Closing down Bluebook message back up is wrong! VOTE NOW!

[Anonymous]

Bluebook automatic message copying/ back up has been a highly beneficial facility for me over the years. A lot of my business is done via texting and I photograph & send quotes via MMS daily. If software was included by phone manufacturers/ or 3rd party versions existed (and do not) to allow me to back up multimedia messages (in particular) I would not be complaining now!
In the horrendous economic climate I appreciate costs are being scrutinised and have always wondered how o2 justified the "free of charge" cost involved in storing & maintaining possibly billions of messages. The simple answer is they couldn't and the increasingly frequent downtime with Bluebook is testimony to the problem.
However, whilst there might be billions of messages stored, the actual space used compared to free email accounts (eg Hotmail, Googlemail) is actually much smaller & remain free, though for how much longer is also now in question.
I now pay an additional & very expesnive 25p per MMS I send (it used to "cost" me 4 text messages from my old contract bundle, however, o2 sneakily removed this aspect trying to promote useless "unlimited free SMS texts only" when I changed contracts). But to close down the Bluebook Messages facility with 5 weeks notice is simply arrogant. Why not create a new revenue stream instead? Yes, get rid of 100s of thousands of accounts that don't use it actively & charge for the 1000s that use the facility. The physical infra structure is in place so it's hardly much effort and I wouldn't object to paying a small amount per month for the minimal storage I use (mine amounts to 1/4 Gig for 2 years of messages). Not only would resources be freed but the system would be faster & more reliable.
o2 may argue to use email instead (which of course is easier to store & download) or the likes of social networks (aka Facebook for non commercial stuff) - but that simply does not wash! Perhaps in 5 years times when 3G is 100% available across the UK, more reliable and cheaper too - the humble SMS/ MMS is quicker, almost 100% available & more undertandable/ easier to use to the lesser mortals of the world.
I have posted about serious issues in the past and I do not know whether o2 managers look at forums actively, but I have now aired my 2 pennies worth. I hope o2 reconsider their decision (and make money out of it too) but I for one no longer have to remain loyal (after 7 years!) to o2 as their USP is all but disappearing now! N

[Anonymous]

I'm confused. Has there been any suggestion that Bluebook is closing?
Some of us have been part of a test of #blue an upgrade version of Bluebook. So to me it seems, if anything, that it is being enhanced.

[adamtemp64]

prking see here http://www.o2.co.uk/bbfaq

[Anonymous]

Some of us have been part of a test of #blue an upgrade version of Bluebook. So to me it seems, if anything, that it is being enhanced.

Bluebook as such is not closing, just the most important part of it! I'm intrigued about you being a tester for an "upgrade" version... was for it for the storage of the messages or just the back up of contacts? And how recently was this... perhaps it is with a view to charging??

[Anonymous]

There were quite a few threads on #blue when it started. Many of us on here joined. Its storage of messages which are presented in a threaded view.

[jonsie]

The #Blue has been up and running now for a few months, afaik just by invitation as it was for testing purposes initially. Personally, I find it much better than Bluebook.
https://hashblue.com/accounts/sign_in
All messages and contacts are stored on it and a useful feature where you can view 'conversations' ie.all messages between 2 mobile numbers.
Information screen shot below.

Not sure if this is a permanent facility or whether it will go the same way as Bluebook, fingers crossed it doesn't. Considering the reasoning behind the withdrawal of messaging services on Bluebook, this probably won't be available to all and may well be a future subscription service.

[Anonymous]

The #Blue has been up and running now for a few months, afaik just by invitation as it was for testing purposes initially. Personally, I find it much better than Bluebook.
https://hashblue.com/accounts/sign_in

I used a registration link on this site a few days ago, but alas, no response... has this gone the same way as Bluebook? 😞

[jonsie]

It's still working ok for me but as I say, I think it was invitation only when it was initially set up. It may be that it will be a subscribed service once the sms storage facility is withdrawn from Bluebook.

[Anonymous]

It's still working ok for me but as I say, I think it was invitation only when it was initially set up. It may be that it will be a subscribed service once the sms storage facility is withdrawn from Bluebook.

I tried to join the afm's forum, but I can't seem to register. So instead I sent a private message to the forum asking whether #Blue is continuing, but after a week I've heard nothing, so it sounds bleak!
I have researched for similar facilities which do exist (albeit paid), such as WaveSecure (owned by by McAfee), however, no one seems to sync MMS (no problems with SMS) & I need storage of quotes with pictures as they take too much space on the mobile memory (I can't store on a card, only backup which is of no use to me). The most promising was mobical.net but they don't offer the service in the UK! Any further advice would be gratefully received 😞