Channel4′s “Great Mobile Rip Off” dispatched to dustbin

By on April 28, 2008 in News

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Alas I was working. Blogging away here. I didn’t get the opportunity to sit down and waste 60 minutes — or, er, 40-odd minutes with the balance spent watching inane advertising — on viewing Channel4′s latest docutainment show, Dispatches.

Titled ‘The Great Mobile Rip Off’, it claimed to be ready to expose, shock and generally appall the viewing public.

Did it?

Well I’m sure they took a good swing at it. Based on the real-time feedback from some of the mobile industry’s great and good, it seems they failed miserably.

I know one operator that was seriously unimpressed at the way the show’s producer arsed about with them. The producer reportedly sent a list of ‘accusations’ by registered delivery to the operator. Then demanded an immediate response … a few weeks later. When the operator challenged them to produce proof of delivery (the operator couldn’t find any record of recieving any ‘accusations’), the producer was apparently unable to answer. Ridiculous. The operator then offered a spokesperson to put their (and the industry’s) side. No. Too late. We’re going to air. That was, I’m told, the response. Silly.

I saw a list of accusations. None of them new. All of them with a decent explanation. This is the sort of television programme that should have been made and aired years ago when there really WAS a great mobile rip off.

You can read the shock and horror trail here. (“Barnett reveals how the influence of the networks … stretches to the heart of the Government” — hardly surprising for one of the country’s largest tax-paying industries. Bet Tesco employs lobbyists.)

Pat Phelan, one of the go-to-guys when it comes to trying to do anything in the mobile world, wasn’t at all impressed at the show, commenting:

“People who know nothing about mobiles, shouldn’t be allowed to tell people who know a little about mobile anything”

Our very own Whatleydude was going nuts on Twitter. I asked what he felt:

Y’know that million monkeys and million typewriters thing? Well this is one monkey… Feel like gouging my eyes out with rusty spoons…

Did you watch? What d’ya reckon?

About Ewan

Ewan is Founder and Editor of Mobile Industry Review. He writes about a wide variety of industry issues and is usually active on Twitter most days. You can read more about him or reach him with these details.
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  • http://www.phoneboy.com phoneboy

    You really expect the MSM to get this crap right? There's a reason us bloggers are making a dent in their business. They're letting it happen, plain and simple.

  • http://www.jonathanmulholland.com jonmul

    It was appalling! The worst kind of sensationalist, scare-mongering tabloid journalism. I thought it was quite patronising to those who had lost out on cashback deals, and to the public in general – seemingly indicating that ordinary people lack the ability to choose phone contracts by themselves. My house has probably dropped in value since I bought it last summer, should I complain to the builder and estate agent I bought it from?

    I expect a lot better from Channel 4 – at least the recent call center documentary (Phone Rage) showed some interesting insight and examples of best practice, tonights program was just bilge!

  • http://www.rickyc.co.uk Ricky Chotai

    I am waiting for it to appear on 4OD, the joy of not having a TV at uni!

  • dani2xll

    I personally thought it was a useful programme and if it helped some of the many people being force-fed contracts, then it was worth while and if it makes telecoms stand-up and take stock of themselves all the better, though with the government on their side i dont think they will.

  • http://whatleydude.vox.com James Whatley

    @dani2xll – You may be making an interesting point – What did you find useful about it?

  • http://www.smstextnews.com/author/Ben.Smith Ben Smith

    What a mess… Caught this last night on the repeat, although I recorded the original if anyone wants excerpts… A whole range of issues across the industry – retailers to networks. And the last 5 mins where they suggested that because everyone was excited about mobile data it would be a massive rip-off? They didn't even bother to support that with any evidence! It may well have made some useful points about roaming charges, but that got lost in a sea of rubbish.

    My favourite? Where the guy companied about the salesman suggesting he go for contract over PAYG even though, based on what he said the usage level would be it was cheaper…

  • http://www.smstextnews.com/author/Ben.Smith Ben Smith

    What a mess… Caught this last night on the repeat, although I recorded the original if anyone wants excerpts… A whole range of issues across the industry – retailers to networks. And the last 5 mins where they suggested that because everyone was excited about mobile data it would be a massive rip-off? They didn't even bother to support that with any evidence! It may well have made some useful points about roaming charges, but that got lost in a sea of rubbish.

    My favourite? Where the guy companied about the salesman suggesting he go for contract over PAYG even though, based on what he said the usage level would be it was cheaper…

  • http://benjam.in Ben Smith

    What a mess… Caught this last night on the repeat, although I recorded the original if anyone wants excerpts… A whole range of issues across the industry – retailers to networks. And the last 5 mins where they suggested that because everyone was excited about mobile data it would be a massive rip-off? They didn't even bother to support that with any evidence! It may well have made some useful points about roaming charges, but that got lost in a sea of rubbish.

    My favourite? Where the guy companied about the salesman suggesting he go for contract over PAYG even though, based on what he said the usage level would be it was cheaper…

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