Nokia 3250 music phone sells over one million units in less than four months

Powered by the leading smartphone software S60, the Nokia 3250 offers a dynamic mobile music experience

July 11, 2006 -- Espoo, Finland - With more than one million units sold since it entered the charts in March 2006, the Nokia 3250 music phone is quickly earning a reputation as a must-have summer accessory - storing up to 750 songs (1 GB) of high quality music and sporting a 2 megapixel camera in a unique design.

Nokia 3250 music phone

"As the world's largest manufacturer of digital music players, Nokia continues to lead the way in making mobile music widely accessible," says Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President of Nokia's Lifestyle Products Group. "As we enter the summer holiday season, the Nokia 3250 is an ideal travel companion - it stores all your favourite songs, records fondest summer memories, and even has an off-line mode for those endless long-haul flights."From a technical standpoint, the Nokia 3250 music phone is based on S60 3rd Edition software and Symbian OS - which can turn a smartphone into a versatile portable music player capable of playing a wide array of digital music formats such as MP3, WMA, M4A, AAC and eAAC+. In addition to making it easy to load and transfer music, the S60 3rd Edition software allows people to purchase music and share their musical experiences and recommendations with their friends.

"S60 3rd Edition software introduces a new level of flexibility and security, enabling easy creation of devices and applications targeted to mass markets. The success of the Nokia 3250 clearly demonstrates that consumers value the extensibility that an S60 device offers," adds Norta.

The Nokia 3250 music phone began shipping in March 2006, reaching the milestone of one million units sold in less than four months.

About S60
The S60 built on Symbian OS, is the leading smartphone software in the world and it is licensed by some of the foremost mobile phone manufacturers in the market. The flexibility of the S60 software allows for various hardware designs and software configurations. This is demonstrated through the multitude of S60 devices already available on the market. Through its award-winning user interface, extensive support for new mobile services and the innovation potential for partner solutions, the S60 provides an open and scalable business opportunity for mobile operators and 3rd party developers. For further information about S60 news and community, please visit www.s60.com.

About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

Source: Nokia

Symbian OS Phone Shipments Reach 10 million in Japan

TOKYO, Japan – 12 July 2006 – Symbian Ltd. today announced that Symbian OS™, the market leading open operating system for advanced, data-enabled mobile phones, also known as smartphones, shipped in over 10 million mobile phones in Japan up until the end of May 2006.

The very first Symbian OS phones shipped in Japan in 2003 from Fujitsu; the FOMA F2051 followed by the FOMA F2102. A total of 6 Symbian OS based models had been shipped in Japan from Fujitsu and Nokia in 2004, 14 models from Fujitsu, Nokia, Mitsubishi, Sharp, and Motorola in 2005, and to date 35 models from 6 handset vendors including Sony Ericsson have shipped in total.Haruhiko Hisa, President, Symbian Co. Ltd said, “This significant achievement was driven by the remarkable growth of the advanced 3G mobile phone market in Japan, NTT DoCoMo’s selection of Symbian OS as a common software development platform for its 3G FOMA network and the fact that Symbian OS, as an open mobile operating system, reduces time to market.�

Symbian will continue to focus on enabling applications and services that meet the demands of mobile phone users by working together with network operators, handset manufacturers, and partners in Japan�, added Hisa.

* "Symbian", "Symbian OS" and other associated Symbian marks are all trademarks of Symbian Software Ltd.
* “FOMA� is a trademark or registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
* All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
About Symbian

Symbian is a software licensing company that develops and licenses Symbian OS, the market leading open operating system for advanced, data-enabled mobile phones, also known as smartphones.

Symbian licenses Symbian OS to the world’s leading handset manufacturers and has built close co-operative business relationships with leading companies across the mobile industry. At the end of Q1 2006 70.5 million Symbian OS phones had been shipped by licensees worldwide to over 250 major network operators.

Symbian has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom with offices in the United States, Europe (England and Sweden (UIQ Technology AB)), Israel and Asia (India, P.R. China, Korea, and Japan).

For further information about Symbian please see Symbian

The following 35 Symbian OS-based mobile phones have shipped in Japan:

* NTT DoCoMo FOMA F902iS; FOMA F702iD; FOMA Raku-Raku PHONE II; FOMA Raku-Raku PHONE; FOMA F902i; FOMA F700iS; FOMA F901iS; FOMA F700i; FOMA F901iC; FOMA F900iC; FOMA F900iT;FOMA F900i; FOMA F2102V; FOMA F2051; (manufactured by Fujitsu); FOMA D702iBCL; FOMA D902iS; MUSIC PORTER X; FOMA D702i; Music Porter II; Raku-Raku PHONE Simple; FOMA D902i; FOMA D701i; FOMA D901iS; FOMA D901i (manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric); FOMA M1000 (manufactured by Motorola); FOMA SH902iSL; FOMA SH 902iS; FOMA SH702iD; FOMA SH902i (manufactured by Sharp); FOMA NM850iG (manufactured by Nokia); FOMA SO902iWP+; FOMA SO702i; FOMA SO902i (manufactured by Sony Ericsson)
* Vodafone 702NKII (Nokia 6680); Vodafone 702NK (Nokia 6630) (manufactured by Nokia)

Source: Symbian

NTT DoCoMo to Start Sales of HTC Handset with Windows Mobile
Products & Services

TOKYO, JAPAN and TAOYUAN, TAIWAN, July 12, 2006 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (DoCoMo) and High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) announced today that they have developed a handset, "hTc Z," equipped with the Microsoft® Windows Mobile® 5.0 Japanese-edition operating system. DoCoMo will start sales in late July.The hTc Z will enable a variety of useful mobile business solutions using Windows Server® and Exchange Server, in addition to Bluetooth® and many add-in applications.

DoCoMo plans to sell the handsets to corporate customers as part of its comprehensive business solutions.

The hTc Z will be demonstrated at DoCoMo's booth at Wireless Japan 2006 in Tokyo from July 19 to 21.

About NTT DoCoMo

NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company. DoCoMo serves more than 51 million subscribers, of which more than half to FOMAâ„¢, launched as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA in 2001. DoCoMo also offers a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services, including i-modeâ„¢, the world's most popular mobile e-mail/Internet service, used by more than 46 million people. With the addition of credit-card and other e-wallet functions, DoCoMo mobile phones have become highly versatile tools for daily life. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com.

About High Tech Computer Corp.

HTC designs, manufactures and markets innovative, feature-rich smartphone and PDA devices. The company produces powerful handsets that continually push the boundaries to provide true mobility and freedom for its users.

Founded in 1997, HTC (High Tech Computer Corp.) made its name as the company behind many of the most popular operator-branded devices. It has established unique partnerships with key mobile brands, including the leading operators in Europe, US, and many fast-growing Asian operators. The company has also brought products to market with OEM partners and under its own HTC brand.

HTC is the leading global provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile® -based devices and one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile device sector. HTC also ranked No. 3 among global IT companies in the 2006 Info Tech 100 from Business Week.

The company is listed on The Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For further corporate information, please visit: www.htc.com

Source: NTT DoCoMo

HOT Telecom to Use Nortel IMS-Ready Solution for Voice, Instant Messaging

More HOT Subscribers to Benefit from New IP-Based Services

JULY 12, 2006 -- AIRPORT CITY, Israel - HOT Telecom, a consortium of cable service providers Golden Channels, Matav and Tevel, has selected a next-generation carrier solution from Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] for the next stage of its cable telephony network upgrade.

Nortel will be the lead systems integrator for this upgrade, which will position HOT Telecom to deliver new revenue-generating services like managed VoIP, instant messaging, and presence awareness to business and residential customers across Israel.HOT Telecom plans to deploy a Nortel IMS-ready, carrier-grade IP-based solution using network engineering, integration, operation and maintenance services from Nortel's Global Services portfolio. The network upgrade is expected to be fully deployed by the end of 2006.

"HOT selected Nortel because its technology will enable us to respond to our significant growth in telephony subscribers and will let us introduce new services to enhance our customer services portfolio," said David Borochovsky, director of communications, Engineering Division, HOT Telecom. "We already use Nortel super-class carrier switches in our network. This latest project with Nortel is a major step in the massive upgrade of our network, which is needed because of our remarkable subscriber growth in telephony, Internet and video on-demand services."

"This is another milestone in our continuing relationship with HOT Telecom, which includes the recent deployment of HOT's enterprise network in Yakum, Israel," said Sorin Lupu, president, Eastern Region, EMEA, Nortel. "Our carrier-class VoIP solution and Global Services will help HOT expand its subscriber base, reduce operational costs and drive revenue growth through delivery of cutting-edge services to enhance the customer experience. Putting in place IMS-ready elements also makes HOT solutions secure and future-proof, able to cope efficiently with changing customer needs."

The HOT Telecom upgrade will include the Nortel Communication Server 2000-Compact, a carrier-grade softswitch that supports industry-standard VoIP protocols and enhances revenue opportunities by making it simpler for carriers to reach new regions. The upgrade will also include the Nortel Media Gateway 15000 Trunk Gateway, which provides a highly scalable and high voice quality solution to integrate traditional and next generation networks, and the Nortel Border Control Policy 7200, which provides an advanced media proxy designed to support VoIP services.

Nortel's Communication Server 2000-Compact softswitches have been deployed by more than 70 service providers worldwide including Verizon, BT, Telefonica and Cable & Wireless.

HOT Telecom also has an advanced converged IP telephony network at its Yakum Headquarters that uses Nortel softswitch technology. The network provides approximately 1,400 HOT Telecom employees with anywhere, anytime access to communication services such as voice, e-mail and multimedia collaboration regardless of device - telephone, computer or PDA.

Nortel's VoIP Infrastructure solutions, products and services deliver fully-featured, carrier-grade telephony, data, and multimedia services over multi-service packet networks.

Nortel's Global Services include a full range of integrated services for design, deployment, management and maintenance of end-to-end multi-vendor network solutions, including seamless migration to next generation technologies.

About Nortel

Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities that enhance the human experience, ignite and power global commerce, and secure and protect the world's most critical information. Our next-generation technologies, for both service providers and enterprises, span access and core networks, support multimedia and business-critical applications, and help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people with information. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com

Source: Nortel

Cingular Wireless Introduces Motorola C139

New Candybar Handset Gives All the Mobile Must-Haves at an Affordable Price to Cingular GoPhone Customers

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. and ATLANTA, July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, today announced the availability of the Motorola C139, a curvaceous palm-sized handset loaded with organizational and entertainment features and available for a low suggested retail price of $39.99. The phone is now offered to customers of Cingular's GoPhone, the most innovative and feature-rich prepaid wireless service in the industry.Now by purchasing the Motorola C139 for $39.99, Cingular GoPhone customers receive a $10 GoPhone airtime card and can begin enjoying the quality and reliability of the Cingular network with an attractive, dependable device. The Motorola C139 is a low-cost option for customers who want wireless service for basic needs such as keeping in touch with family.

"Cingular is pleased to welcome the Motorola C139 to our robust portfolio of handsets for our GoPhone customers," said Judy Cavalieri, vice president of marketing for GoPhone. "This device offers our GoPhone 'Pay As You Go' customers their most affordable option yet. With its wealth of functions and reasonable price, the Motorola C139 is the perfect choice for a budget- conscious consumer looking for a practical and stylish device."

Featuring a vivid color screen, the small-framed Motorola C139 is easy-to- use and includes zoom fonts during dialing, iTAP® predictive text entry and talk times of up to approximately 700 minutes*. For keeping schedules on track, users can stay organized with the daily and weekly calendar complete with reminder alerts.

"Motorola recognizes that some mobile customers just want the basics. That's why we continue to develop mobile devices to support every type of consumer in Cingular's expansive network base," said Bob Suastegui, vice president of sales, Mobile Devices, Motorola, Inc. "With communication and organizational capabilities, the Motorola C139 provides dependable functionality for those on a budget."

Availability

The Motorola C139 is available in Cingular Wireless retail stores, Cingular's national retail store partners including Wal-Mart and RadioShack, or via http://www.cingular.com/ . For more information on Cingular Wireless products and services, visit a Cingular Wireless retail location, or go to http://www.cingular.com/ . For additional information on Motorola products, please visit http://www.hellomoto.com/

About GoPhone

GoPhone consists of two unique service offerings, "Pick Your Plan" and "Pay As You Go." These offerings provide consumers the option of a plan that comes with predictable monthly payments or a traditional prepaid solution. Both GoPhone plans offer most of the same great features as traditional Cingular Wireless plans. Also, any Cingular phone is available for GoPhone customers, or they can choose from several pre-packaged GoPhone options. Additionally, Cingular GoPhone users on select plans can enjoy free mobile-to- mobile calling, giving them unlimited talk time with friends on Cingular's 55.8-million subscriber base for free.

Pay As You Go

The Motorola C139 is available on the GoPhone "Pay As You Go" plan. "Pay As You Go" allows users to experience the benefits of wireless mobility on Cingular's network with no annual contract or credit check and an unlimited Mobile to Mobile calling option to 55.8 million Cingular customers across the United States. The "Pay As You Go" plan is broken into two service options that are tailored to the consumer's mobile needs, providing simplicity and value right out of the box.

1. Unlimited Mobile to Mobile calling to all 55 million Cingular customers for $1 per day and only 10 cents per minute for all other calls ($1.00 per day charged only on days phone is used, which is different than other competitors who charge a per day use even if the product is not used).

2. An alternative is to pay a simple flat rate of only 25 cents per minute for all calls with no additional access charges.

Pay As You Go Universal Refill Card

Cingular's universal prepaid replenishment card allows both new and existing GoPhone prepaid users to replenish their accounts online or at select ATM machines, with debit or credit cards. In addition, prepaid cards are available at more than 60,000 locations, including Cingular retail stores, 7- Eleven, Western Union, Target and Wal-Mart. The card denominations and expirations are as follows:

$15 - 30 days
$25 - 90 days
$50 - 90 days
$75 - 90 days
$100 - 365 days

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER™ network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover®, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/.

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com/

*All talk and standby times are quoted in Digital Mode, and are approximate. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.

Certain mobile phone features may not be available throughout the entire network or their functionality may be limited. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Cingular Wireless

Sprint and Sanyo Introduce Katanaâ„¢ Mobile Phone

Sprint and Sanyo Introduce Katana - Cherry Blossom Pink

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and CHATSWORTH, CA. — 07/10/2006 -- The legendary Katana, best known as a precision instrument sword used by the Samurai, has a new identity, that of a cutting-edge wireless phone by Sprint (NYSE: S) and SANYO (NASDAQ: SANYY). This ultra-thin, affordable phone features Bluetooth® Wireless Technology and a built-in camera and is designed to appeal to the fashion-centric consumer who likes to make a statement with the wireless phone he or she carries. Making its debut throughout the month of July in four bold colors, including Mystic Black, Blue Sapphire, Cherry Blossom Pink, and Polar White, which is a color that will be sold exclusively at RadioShack, the Katana will be available at Sprint Stores, online (www.sprint.com) and at select third-party retailers."The Katana by SANYO bridges the best in mobile phone design with Sprint's powerful network to deliver an affordable wireless phone that's truly unique and exclusive to Sprint customers," said Oliver Valente, senior vice president of product development for Sprint. "With four colors to choose from, customers get to express themselves via a very personal device that's always with them. The wireless phone is becoming a cultural staple of our day, and it can be as unique as the person who carries it."

"The Katana wireless phone is symbolic of SANYO's highly regarded craftsmanship, which has earned us high marks from consumers and from our peers in the industry," said Andy Kodera, senior vice president and general manager of SANYO Fisher Company's Wireless Communications Division. "The SANYO Katanaâ„¢ is fashioned from a long-standing tradition of precision, style and beauty - much like the katana sword of the past," Kodera explained.

Sprint and Sanyo Introduce Katana - Mystic Black

Sprint and Sanyo Introduce Katana - Blue Sapphire

Key Features

* Sleek Profile - Ultra-thin clamshell design and internal antenna.
* Bluetooth Wireless Technology - Enjoy hands-free communication by using headsets, car-kits, and other select Bluetooth-capable devices. Transfer addresses using Bluetooth and use the phone as a dial-up modem for quick access to the Internet. Bluetooth accessories sold separately.
* Large, High-Resolution Main Display - See more detail and more text in high resolution.
* Built-In VGA Camera - Capture images up to 480 x 640 pixels with the built-in VGA camera with digital zoom.
* Built-in Speakerphone - Accomplish other tasks while you talk with callers through a two-way speakerphone.

Services Supported*

* Sprint PCS Vision® - Download images, ringers, games, and other applications with Sprint PCS Vision® to make your phone unique to you!
* Sprint PCS Picture Mail(SM) (www.sprint.com/picturemail) - Instantly shoot, share, and print your digital pictures through participating retailers across the country.
* Text Messaging - Instantly send and receive SMS Text Messages across the room or across the country.
* Wireless Backup -Restore your contact information quickly and easily if your phone is ever lost, stolen, damaged or replaced. Additional charges may apply.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of communications services bringing mobility to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

About SANYO

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. is a $20 billion manufacturer and distributor of consumer electronics and commercial equipment, including multimedia and telecommunication products. SANYO Fisher Company (a division of SANYO North America Corporation, a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.), based in Chatsworth, California markets PCS phones, audio systems, portable and mobile electronics, televisions, dictation devices, digital camera/camcorder combinations, home appliances, LCD projectors, security video equipment and air conditioning systems.

SANYO was recently ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Wireless Mobile Phones, Three Times in a Row, Tied in 2005" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 U.S. Wireless Mobile Phone Evaluation StudySM - Volume 1*.

For more information, visit SANYO Wireless Communications online at www.sanyowireless.com

* Sanyo received the highest numerical score among wireless users in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2004-2006 U.S. Wireless Mobile Phone Evaluation StudySM. 2006 Study (Volume 1) based on responses from 18,740 consumer responses who have owned their current wireless phone for less than two years, measuring eight wireless handset manufacturers and measures opinions of consumers with their wireless handset. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in October 2005 and February 2006 who have owned their current wireless phone for less than two years. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com/cc

Source: Sprint

Vodafone UK: Vodafone UK Offers Total Communications Service For SMES

11 July 2006 -- Vodafone UK is combining the fixed-line* and mobile services it offers to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in a new portfolio that supports users whether they work in the office, from home or remotely. ‘Mobility Solutions for Business’ has been developed by Vodafone UK in response to increased demand for one-stop telecoms services from its SME customers and is being delivered with simplified account management, service and billing.Vodafone research shows that 86% of its UK business customers already regard the company as a credible supplier of total communications services. ‘Mobility Solutions for Business’ incorporates the full range of Vodafone UK’s mobile voice and data services, now including the recently launched 3G broadband**, alongside a comprehensive package of fixed line services including business broadband, carrier pre selection for cost-saving call routing, business numbers (such as 0870 or 0800 numbers) and line rental.

Customer benefits include:

- Simplified account and service management structure

- Direct, single point of contact for all telecommunication support (no voice recognition systems)

- Cost benefits for purchase of both mobile and fixed services

Elaine Roberts, head of enterprise marketing for Vodafone UK, said: “We believe in true ‘mobility’ – that is, the ability to connect wherever you are, whether it’s fixed broadband to the home desktop or 3G broadband to a laptop out in the field. We are getting a clear message from our customers that they want to consolidate these kinds of services with one supplier. They want simplicity, choice and value and that is exactly what we are providing.�

Nick Read, chief executive officer for Vodafone UK, added: “Vodafone UK believes services that encompass both fixed and mobile telecommunications will be at the heart of the nation’s future communications needs. Our commitment is to deliver enabling technologies and services that will provide our customers with communication options wherever they are. This launch is one of the first steps on an evolutionary journey that will take us from being a mobile-only communications provider to the total communications provider of choice.�

Customers are not tied to buying both fixed and mobile services as part of the same package – they are free to purchase any combination of voice and data services, according to their needs. For more information on availability, pricing and products please visit www.vodafone.co.uk/business

Source: Vodafone UK

Vodafone Germany: Global wireless communication - HP and Vodafone in a mobile communications joint venture

Düsseldorf, 10 July 2006. HP and Vodafone have joined forces in a market initiative for wireless communications. The two companies hope that this joint venture will speed up the convergence of the IT and telecommunications markets and open up new market opportunities. HP and Vodafone will achieve this by pooling their marketing and sales competence to promote the development of new products. In future, the two companies' customers will be able to use new HP notebooks that incorporate the technology to use Vodafone's UMTS and HSDPA services. International roaming in Vodafone's core markets, including Europe and the Pacific region, will also enable 'cross border', location-independent mobile working. The joint venture is not limited in terms of time."Business customers with an international work environment are looking for ways to improve their productivity on the move," explained Stephan Wippermann, Vice President and General Manager of HP Germany's Personal Systems Group. "HP has extended its portfo-lio to include notebooks that incorporate Vodafone's UMTS and HSDPA services so that these customers have access to high-speed wireless communications practically everyw-here in the world."

Mark Klein, Director Marketing Office at Vodafone Germany is convinced that, "The Voda-fone and HP joint venture is an important strategic move for both companies. HP notebooks with integrated UMTS broadband will provide our customers with fast, secure and cost-transparent mobile broadband services. That's guaranteed by our 'Connected by Vodafone' label. I'm certain that UMTS mobile communications technology will be incorpora-ted as standard in every notebook in the future."

The first HP notebook with integrated Vodafone UMTS technology is the HP Compaq nc6400 Business Notebook PC. It has been on the market since mid-June, has an integrated antenna and is fully equipped for future technology. The built-in SIM card module sup-ports UMTS and UMTS broadband. UMTS broadband is based on the new HSDPA stan-dard (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and enables data connections at speeds of up to 1.8 MBit/s. Vodafone customers already have access to UMTS in over 1800 towns and cities, and UMTS broadband is already available in many major cities. One of the advantages associated with this technology is that customers don't have to register to use it. A convenient billing procedure means that they simply pay via their mobile phone invoice. They can work efficiently while on the move, enjoy wireless surfing on the Internet and they can conveniently send and receive e-mails with attachments when they are out of the of-fice. When no UMTS broadband network is available, the devices automatically switch over to GPRS.

Source: Vodafone Germany

Vodafone Germany: Microsoft and Vodafone to extend joint venture

Düsseldorf, 7 July 2006. Microsoft and Vodafone are working in a close partnership to market Windows Mobile-based business solutions. The first joint project is mobile messaging solutions with the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. Business customers can enjoy a direct push e-mail service so that they can get all their data synchronised directly from Outlook to their mobile terminal when on the move. The service is geared to small and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises. Vodafone also offers a Managed Exchange solution for organisations that don't have their own IT infrastructure.In March 2006, Vodafone deployed a range of Windows Mobile 5.0-powered devices for Windows Mobile Email - and it is being continually extended. Windows Mobile Email uses Microsoft Direct Push technology to provide employees with almost real-time access to e-mails, appointment schedules, address books etc.

Vodafone and Microsoft's mobile messaging solutions address two market segments: "Vodafone ManagedExchange" is designed for small and medium-sized businesses without their own Microsoft Exchange Server or in-depth IT expertise. These businesses can profit from the advantages of Windows Mobile Email in conjunction with the Vodafone ManagedExchange for upwards of EUR 9.70 per month. "Vodafone Windows Mobile Email" is ideal for enterprises with their own exchange infrastructure.

Vodafone ManagedExchange enables access to all e-mails, contacts, tasks and appointments via office PC, notebook or mobile terminal. Installation and administration are included in the monthly flatrate, which means that Vodafone customers don't need to worry about any technical aspects or have to assign staff to technical support. The mobile devices have user-friendly interfaces in a format that anyone familiar with Microsoft Office will recognise. This eliminates the need for employee training.

Vodafone's Windows Mobile Email gives employees access to Outlook data at all times via the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. This offer comes with the Email Connect Fair Flat Tariff for a 100 MB data volume at a monthly flatrate of EUR 23.30. A roaming option can also be booked in addition to the data tariff so that users can access company data via mobile terminals when travelling in other countries. Further services and tools, such as a navigation program, are currently being discussed.

The Microsoft and Vodafone partnership will also extend to the marketing of Windows Mobile-based business solutions in the future. These services will target medium-sized businesses and large enterprises which use Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. The two companies are also planning to bring in new partners.

Source: Vodafone Germany

Vodafone Germany: Vodafone launches the Qtek 8500 smartphone

Düsseldorf, 7 July 2006. Vodafone has extended its range of business phones to include the stylishly elegant Qtek 8500. The slim clamshell smartphone is based on the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, and it is perfect for mobile office functions such as automatic e-mail.The new Qtek 8500 is an ultra-compact smartphone based on the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. It incorporates all standard MS Office applications. The phone can display Word, Excel, PDF and PowerPoint files, and it can use Vodafone's Windows Mobile E-Mail Push service for the automatic receipt of e-mails. Appointments, contact details and tasks in MS Outlook can easily be directly synchronised with the office PC via an Exchange 2003 mail server. The smartphone also has a Pocket Internet Explorer so that the user can browse the World Wide Web, a Windows Media Player 10 for playing back music and video files and a 1.3 megapixel camera.

Although the Qtek 8500 has some pretty impressive features, its dimensions are modest. The just under 16 mm wide smartphone only weighs 99 grams. The brilliant main LCD module has a 240 x 320 dots resolution and 65,536 colours. It has a USB port and a wireless Bluetooth interface for device-to-device connectivity and for Outlook synchronisation with the office PC. The phone's internal memory (64 MB ROM / 64 MB RAM) can be extended as required with microSD/TransFlash memory cards.

The Qtek 8500 has quadband functionality and can be used in most countries around the world (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). It ensures that the mobile user always has the important office functions available on one single device, which eliminates the need to take additional phones along on business trips.

If a Vodafone customer contract is concluded in the Vodafone 100 tariff with a 24-month minimum term, one-off connection fee and monthly package price of EUR 25, as well as low connection rates, e.g. EUR 0.35 or 0.50 /min. for standard domestic calls, the Qtek 8500 costs EUR 169.50. If the customer also books the Vodafone-EmailConnect Fair Flat option with 24-month minimum term, a monthly flat-rate of EUR 23.20 and a connection rate of EUR 1.86/MB for national incoming and outgoing data packages in the Vodafone network, it only costs EUR 119.50. The Qtek 8500 can be purchased for EUR 599.50 without a contract.

The Qtek 8500 is due to arrive in the Vodafone shops at the beginning of August.

Qtek 8500: Data and facts

* Dimensions (mm): 98.5 x 51.4 x 15.8
* Weight: 99 g
* Battery: lithium ion
* Stand-by: up to 150 hours (TBC)
* Talktime: up to 300 minutes (TBC)
* Quad band: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
* GPRS: yes
* Display: 2.2" LCD (240 x 320 dots) with 65.536 colours
* Integrated camera: up to 1.3 mega pixels
* Processor: TI OMAP 850
* Operating system: Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone / MSFP
* Windows Mobile E-Mail by Vodafone
* E-mail: E-mail client (POP3/IMAP4)
* ClearVue Viewer for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF
* Pocket Internet Explorer and Outlook Mobile
* Bluetooth: yes
* USB: yes
* Memory: 64 MB SDRAM RAM and 64 MB Flash ROM internal, extendable by microSD / TransFlash memory cards

Source: Vodafone Germany