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Virgin Radio Launches 3G Radio Service

Posted by Zonk on from the more-mobile-music dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Virgin Radio, one of UK's top radio stations, has launched the first 3G radio service for free (as in beer). This is great news for those with a Symbian equipped phone and an unlimited data plan. Various articles suggest that mobile radio could be a major threat to satellite radio. Russell Beattie and friends have had an initial look and commented on the program."

6 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Free? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Symbian phones aren't exactly inexpensive. Unlimited data plans (at least in the U.S.) cost an arm and a leg. I wouldn't call this free.

    1. Re:Free? by jez9999 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      £25/mo is enormous, and way more than I'd consider paying even for a landline. Why do people agree to pay these ridiculous sums for a mobile phone contract?

      --
      == Jez ==
      Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
    2. Re:Free? by eggz128 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It depends. In my case I wanted the multi function phone. I can use it with my laptop to connect to the internet just about anywhere. WiFi hot spots arn't exactly plentyful in the UK, even less so in the middle of Wales. I also make pretty heavy use of the calandering (and alarm), and since I got this 6670 I've used the (suprisingly good) Netfront web browser to read slashdot and other web sites while I have my lunch at the local cafe. I don't actually use many of my 'free' talk time.

      On the other hand, a friend of mine did manage to rack up an £80 mobile phone bill recently after using all her talk time. If she'd been on a slightly more 'expensive' plan she would have shaved quite a sum off that bill. If she'd used a pay-as-you go service plan, I dread to think what the cost would ave been.

  2. World turned upside down by flopsy+mopsalon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I find it ironic that free music is now being supplied to anyone with a measly $216/month to pay for unlimited data transfer to their mobile phone, while 12 year old kids who download their free music are being sued by the minions of the RIAA.

    Music should bring people together instead it is driving a wedge between the haves and have-nots. I am shocked and appalled.

  3. Re:Virgin will likey Lisense content by ckemp.org · · Score: 2, Insightful

    We need to see smaller high performance batteries and cheap data plans before such polydevices can become mainstream. Sure, you can listen to the radio and take some pictures with that phone of yours, but you'll be murdering your total call time before recharge.

  4. For Free . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I really hate it when people say "for free".