperhand. However, with the popularity of the iPhone and Apple’s own expectation of their products working in all environment, it is no surprise that this is happening.

Which makes me wonder if Apple has slackened with their test on Singapore’s three telcos – that is if they bothered with our market at all.

Anyone from local Telcos has any thoughts on this?

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Singapore Telcos preparing for iPhone 5 launch

September 13, 2012 — Leave a comment

h3. Updated with links to Register your interests to get the iPhone 5.

  • Starhub: “http://www.starhub.com/content/forms/personal/iphone5_pre-registration_new.html”:http://www.starhub.com/content/forms/personal/iphone5_pre-registration_new.html
  • M1: “http://www.m1.com.sg/iPhone/ip5reg.jsp”:http://www.m1.com.sg/iPhone/ip5reg.jsp
  • SingTel: “https://www.singtelshop.com/iphoneroi/?utm_campaign=iphone5&utm_source=singtel.com&utm_medium=bulletinbanner”:https://www.singtelshop.com/iphoneroi/?utm_campaign=iphone5&utm_source=singtel.com&utm_medium=bulletinbanner

Do note – that registering your interest is not the same as reserving or buying.

Continue Reading…

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Pre-ordering of iPhone 4 begins

July 28, 2010 — Leave a comment

M1 started taking “orders for the iPhone 4″:http://m1.com.sg/iPhone/order.jsp just a few minutes ago after 11am. From the form, we can see that M1 will have four collection points on 30 July – Plaza Singapura, Tampines Mall, West Mall and Paragon – which probably is a good thing as it decentralize the collection points and there might be shorter queues for customers. According to “Ivan”:http://twitter.com/ivan98z/status/19709043523 – the form will also check for inventory as you make the orders so you won’t be disappointed – smart move.

Acknowledgement email from M1

Update – 2pm and without fail – the pre-order page for SingTel fails to launch. Don’t they ever learn?

SingTel will do their pre-order, they call it “purchase appointment”:https://www.singtelshop.com/iphone4_appt/ at 2pm today.

Book your appointment yet?

Book your appointment yet?

Starhub meanwhile has not “disclose any plans”:http://iphone.starhub.com/iphone4/ about the iPhone 4 launch except pricing.

More details from “iMerlion”:http://www.imerlion.com/2010/07/details-of-singapore-iphone-4-launch.html – SingTel will have their midnight launch on the 30th July at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre (Hall F) while M1 will have theirs at Paragon.

In addition, selected M1 shops will start early at 9am on 30 July to let customers collect their iPhone 4:

M1 Shop, Paragon

M1 Shop, Bugis Junction

M1 Shop, Plaza Singapura

M1 Shop, Tampines Mall

M1 Shop, West Mall

Arrow Communication, Ang Mo Kio Hub, #B1-31

Handphone shop, Jurong Point, #03-19

Do check our “price plan comparison”:http://iheartapple.org/2010/07/iphone-4-pricing-plan-at-a-glance/ if you have not done so.

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