They must also have an appropriate internet connection over WiFi or your standard broadband on a Mac computer (this may also be WiFi).

FaceTime for Mac not only makes it possible to talk, but you will also be able to see your recipient at the same time.

It is only available on an iPad 2 and above, iPhone 4 and above, iPod touch and a Mac computer as long as it has a webcam and the relevant free software.

Get connected today and ask in store for details.

http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/

Charges for making a call within the EU are down to around 37p a minute and receiving a call to around 11.5p a minute.

“But take note these reductions do not apply outside the EU,” he warned.  If you are on holiday in the US for example calling home on your mobile can cost between £1.10 and £1.40 a minute or between 70p and £1.20 a minute to receive a call.

However there are still plenty of ways in which you can manage your mobile phone charges, advises staff at The Mobile Phone Centre. To start off why not try texting. Receiving texts abroad is free and sending texts within the EU is around 10p or between 25p and 40p in the US.   Also most UK mobile phone operators offer special package or bundle prices for using your phone abroad but you should sign up for these before you travel.

Lucky Shirley Shine was the winner of our competition in the Vine magazine to win an Apple iPad.  Her entry where she described the helpfulness of the MPC team stood out – “Nothing is too much trouble and they are always willing to help explain things in detail and have a friendly helpful attitude.”

“I’ve never won anything in my life,” said Shirley, upon hearing the news of her iPad competition win, “apart from £10 on the lottery!” Initially thinking it was a hoax call, she eventually realised the call from Sevenoaks Mobile Phone Centre’s Phil Mitchenall was legitimate.  “Everything I said in my entry was true too, my husband and I both bought our smartphones from MPC and the service they give is outstanding, they are so helpful and willing to assist with all the questions we have.”

“We are delighted Shirley won the competition and as an added bonus she can take advantage of our current offer of £100 cashback for iPad users who take out an airtime contract with us.  As with her phones, she knows she can come back to us anytime, safe in the knowledge that we will sort any problems or questions she may have,” said MPC Managing Director Phil Mitchenall.

You may have recently watched the Channel 4 show, Mary Portas: Secret Shopper, in which Mary visits a mobile phone shop, only to leave confused and frustrated. Even as a young 20-something, I too feel bamboozled by the jargon many chain stores use nowadays and I’m sure many feel the same. However, the independently-run Mobile Phone Centre (MPC) on Sevenoaks High Street is a breath of fresh air.

Owner Philip Mitchenall believes that MPC’s primary purpose in life is to avoid this tiresome experience when searching for an upgrade or a new phone. Philip’s ethos is to ‘look after the customer’ and this simple statement actually has meaning here in MPC’s small shop. You will get served by a sensible, mature salesman who isn’t commission-driven – a rarity in the industry. Philip, who used to work for Vodafone, and Mike Holmes, who also has corporate experience, have over 50 years’ experience combined, not to mention that of the four additional well-trained staff who prove very popular with customers.

Philip maintains a loyalty to Vodafone as an official supplier (the only UK-owned company out of all the providers) but customers receive the ‘independent’ service. As MPC deal with many local companies, all individual customers receive the same high-end service as MPC’s business customers; loan or replacement phones can be offered in the case of lost or damaged phones.

MPC has a solid customer database, which is why Philip can afford to be ‘indulgent’ to customers. He provides ‘little extras’ such as pay-as-you-go top-ups, often cheaper deals and perhaps most importantly, time and sound advice. He says a frequent occurrence is that families will use MPC for years and the children may try other providers, seduced by seemingly tempting offers: “It’s quite common to see them disappear off the customer database for a while and then come back, often with stories explaining how they’ve been stitched up!”

If you use your phone a great deal or are hankering after the latest upgrade sooner than your 24-month contract ends, MPC provide a unique service. Providing you sign up for a further 12 months, you can get a free upgrade half way through your contract. If you don’t want the upgrade, you can receive a cheque instead, which normally represents two to three months of your annual charges.

While not a repairs centre, the MPC staff can provide existing customers with some repairs, or you can buy second-hand phones that have been traded in for an upgrade. Some of the trade-ins not sold are used as loan phones, or sent to a company which recycles them, making MPC quite eco-friendly.

Philip has embraced the current trend for Apple iPhones and iPads, providing competitive packages that are not misleading. MPC is one of the first accredited independent shops to supply Apple products in the area. Rather than paying £510 RRP, at MPC you can buy the 16GB iPad for £395 (a larger sum than some competitors’ upfront prices, but more sensible) with lower monthly payments of £15.32 on a 24-month contract and a larger 3GB of data, compared to many competitors only offering 1GB.

This article originally appeared in the Vine March 2011
Link – www.vinedigital.co.uk/sevenoaks

16Gb, WiFi and 4G for only £395 with the New 2Gb mobile broadband data connection at £15 per month 24 month contract. All prices include VAT.

(terms & conditions apply)

Free phone, 300 minutes, 250 text, 500mb data, at £30 per month, 24 month contract. All Prices include VAT.

(terms & conditions apply)

1. Think about how you use the phone – is it mainly for calls and texting, or email and internet searching awell?
2. When do you make the most calls? – during the day, in the evening  or 24/7?
3. How is your business changing? will you need to change the plan, add handsets, add extra features?
4. Do you phone mostly other mobiles – or a combination of landlines, premium call numbers and other mobiles and networks?
5. How long since you have reviewed your plan?  Even if you are mid way through your plan, it is worth checking your current tariff and where savings can be made.  Are you going over your monthly line rental (minimum tariff) and how much is that costing you?