The Phone Coop

This site has been registered on behalf of  The Phone Co-Op

The Phone Co-Op started out in 1998 as a way for non-profit organisations like charities and community groups to bulk-buy their telecommunications.

The Phone Coop is the UK’s only telecommunications provider which is a customer-owned cooperative – that is, a company owned by and run for the benefit of its customers. They provide telecoms services for many charities and ‘third sector’ organisations, as well as for domestic customers and small businesses.

“Out of everyone offering phone, broadband and mobile services, we are the only co-operative, which means we operate for the good of everybody.

We are run by a group of people united by shared values, shared ownership and democratically made decisions. Our members own us. And that can mean you.

We’re proving that it is possible to run a successful business while behaving ethically and with a sense of social responsibility. We’re not just in it for today, we’re thinking long-term.”

Currently the Phone Co-Op are offering a phone and broadband package designed to be great value for money, but flexible as well:

for £22.95 a month:

* Line rental.
* Broadband at up to 8Mbps.
* Evening and weekend calls to 01, 02, 03, 0845 and 0870 numbers.
* Low cost calls at other times, with an 8.9p connection charge.
* 40GB* of download and upload allowance.
* Wireless router.

BT’s latest changes from 1st April 2010:

* the call set-up fee (connection charge) is now 9.9p
* the UK landline Daytime pence per minute rate is now 5.9p
* the evening call period is now 7pm-7am

Mobile PAYG tarrifs are available with a a £2 per month line rental:
Option 1: 7p per min for calls to both mobiles and landlines, or
Option 2, 4p per min for calls to landlines and 11.2p per min for calls to mobiles

All mobile services use Three’s network, so you need a 3G phone to use them.

Click here to join the Phone Co-Op

Operating from Chipping Norton, The Phone Co-op provides telecoms and data solutions to clients throughout the UK. Established in 1998 the organisation has over 10 years experience in the Telecommunications market.The organisation aims to supply businesses with a tailored telecoms service and has a dedicated business team.
The expert staff ensure clients have the services and products that best suit their needs in a cost effective and ethically sound manner. The service is dedicated to provide a friendly and helpful experience every time.The organisation delivers reliable telecoms and data products that are tailored to your requirements and handled in a ethical and friendly way.
The products include analogue, ISDN2 or 30, ADSL, SDSL, Leased Lines, Web Hosting and Mobiles, making them perfect for any business, and they are available all across the UK.With a team that includes Knowledgeable and friendly employees, The Phone Co-op has a professional team, well practised in handling businesses of all sizes.
The Phone Co-op has a growing customer base, located throughout the UK, including Midcounties Co-operative, Amnesty International, Can Mezzanine, Good Energy and Ethical Property. The organisation is owned by its members who have an equal stake though the co-operative membership structure that is unique in the Telecommunications industry in the UK.
The management team have years of experience working in both the telecoms market and the third sector giving a solid basis to look after the best needs the organisation and its clients, having previously worked in this varying range of business models.

Hours of Business
The Phone Co-op are open for business from 9:00 to 5:30 Monday to Friday and are closed Saturday to Sunday.

The Phone Co-op
5 The Millhouse, Elmsfield Business Centre,
Worcester Road,
CHIPPING NORTON,
OX7 5XLTel : 01608 647724
Mob : 07848 008146
Fax : 01608 647775

The differences can be confusing between the various mobile connectivity specifications of various smartphones, and promoted by the mobile networks as the best way to connect to the internet. Here is a brief summary of these technologies, describing the advantages and disadvantages of each technology.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)

GSM  is the standard by which the vast majority of mobile handsets work in Europe and is becoming dominant in other parts of the world with over 2 billion people currently using the system. When you purchase a mobile or smartphone it is important to understand what frequencies are used by each technology because manufacturers and networks have a tendency to quote these figures with little explanation as to what they mean.

The majority of GSM networks use 900MHz and 1800MHz but in the US the 850MHz and 1900Mhz are prominent. If these are quoted the phone will be classed as a tri-band phone and can be used in Europe, the US and many other territories (provided your SIM is enabled). If you require mobile access in the Far East and areas such as Scandanavia you will need to check with your mobile provider because at the minimum a quad-band phone will be required and in some areas only a phone purchased in the country will work.

Most GSM phones are primarily used for voice but can be used for mobile internet access via the GPRS Core Network.

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

Some facts:

• GPRS replaced dial-up mobile phone Internet access, offering faster browsing of Internet content and email. It’s an “always on” service”
• GPRS on a mobile phone doesn’t use a phone number to connect, it uses something called an APN (Access Point Name).
• With GPRS, you don’t pay for your online time per-minute, you pay for the amount of data you transfer.
• GPRS has now been largely superseded by the faster 3G

GPRS is a system used to transmit data at speeds of up to 60 kbits per second and is a battery friendly way to send and receive emails and to browse the internet but in these days of broadband connectivity it will be seen as slow by some. To set up GPRS connections on your smartphone you will need to obtain specific information from your mobile provider to input into your phone. Most are happy to provide this information and some manufacturers such as Nokia offer pre-configured files that you can install onto your phone for your network.

GPRS  is a tried and tested system and is therefore very reliable for standard mobile data use and will suit people with moderate data needs. Once you have the required settings in place you can use the network whenever you like and it requires no further adjustment as it works in the background of your internet enabled applications.

EDGE (Exchanged Data rates for GSM Evolution)

EDGE is a recent development based on the GPRS system and has been classified as a “3G” standard due to the fact that it can run at up to 473.6 kbits per second. If a smartphone is EDGE compliant it can be used for heavy mobile data transmission such as receiving large email attachments and browsing complex web pages at great speed. To use EDGE cell sites must be modified to accept transmissions of this type so coverage can be patchy in certain areas- it is a technology well worth having built in to any smartphone though.

3G, or 3rd Generation

3G was initially marketed as a way to make video calls on the mobile network but is also a highly efficient way of browsing the internet and communicating on your smartphone using voice over IP and by email and instant messaging. Most UK and some European networks now have 3G networks and with speeds similar to EDGE it is fast becoming a common way to connect while on the road.

3G networks offer greater security than their 2G predecessors. By allowing the UE (User Equipment) to authenticate the network it is attaching to, the user can be sure the network is the intended one and not an impersonator.

In areas where 3G coverage is poor the handset will constantly try to find a 3G signal and this can have a dramatic affect on battery life. Some phones handle constant 3G enablement well but some can have their battery life reduced by up to 50% so it is worth checking that your potential purchase is able to cope with this. At this time though 3G has good coverage and enables high speed internet access from your phone and is fast becoming a standard for mobile connectivity.

HSDPA (High speed Downlink Packet Access)

HSDPA  is a technology based on the 3G network which can support speeds of up to 7.2 mbits per second. In reality you will most likely get a top speed of around 3 mbits but this is useful for mobile TV streaming and other high end data transmissions. To use HSDPA your phone must be able to support the technology and of course you will need to be located within range of a cell site that has been upgraded to offer the service.

The key to all of these technologies is to understand what your typical usage will be and which of the above suit your needs. It could also be worth future proofing your needs because well connected devices often cost little more than phones with basic connectivity.

via Guide to GSM, GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA – Clove Technology.

The Early Origins of Cooperatives

In early human societies people learned to cooperate and work together to increase their success in hunting, fishing, gathering foods, building shelter, and meeting other individual and group needs. Historians have found evidence of cooperation among peoples in early Greece, Egypt, Rome and Babylon, among Native American and African tribes, and between many other groups.
Early agriculture would have been impossible without mutual aid among farmers. They relied on one another to defend land, harvest crops, build barns and storage buildings, and to share equipment. These examples of informal cooperation – of working together – were the precursors to the cooperative form of business.

The First Cooperatives

The earliest cooperatives appeared in Europe in the late 18th and 19th centuries, during the Industrial Revolution. As people moved from farms into the growing cities, they had to rely on stores to feed their families because they could no longer grow their own food. Working people had very little control over the quality of their food or living conditions. Those with money gained more and more power over those without. Early co-ops were set up as a way to protect the interests of the less powerful members of society – workers, consumers, farmers, and producers.
In England, consumers were frustrated by the abuses of storeowners, many of whom adulterated products to increase their profits. In many cases, workers’ wages were paid in company “chits” – credit that could only be used at the company’s stores. The average consumer had very few choices and little control.
Groups of these people began experimenting with various methods of providing for their needs themselves. They decided to pool their money and purchase groceries together. When they purchased goods from a wholesale dealer and then divided them equally among themselves, they were surprised at the savings and higher quality of products they were able to obtain.

Rochdale (Cooperative Development Institute) The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society

In 1843, workers in the textile mills of Rochdale, England went on strike. When the strike failed, the millworkers began to look for other ways to improve their lives. Instead of calling for another strike or asking charitable groups for help, some of these people decided to take control of one of the most immediate and pressing areas of their lives. They believed they needed their own food store as an alternative to the company store. Twenty-eight people founded the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society.
After saving money for over a year, these pioneers opened their co-op store at 31 Toad Lane on a cold December evening in 1844. Although the founders agreed to sell just butter, sugar, flour, and oatmeal, they also offered tallow candles for sale that night. They were forced to buy candles because the gas company refused to supply gas for the new group’s lights. They bought candles in bulk and sold what they didn’t use to their members.
The Rochdale Pioneers weren’t the first group to try forming a co-op but they were the first to make their co-op succeed and endure. To avoid the mistakes made by earlier co-op societies and to help others, they developed a list of operating principles governing their organization. These formed the basis for what are now know as the cooperative principles. Rochdale is still considered the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement.

The Growth of Cooperatives in the United States
In the United States, cooperatives of one sort or another have roots going back to colonial times. Like their counterparts in England, these early groups experimented with ways to band together and gain economic clout. One of the earliest co-ops was established in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin and is in operation to this day – the Philadelphia Contributorship for the Insurance of Homes from Loss by Fire. It is the oldest continuing co-op in the United States and predates the historical Rochdale group but its place in co-op history is less well known.
From colonial times on, most early American co-ops were formed primarily for the benefit of farmers. Some co-ops helped farmers keep their costs low through joint purchases of supplies, such as feed, equipment, tools, or seed. Some marketing co-ops helped farmers obtain the best prices for their goods by combining their crops and selling in large quantities. Others provided storage or processing services, such as grain elevators or cheese making.
Consumer groups in the United States began taking note of the early British consumer co-ops and the success of American farmers who worked together. They began forming consumer protection associations. in 1845, one group started a store in Boston, founded on the same principles the Rochdale Pioneers had applied a year earlier. These “protective unions’ eventually became divided over political and social issues of the time and were all out of business by the end of the Civil War.
Most early American co-ops failed due to insufficient capital (money invested by the owners), poor management, and a lack of understanding of the cooperative principles by their members. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that co-ops began to have true, long-lasting success in the United States.

Consumer Co-ops Make Waves
In rural and urban areas alike, consumer co-ops were first organized to provide consumers with control and to fight the unfair practices of private and company stores. Over the years, consumer co-ops have experienced “waves” of growth and development, followed by periods of decline.
The first of these waves began in the early 1900s with what was called “the Rochdale plan.” Under this plan consumers organized into buying groups to purchase from a cooperatively owned wholesaler. The wholesaler would then gradually help these buying clubs convert their operations into retail outlets by supplying management, inventory, and capital. In 1920, there were 2,600 consumer co-ops in the United states – all but 11 were general stores – and 80% were in towns with populations of less than 2,500. Combined sales volume for these stores was about $260 million. Unfortunately, when the wholesalers began having problems due to rapid growth, the whole system crumbled, and most co-ops were closed within the decade.
The Great Depression the the 1930s triggered another great wave of co-op organizing in cities and in rural areas. In California, the “End Poverty in California” (EPIC) campaign established and promoted “self-help” cooperatives and worked unsuccessfully to elect the reformer Upton Sinclair governor. Several national “consumers’ unions” were formed to promote consumer education and protection. In 1936, Toyohiko Kagawa, a Japanese clergyman with a social gospel, inspired the development of many co-ops in the United States by preaching “brotherhood economics,” his term for cooperation. “Cooperatives,” he said, “are the foundation of world peace. They are the love principle in action. Whether we like it or not there is no other way but cooperatives.”
These efforts, bolstered by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, supported urban co-ops with technical assistance. Some leading consumer co-ops were launched in this period – in Berkeley, Palo Alto, Eau Claire (Wisconsin), Hanover (New Hampshire), and Hyde Park (a Chicago, Illinois neighborhood), and Greenbelt (Maryland – a Washington, D.C. suburb). All of these stores survived to their 50th anniversaries. but in the 1980s, the co-ops in Berkeley and Greenbelt closed, and those in Eau Claire and Palo Alto greatly scaled back their activities. The co-ops in Hanover and Hyde Park are thriving and growing – both with dynamic membership programs.
In the late 1960s and 1970s the “new wave” of consumer co-ops began. Born out of the ideas and philosophies of the 1960s counterculture, these stores were opened by young and idealistic members. They set up co-ops to fit their belief in equality, not to follow their co-op predecessors. Most of the new co-ops sold only whole, unrefined, and bulk foods. Their operating practices were diverse and experimental. Some stores had limited store hours, others were open seven days a week. Some were run by volunteers, others by fully paid staff. Some had various forms of worker self-management, others had more traditional management structures. Some paid year-end patronage refunds, others gave members a discount at the cash register.
These co-ops were pioneers in what came to be known as the “natural foods” industry. But not all were successful. Some failed because of their experimental structures and operating systems. Most were unable to escape the same problems that had troubled older, earlier co-ops – insufficient capital, inadequate membership support, and inability to improve operations as the natural foods industry developed, a stronger commitment to idealism than to economic success, the lack of adequate support from their wholesalers, and resistance to consolidation. But the “new wave” co-ops which survived are strong and well-established.
The consumer co-op movement in the United States has had mixed success – especially in contrast to consumer co-ops in Europe and Asia. But each wave of cooperative growth produces renewed enthusiasm for a time-tested idea and innovations that prove successful in the consumer marketplace – at least for a time.

The above text is from the Employee Orientation Handbook on Co-op History by Karen Zimbelman. © Karen Zimbelman, used by permission.
via historyofcoops.htm

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Building a co-operative future through a global brand

A turning point for European cooperatives

See online : europe.coop

The April European Cooperative Convention in Moscow (Cancelled because of travel restrictions due to the Icelandic volcano eruptions. – Ed.) is a pivotal moment for the cooperative sector in Europe: to acknowledge the scale of the opportunity presented by the global financial crisis and the consequent loss of trust in the tired business models of the past. And having done so, to work together as a movement to exploit the full potential of this window.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to collectively reach out to consumers with a bold vision of a new business mainstream, one built on trust, and flowing from our shared cooperative values.

Centrally important to communicating this common vision is a pervasive brand that we can all share in, and which differentiates us as ethical cooperative enterprises. This brand already exists; it has been carefully developed for the last ten years in readiness for this opportunity. It is global, verifiable, pervasive, powerful, and built on our common cooperative values and principles.

Building the future cooperative movement through a shared global brand

.coop is the de facto verifiable brand identity for cooperatives worldwide. With its primary focus online it is perfectly suited to supporting and promoting cooperative identity in the fastest developing business environment that is revolutionizing the way we all live and work.

Each website visit and each email sent reinforces the distinctive and trusted nature of our cooperatives, building recognition amongst consumers and delivering a new cultural awareness of the scale, diversity and values of cooperative enterprise.

.coop is also highly effective offline, subtly and effectively stating your cooperative difference on every piece of communication your organisation produces.

.coop is a “social brand”, a powerful mark that sits quietly and comfortably alongside your cooperative’s business branding, and which is shared with many thousands of other cooperative enterprises around the globe, building a worldwide network of trust.

A Free .coop Domain Name for Every Cooperative

.coop is a carefully constructed platform that has been painstakingly developed over the last decade. It is a robust and mature top level domain, and is ideally positioned to provide the social brand platform that will lift the cooperative movement to the next level.

Every cooperative that has not yet registered a .coop domain name can get one totally free of charge for 12 months. In addition europe.coop will work with each cooperative to ensure their .coop domain is up and running for website and email addresses. And for the many cooperatives that have yet to get online europe.coop can provide low cost web and mail hosting services, or work with your preferred cooperative service providers.

Building Cooperative Partnerships across Europe

A lot of work has been going on to build strong business partnerships with cooperative organisations across Europe to promote .coop and deliver support to cooperatives in their local language.

The europe.domains.coop team wants to establish similar partnerships in every country in Europe and beyond, enabling every cooperative to take full advantage of the benefits offered by being part of the global .coop community.

Cooperative federal organisations are ideally placed to be active and influential partners, adding value to their membership offer and creating valuable new income streams.

Be Part of the Future for Cooperatives

Paul Hazen, president of the .coop Registry, and Graham Mitchell, who heads sales and support operations on behalf of the leading .coop registrar in Europe, will both be in Moscow from April 19-21. They are keen to use the opportunity that the Moscow convention provides to meet with European organisations that are interested in joining the rapidly growing global .coop community and want to learn more. (This event was unfortunately cancelled because of the travel restrictions following the Icelandic volcano eruptions. – Ed.)

If you are participating in the Moscow conference come along to the Cooperative Image Building and Branding workshop at 09.30 on April 21, sponsored by www.europe.domains.coop, where the issues will be set out and discussed in depth. It promises to be a lively session!

If you can’t make it to Moscow don’t worry. Your organisation can still be a partner in the construction of the new co-operative future.

Learn more at www.europe.coop or register the names you want right now at www.europe.domains.coop.

Contact Graham Mitchell to arrange a meeting in Moscow, or to learn more about how your organisation can participate.

Telephone: +44 7906 318 677

email: contact@europe.coop

This article was written by Graham Mitchell of europe.domains.coop

via Cooperatives Europe – Building a co-operative future through a global brand.