Video Calling On The O2 Network

center15

I got a 3g phone with a 3g sim is it possible to make video calls in the o2 network because anytime I try I get an error.

Random

No. There is no video calling on the O2 network.

Urban Weigl

Be patient, video calling will be available soon. O2 is building one of the most advanced 3G networks in the country.

Random

Soon? What do you get the info?

Urban Weigl

It's common knowledge as far as I know. O2 are also adding 400 radio sites this year, and putting in a new Ericsson network that will support both UMTS/HSDPA (3G) and EDGE. You should see a big improvement in general coverage, 3G and reliability.

Random

I mean in terms of video calling Urban

Urban Weigl

I don't remember who, but somebody told me video calling would be available on O2 soon a while ago. I don't think there is an exact date yet, but it is definitely coming soon. I can deduct that they will make it available when they launch their new network at the latest.

By the way, IOL's founder (they were Ireland's first ISP) joined O2 as an adviser recently (well, last year).

In brief, video calling is coming on O2, even if it may still be a few months off. It probably wouldn't make much sense to launch it today since there isn't a whole lot of 3G coverage yet, but that will change in the coming months...

Random

Something to do with them finally launching a competing product to Vodafone/3 HSDPA products no doubt?

Urban Weigl

ciaranfo wrote:

Something to do with them finally launching a competing product to Vodafone/3 HSDPA products no doubt?

In a word, yes. And if I were Vodafone right now, I'd be a little bit concerned. I don't think they're simply going to launch a "me too" product. One advantage of coming to the market late is that 3G is, honestly, only beginning to pick up now. Secondly, it means they'll have the latest gear from the beginning, whereas Vodafone are having to upgrade.

lfc1892

I know of two things on this,

O2 haven't launched Video calling mainly because the network isn't ready and that they don't want to give customers a poor experience. Other networks jumped the gun on this one and have paid for it.

Secondly, the uptake of it as a service has been quite poor generally. It is believed this is because people don't actually want to see each other on a call (imagine calling your mate and he's in the jacks!!), and another reason is that if you are making a call to lie to someone (such as a creditor), you can lie much better if they can't read your expressions.

Video calling looks to me like more of a gimmick than a viable service. I'm sure future generations will disagree with me (head of IBM "one day the world will have the need for 3 or 4 computers")

Sam Vimes

lfc1892 wrote:

I know of two things on this,

O2 haven't launched Video calling mainly because the network isn't ready and that they don't want to give customers a poor experience. Other networks jumped the gun on this one and have paid for it.

Secondly, the uptake of it as a service has been quite poor generally. It is believed this is because people don't actually want to see each other on a call (imagine calling your mate and he's in the jacks!!), and another reason is that if you are making a call to lie to someone (such as a creditor), you can lie much better if they can't read your expressions.

Video calling looks to me like more of a gimmick than a viable service. I'm sure future generations will disagree with me (head of IBM "one day the world will have the need for 3 or 4 computers")

i agree. i've had a video calling phone since august 05 and i've made maybe four video calls and each time it was just for the novelty.

once i got a video call from a private number. now that was a bit scary

rebel.ranter

Is video calling worth having? That's something that has to be asked. Is it a priority? Another question.
previous posters are correct about some networks rushing and falling over themselves to get "first to market" and in the process delivering a substandard product. I just hope that a lot of work is put into the quality of the performance of the 3G networks, they are not like the "plug and play" 2G networks of old.
There are more interesting things to be doing with higher speed data than video calls.

Random

I don't think it's worth having, but it is valued highly by a number of the people looking for the "cutting edge" mobiles, imo.