ADVERTORIAL
Nashua Mobile introduces R59 flat-rate data package Xtreme Data taking on BIS Much like the BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS), Xtreme Data brings together internet browsing, social media, email and instant messaging, all for a flat-rate of R59 per month. The predictable and fixed monthly cost removes the uncertainty associated with other data rate plans and eliminates the chance of ʻbill shockʼ.
Nokia only t this stage the offering is available for contract customers on specific Nokia handsets. These include the Nokia C3 and X2-01 Series 40 phones, and the Nokia E5, E7 and N8 smartphones. Both the E7 and the N8 run the Nokia Belle OS, previously known as Symbian Belle. Nashua Mobile’s executive head of marketing, Tim Walter, stated that they are busy with data usage tests on Nokia’s new Windows Phone running Lumia 800 to see if it can be included in future packages. The company also mentioned that the service will be expanded to include other smartphones based on the Symbian, Windows Phone, iOS and Android platforms, allowing a much wider group of people to enjoy affordable, predictable data costs no matter which smartphone platform they prefer.
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So what does the package offer? According to Nashua Mobile’s fair usage policy, users will be offered speeds of up to 512 Kbps for the following services: - web browsing, - email access with calendar, shared, contacts, tasks and notes, - social networking with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, - instant messaging with WhatsApp, Facebook Chat and MXit. Streaming services such as YouTube are not included in the package, with www.youtube.com for example blocked on the Xtreme Data network. To ensure quality of service, Nashua Mobile has put a 100 MB Average Use threshold in
place. Once crossed, users will be throttled and/or shaped. Furthermore, 160 MB is believed to be the High Use threshold, with customers likely to encounter even further restrictions once crossed. SMS notifications will be sent to warn users if the thresholds are approaching. Walter mentioned that the Xtreme Data product range will be expanded in future for those with more strenuous data needs.
Technicalities The Xtreme Data service works by routing data from the handset to Nashua Mobile’s shared GSM data access point names (APNs) from Vodacom and MTN. From here, web access is controlled and managed by Nashua Mobile’s infrastructure partners. Says Nashua Mobile MD, Chris Radley: “The cost of data usage has been one of the most significant barriers to wider use of smartphones for web access and other online applications. With our new offering, we hope to make the mobile web accessible and affordable to a wider range of smartphone users.” Visit www.nashuamobile.com/xtremedata for more information.
Nokia E7 Smartphone
Nokia C3 Nokia E5 Smartphone
Nokia X2-01
Nokia N8 Smartphone
Working in conjunction with Nokia, Nashua Mobile has announced its Xtreme Data offering to the local market. 14