BT predicts the death of text

[Scottish Business Owner]

Text messaging could become a dead technology within the next few years, according to research from BT.

Many consumers want a converged communication tool that can send emails, instant messages, make phone calls and access the web from anywhere, BT's research, conducted in conjunction with Ipsos MORI, found.

BT predicts the death of text - Web User News

I have to say this story has a bit of merit. Now that I have my Blackberry I dont tend to text at all and just send people email. It's just as fast and saves you paying for stupid per message charges. Must be a worry for the operators though as I would imagine text messaging makes them alot of money. I remember another thread showing how much it actually costs the operator to send an sms message.

Do you agree with the above or do you think it's a bit premature?

 

[Former Member 1]

Personally I think text messaging will be around for a very long time...

Years ago I owned a Treo. I actually found having phone, organiser and email all in one package to be a complete pain in the backside. If I was on a call I'd to take the phone away from my ear to access the organiser. The speakerphone in these things is poor (tried most of them; not happy with any of them!) and the service not all that reliable...

SO I went back to separate devices. Email? I check at the office or via my laptop if I'm away for a few days. Occasionally I'll log in via my palmtop through WiFi. But basically I consider it useful for medium-priority issues. It gets checked about three times a day; I've work to do and answering emails is just another distraction to the core activities that pay my bills!

MANY people I deal with (particularly the older generation) are ill-mannered enough not to acknowledge emails at all. I even know one guy who still gets his secretary to print them out for him and type his replies! More often than not emails are something that elicits a response in days rather than hours...

And then there are propogation issues; I often get emails that were sent days before. My main mobile phone can be set to pick it up but I've no intention of enabling anything beyond the basic telephony services; anything else IMHO is just a novelty and only serves to increase the unproductive noise that goes along with doing business....

The other thing is I've absolutely NO patience for pissing about on some silly phone keypad or even a pda trying to type a meaningful message. If I need to make a planned call I do it at the office. Mobile phones are for 'emergency' use or for people to get me on.... Text is the last resort in terms of 'emergency' communication. I 'know' that if someone has a mobile it WILL probably be able to receive texts and they WILL probably read them in a reasonable time scale. I don't know that with email....

Quite often though I phone people up and talk to them!

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Matt dont you think SMS would be far more acceptable if they would take the 160 character limit off? I have one of these devices that has a combined email, organiser and phone as well as mp3 and video. The prospect of having five different devices is simply a nonsense.

I guess it all depends on what best fits around your life, I dont think these devices suit everyone but I think they have a clear market.

I think it's a sad fact that people are talking less and less and relying more on other methods of communication. If something like msn messenger is put on all phones then I think texts will disappear.

 

[Former Member 1]

Well that was my point ... The Treo was all of those things; Personally I found it impractical... I bought it because I thought all this integration was a cracking idea. It was a good pose at the time but really... Most of the time I wound up going back to my Filofax! And frankly; I just got bored with it!

I use a Palm TX now which does all the PDA stuff plus runs Tom Tom... (actually the Treo did that too! Badly!) That's as much integration as I need or want...

Phone wise I use a Nokia 6300 for business.... Mainly because I got a gold one, can use my Jeeves and Wooster/Puppini Sisters ringtones and it works with the Bluetooth hands free in the car... The browser's not even set up on it! Now, on a day to day basis that's TWO devices I carry, not five. And one of the key advantages is that they can each do their jobs independently of each other

I also have an old V635, tough as old boots and I have the car kit for it in the Porsche. But again the browser isn't set up on it... And an Ericsson R250s ....This has actually fallen off a boat into the sea, been recovered by a quick snorkel dive rinsed off in a bucket of fresh water and been none the worse for it! Doesn't even have a colour screen. But it'll get a clear signal where others won't, voice quality is superb...

Stuck on a desert Island guess which one of the three phones I'd rather have?

The 160 character limit doesn't bother me. If I've THAT much to say in a hurry I'll talk to the person. If it's something more complex that needs to go into an email than it needs due consideration, as near to correct spelling and grammar as I can get, and a bit of thought. At a pinch I'll do that on the TX. More likely I'll use my laptop...

MP3 and video? On a tiny screen video is just a novelty. It's kinda cute that some devices will play it; but really; if it added

 

[stugster]

There was an interesting article about the true costs of sending SMS messages (what an oxymoron: Short Message Service Messages).

Anyway... (oxymoron? is that the correct word? probably not!)

Space scientist says texting is four times more expensive than receiving scientific data from space

"A University of Leicester space scientist has worked out that sending texts via mobile phones works out to be far more expensive than downloading data from the Hubble Space Telescope."

 

[Boxby]

There are obviously no teenagers involved in BT's research!
Is this from the same people that said SMS would never take off???

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Those same teenagers that you talk about will also be the prime market for an msn type system on mobile phones. I have one on my phone and there is no per message charges and it's automatically signed in. I've noticed no increase in my bill and use it all the time as I can see who is and isn't logged in and active.

I dont think text messaging will go straight away but those instant messaging type systems put a few nails in the coffin.

 

[Former Member 1]

Most teenagers and young people I know (and bear in mind I lecture; so am in regular contact with many) are on PAYG tariffs.... On some of these web access is (apparently; I've never been bothered enough to find out for myself) either unavailable or prohibitively expensive to use.... Web'n'Walk on T-mobile is

 

[Boxby]

That is such a lovely point. There are so many people out there that would like to see BT disappear and be replaced by an organised efficiently operating company. BT is one of the last remaining dinosaur companies, with the exception of the water companies. Even the utility and train companies seem to have got the point of a commercial marketplace, by BT still fails the customer at every turn.

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I dont want this thread to become a rant at BT and I never thought I would try and defend such a massive organisation BUT BT have radically changed their business model over the past few years due in the most part to having to open up their networks to other providers. Now I think that was a great idea and partly forced BT to change but that change has been very successful and they have a very good reputation in the city so i'm lead to believe.

I'm working with a client just now and i'm involved in a very technical installation involving three sites across the UK. The whole BT experience to date has been extremely positive and I would have been one of these people who would have avoided BT like the plague a few years back.

For me BT have become a very forward thinking company who are developing some incredible technology, I think they've changed and hopefully they'll start to change a few other people's mind as well.

 

[Former Member 1]

For me BT have become a very forward thinking company who are developing some incredible technology, I think they've changed and hopefully they'll start to change a few other people's mind as well.

Well, the essence of my criticism is that they're out of touch at grass roots level and indeed have been since the days of the G.P.O. ;and THAT'S what renders their pontifications meaningless...

Now as it happens I too sometimes deal with BT at what you might call 'another level'. And I'm aware that when you're a corporate customer spending tens of thousands of pounds BT does in indeed seem to provide a sound 'turnkey' solution. I too have been impressed with the BT presentations and receptions and promises.... However part of my own training and qualification is technical. And I'm aware that in many cases the same job can be done much more quickly and easily by other means. And that often BT solutions are simply 'convenient' solutions. In technical terms they're not always the best; as many a newsman who's had to send a feed to London over a BT insert point will testify!

And the reality is that they provide a lousy over-priced phone service into people's homes and businesses. Fail to make simple broadband connections work where other providers have no problem. And treat their customers like dirt! A simple phone bill is laid out like a dog's dinner. their charging structure must have been designed by the most perverse of perverse minds.... It's only in the past six weeks that I've finally cut all ties with BT for my home telephone service, having been a customer for almost 28 years I finally lost patience.

And in truth they really HAVEN'T moved on from the days when applying to have a phone put in was an ordeal of the same magnitude as being dragged in to the Bank Manager's office to explain why you were 10p over your overdraft limit... By way of 'modernisation' that Dickensian arrogance has been combined with open contempt for those who make only modest contribution to the coffers. Refuse them free access to your bank account and you're 'punished'. Take your call charges elsewhere and you're punished.

BT might be developing some incredible technology. On the other hand they might just be buying in some incredible technology. Or more likely up to their usual carry on of playing with some incredible technology for their own self gratification. But living and working in the real world I see very little at BT but a huge lumbering corporate monster that was never-quite in touch with the world...

On that basis their 'findings' are as divorced from reality as might be 'certain knowledge' that one was about to win the lottery this Saturday... Yes; there is a chance. But I wouldn't go ordering the Lear Jet quite yet....

 

[Terry]

Texting has always been dead to me