Submit: Great giffgaff Ideas

OK another tethering idea but one that should now be possible due to the new tethering detection and the existing system that already monitors/handles data allowances and charging on the existing limited internet goodybags.

Problem

• Many members are caught in the dilemma of wanting to mix some tethering and normal mobile internet but find the limited allowance tetherable goodybags (1Gb max) too restrictive.  

• Others are caught out by not understanding the restriction on tethering on the unlimited goodybags and simply can't use the internet in the way they expected.

• This is losing giffgaff customers who would like to stay but need more flexibility.

Solution

• Include a small amount of free tethering allowance (I suggest 500Mb) with all of the unlimited goodybags and then charge (I suggest 1p) for each tethered Mb over this allowance from airtime balance.  

• The price of the existing unlimited internet goodybags and other allowances to remain the same so this is just an additional benefit.

• The system would need to warn the member they were using their tethering allowance at the start of the tethering internet session so instead of the existing detection system simply cutting off the internet with a warning, change to just a warning message.  The warning message should include the remaining tethering allowance or the charge rate and remaining airtime credit if allowance has been exceeded.  

• Subsequent tethering data used will be deducted from the allowance (or charged from credit if allowance has been exceeded).  Note: this is much the same process as for the limited internet goodybags so most of this has already been designed and implemented before. 

• Include a further tethering allowance indicator on the My giffgaff goodybag display.

• Include a switch to allow members to opt out of tethering charges, this to be ON by default. (prompted by lnb1996's input).
  

Benefits

• Provides tethering options for those wanting the benefits of both unlimited internet and tethering.  

• Small amounts of tethering would be allowed at no extra cost (great for checking emails etc on trains with laptops).

• No need to worry about deciding on the need for tethering up front and so true flexibility.   No add ons, no special tethering goodybags, no changing to an additional SIM, no need to regret not getting a different package.  

• Much of the processing logic is already there so this should be the simplest flexible method of including tethering on the unlimited internet goodybags and therefore I really do think it will be looked at seriously by giffgaff.

• Attract new members and retain existing ones.  I don't think any other providers offer anything like this  

Make sense to me and hopefully to you but please do add your comments (and support as always welcomed ) 

Edit: apologies to those that have already voted but I have changed the OP to increase the initial allowance having done some further maths. 

I live in Wales and we've been subject to the 5p charge for carrier bags for a few years now, I understand that you Englanders are soon to join us in this environmental minefield. I have a suggestion for a campaign for giffgaff to sell bags for life for a couple of reasons.

What is a carrier bag?

It might be a simple question but the answer has hidden answers. The primary purpose is of course to carry things around but when you buy something from Tesco or Asda you're also exclaiming to the world that you shop at Tesco or Asda, kind of pledging alegiance and advertising on their behalf as you go about your Earthly chores. I feel that if we must advertise as part of our daily shopping commute then we might as well advertise something that we want to promote.

The eco drive for reusable and charging for carrier bags has afforded us an excellent opportunity to escape from these clutches and not only do our part for the environment by reducing plastic waste but also, if we so wish, break free of our corporate sponsored walk around town and promote values that we would like to promote ourselves (I urge you to do so even if you don't support this idea incidentally).

I don't have any ideas on the design of the bag itself but I'd think it could be branded giffgaff in some way and emphasise the core values of the company in a nice graphical way.

How?

There is now an online buying portal on te site here that sells phones and there has long been a demand for giffgaff branded merchandise, offering this as a limited run of exclusives seems to me like the best option. I've taken the liberty of seeking out a few bag makers. Most products of this nature are manufactured overseas (China) and of course we'd all like to avoid that and have these made in the UK. BIDBI are based in Sheffield and seem to have a UK based production line but others are of course in existence in the country I'm sure.

http://www.bidbi.co.uk/

http://www.customprintedbags.co.uk/kraft-paper-bags/printed-paper-bags.php

http://buildabag.wbc.co.uk/

The design could be one of those community competition type things or maybe just hire someone or get the in house design guy. Up to whomever

Benefits and causes

There is the opportunity to make some sort of charity thing out of this but in my mind at least environmental responsibility is reward enough and there's the branding thing too. Can go under the giffgaff for good banner or something. An expanded info-sheet on the worth of reusing carrier bags and promoting things that you like raises the good cause factor. Alo an opprtunity for some giffgaff advertising in the physical world, something that has so far been extraordinarily challenging.

Cost

Money, GB £££. Cost will depend on the amount of bags and I've seen that a limited order of 500 is needed by some manufacturers.  I'd hazard a guess and say that the cost will be less than the typical bag for life at under £3 per unit depending on the quality and materials; so I'd estimate the upfront cost to be in the range of £10,000 which will be recouped with the sale of the bags.

Bonus round

I have a slogan to help advertise these too. "Pledge allegience to the bag"

Hi,

My partner works for the police. He told me that phone companies charge for them to ping (locate) phones at various levels. As a result often phones as located within a 5 mile radius whereas if there was no charge then they could locate someone exactly where they are and potentially save lives!

It seems a very sad state of affairs that someone may be at risk or danger and a phone company is charging the police to find them and therefore limiting how they do this best. Surely the law should override this but it doesn't. It seems that money takes precedence over the safety of the public whether they be at risk themselves or a criminal is potentially putting them at risk.

I think it would be great for Giffgaff to be a forerunner in saying to the police yes we can help and we won't charge you, it would give the company even greater kudos than I think it already has.

Let me know your thoughts!

Lisa

Hi,

This is a pretty unique idea.

Have you ever seen those premium rate phone numbers, those subscription based text services? Some of them don't make their charges clear, and the ones who do charge over-the-odds.

Many people around the country enter into these premium rate services unknowingly, or don't know how often they would get charged, then get scared when theys ee a £10+ phone bill, extra, each week.

What I suggest is that, when phoning a premium rate number, you first get asked whether you are completely sure, giffgaff could easily do this by diverting calls to an automated system beforehand, if they get confirmation, it forwards the call back to the premium rate line, otherwise it ends the call.

If it is a text based service, when you text it, giffgaff texts you back first and requests confirmation, if you reply back with YES, it will proceed sending the original text, otherwise it will cancel the sending of the text.

Maybe also an online panel in My giffgaff where you can manage known subscriptions too.