Vodafone Simply: the more the better?

May 21, 2005

Vodafone announced the launch of Vodafone Simply, a new, easy to use mobile service which has been designed for customers who only want a mobile phone with voice and text services.
Vodafone Simply is aimed at people who do not want the extra features that many new phones offer and is introduced at a time when a survey for the network found that over 50% of people were put off using an electrical device due to its complicated nature.

Vodafone’s survey amongst over 1,200 people in the UK showed that nine out of ten of them believed that being up to date with technology made it easier to keep in touch with friends and family. Over a third, however, believed that advances in modern technology had made life more complicated in general, rising to over half amongst the over 55s.

Vodafone worked very closely with its customers in developing the Vodafone Simply phones. Customers were asked how they wanted their ideal phone to look, what services it should offer, how these services should be accessed and how the phone menus should be structured.

Following this feedback, Vodafone linked up with Sagem to develop two phones: the Vodafone Simply Sagem VS1, a silver, curvy handset and the Vodafone Simply Sagem VS2, a straight, black handset.

Both phones have large screens with legible text and symbols, as well as three dedicated buttons for direct access to the most commonly used services: the Main Screen, Contacts and Messages. A button on the side of each phone controls ringer volume and a switch locks the key pad.

In addition, on-screen instructions in plain language help customers master the phone quickly and easily.

Both phones offer a voice mail service designed to work like a standard home answering machine. The Messages button on the phones lights up to notify the customer when a call or text has been received. To listen to or read the message, the customer just needs to press the Messages button.

In addition, the Vodafone Simply service offers a missed call notification service. If a call is missed, or a caller does not leave a voice message, the customer receives notification on-screen.

Customers using the Vodafone Simply service will be able to purchase straightforward, value for money, price plans. For example, in the UK, a pre-paid Vodafone Simply handset will cost GBP 80 and will be free with a monthly price plan. Using the new Vodafone Stop the Clock price plan, customers will be able to talk for up to an hour in the evenings and at weekends whilst only paying for the first three minutes.