Nokia to offer X7, E6 smartphones in Austria
Nokia will be launching the new X7 and E6 smartphones in Austria in June and July respectively.
The Nokia X7 has an RRP of US$695, with the E6 having an RRP of US$650. They are the first Nokia smartphones based on the Symbian Anna operating system.
A1 introduces Bigbob ad campaign (Austria)
A1 has rolled out a new advertising campaign for its mobile discount MVNO Bob’s bigbob service.
The campaign focuses on the Android smartphone Huawei U8110, which is available for US$148.32 in combination with a Bigbob prepaid starter package.
Bigbob costs US$12 per month including 1,000 minutes and 1,000 SMSs to be used within Austria. Customers can also order the bob Datenpaket 1GB for US$6 per month including 1 GB mobile data use at HSPA speeds.
Orange, T-Mobile to initiate network cooperation in Q4 (Austria)
Orange Austria CEO Michael Krammer has announced that Orange Austria and T-Mobile Austria are planning to start cooperating with network deployment in the fourth quarter of this year.
According to him, the focus will be first on improving coverage of 3G for users of both networks and that both operators will see significant cost savings as deploying a base station costs US$118,776 for each operator, while using so-called RAN sharing, the operators have to pay a tenth of that amount.
The cooperation could be expanded to LTE, when the Austrian regulator RTR decides which frequencies aside from the 2.6 GHz range can be used for LTE. Krammer expects the decision to be announced within twelve months.
Serbian government denies cut-price sale reports for Telekom Srbija
Telekom Austria Group has denied reports that it has raised its offer to the Serbian government for its stake in Telekom Srbija.
Speculation that appeared in certain media that 30 percent of Telekom Srbija was sold to Telekom Austria for US$1.24 billion is absolutely not correct, the Serbian government stated in a statement On the 21st March, Telekom Austria submitted a conditional bid in the region of US$1.2-1.33 million for the Serbian government’s planned sale of a 51% stake in the country’s incumbent operator, Telekom Srbija.
The government however has set an unconditional minimum price of US$3 billion for a 51% stake. Telekom Austria has until 2pm local time this Wednesday to revise its offer for the stake. Telekom Srbija is the incumbent telecommunication operator of the Republic of Serbia with operations in Montenegro as well as Bosnia Herzegovina, where Telekom Srbija owns a 65% stake in Telekom Srpske.
In the Republic of Serbia, the company offers both fixed and mobile services with a 100% market share in
the fixed line and 58% market share in mobile communications. In Montenegro, the mobile market shares of Telekom Srbija amounts to 25% while it has a 2% share of the fixed line market. In Bosnia Herzegovina fixed line market share amounts to 35% and mobile communication market share to 39%.
Emporia, T-Mobile introduce emergency mobile call package (Austria)
Emporia Telecom, T-Mobile Austria and the Austrian Samaritan Association to introduce an emergency mobile call service for senior citizens.
This new emergency call system is based on the new EmporiaElegancePlus+S handset, which is equipped with the Emporia emergency call button.
Combined with the +S service package, pressing this button will connect directly to the Samaritans headquarters, where customers will already be registered.
T-Mobile is providing the necessary data package for the service, with retail partner Hartlauer selling the new service and hardware package.
Available from May, it will also be available in T-Mobile shops. The ElegancePlus+3 handset costs US$122 with an existing T-Mobile contract. The care service provided by the Samaritans costs US$36.90 per month with the T-Mobile HIT 55 Plus tariff plan (which offers 1,000 call minutes and 100 any-network texts).
Tele.ring announces Bast ND tariff, new 3D marketing campaign (Austria)
Tele.ring has unveiled a new marketing claim and the first 3D ad campaign in Austria. The 3D campaign will launch on 28 April and includes TV spots, billboards, city lights, printwork and POS activity.
Tele.ring stores will have free 3D glasses for customers to get the full benefits of the 3D ads. These will also be given away with May magazine editions. The campaign comes as Tele.ring launches a new tariff plan called ‘Bast ND’ for customers who make a lot of calls.
For US$12 per month, customers get 2,000 minutes to any network in Austria, plus 50 texts.
Telekom Austria group to switch to single brandname
The Telekom Austria Group has announced that its ‘A1′ brand will become the single brand for both fixed and mobile communication services in Austria.
The single brand concept is the logic next step within the integration process of the Group’s domestic fixed and mobile communication services, which was initiated last year. Currently the company operates as Telekom Austria for landline and A1 for mobile services.
According to the company, the focus on a single brand, ‘A1′, enables more efficient marketing activities and will strengthen A1 Telekom Austria’s position as the only true convergent operator in Austria. Moreover, the single brand will allow to fully integrate key functions, such as customer services and customer management.
The financial impact of the launch of the single brand has already been included in the Group’s financial outlook for 2011.
Apple confirms launch of White iPhone
Apple has confirmed that the white iPhone 4 will be available from 28 April.
White phones will be available from Apple’s online store, at Apple’s retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.
The new colour will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US beginning 28 April and in many more countries around the world soon.
It will sell for a suggested retail price of US$199 for the 16GB model and US$299 for the 32GB model with a new two-year agreement.
3 Italia introduces iPad 2 Super internet offer (Italy)
3 Italia has introduced an internet offer for owners of the Apple iPad 2 at a price of US$7.31 per month.
The offer includes 3 GB of internet traffic, with traffic over that threshold charged US$2.93 per 100 MB, and the option to browse the internet abroad at the same rate in Austria, Australia, Denmark, UK, Hong Kong, Ireland and Sweden.
The Super Internet for the iPad offer is renewed automatically every 30 days, at a cost of US$7.31 charged on the customer’s phone bill.
Orange eyes network sharing in more C&E European markets
France Telecom-Orange’s CEO Stephane Richard has stated that the group may seek to find infrastructure sharing agreements in Austria, Romania and Slovakia, as it has recently done in Poland.
As previously reported France Telecom-Orange is hunting for acquisitions in the Middle East and Africa as part of its objective of doubling emerging market revenues by 2015.
Richard stated that when asked whether the company would follow its plan to form a joint venture with Deutsche Telekom in equipment procurement with an overall merger, it was out of the question.
