www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vodafone’s 3G network goes live in hundreds of regional areas today (Monday 31 August), increasing competition and offering choice and value to customers.
Vodafone customers in upgraded areas can now access 3G services on-the-move, such as internet and email on their mobile phone, or laptop via Vodafone Mobile Broadband*.
To celebrate the 3G upgrade, Vodafone is offering all new and existing customers (on prepaid and contract) unlimited, free access to Facebook on their mobile phone, until 31 October 2009^.
Nigel Dews, CEO at Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA), says regional customers can now enjoy 3G services at Vodafone’s great value prices.
“Vodafone is committed to investing in its network to make state-of-the-art 3G services more accessible and affordable.
“Vodafone’s great value 3G services are now available to Australians living and working in regional cities and towns, as well as business travellers and holiday-makers who need to stay connected.
“More Vodafone customers, in more places, can now get online on their mobile phone or laptop while they’re out and about, to keep up-to-date on emails, stay in-touch with friends and family via Facebook, MySpace or Twitter and blog, game or Google,” he said. Vodafone’s 3G network coverage now extends out to Kununurra in WA, Port Douglas in Queensland and Devonport in Tasmania, reaching 94 per cent of the Australian population. Vodafone’s 3G coverage previously reached 80 per cent of the Australian population.
To access Vodafone’s 3G services in both regional and metropolitan areas, customers can purchase one of 18 3G 900Mhz mobile phones available on Vodafone prepaid or contract, such as the prepaid Nokia 6220 for $229. Vodafone Prepaid Flexi Caps start at $29 (includes $300 total value)~ and give customers the freedom to spend their included Flexible Credit any way they like – on calls, txt, internet browsing, instant messaging and downloading games or music. As part of the upgrade, Vodafone’s regional 2G network will now support EDGE technology. Existing Vodafone customers with a 2G mobile phone will continue to access voice and txt services as normal and can experience an increase in data speeds. Coverage maps, information on compatible mobile phones and pricing details are available in Vodafone stores and online at www.vodafone.com.au.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: China Unicom, the Chinese mobile operator, has reportedly confirmed that it has inked an agreement with Apple to vend the iPhone 3G across China. China, according to a press release, has reportedly inked a 3-yr agreement with Apple. The operator further unveils that the handset will be on sale from Q4′09, confirming the rumours doing rounds across the media.
There’s still no word on the official iPhone 3G price for China, but it’s said that the 8GB version will be offered for about $365 with a 2-yr contract agreement.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: BSNL, the state-run telco, has reportedly offered Ericsson, the technology vendor, a contract to supply 5.25 million GSM lines. The deal is reportedly worth US$500 million.
The deal has been announced in the backdrop of the controversy pertaining to BSNL’s ‘mega-tender’ for 93 million GSM lines.
Nokia Siemens Networks, another bidder for the mega deal, had challenged BSNL’s decision to disqualify it saying the bid did not meet the technical criteria.
Whereas, BSNL said that an ‘integrity panel’ has upheld its decision to disqualify Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) from its more than $6 billion tender to supply equipment.
“The integrity panel stand is that the decision on the NSN tender was right. The panel said the rejection was done correctly,” BSNL chairman, Kuldeep Goyal reportedly said.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Yemen Mobile has reportedly awarded a $ 13.6 million contract to a Chinese firm, Huawei Technologies. The contract is aimed to at raising the subscribers number to 3 million and expanding cell phone coverage throughout the nation. Under the contract Huawei company will import, install and operate the expansion networks according to modern world standards.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sprint Nextel, the USA based mobile operator, has slashed the monthly service price for its CDMA/mobile WiMAX service from $79.99 per month to $69.99 per month, and is throwing in a free month of service as an extra bonus. The price cut has come a week after the operator launched mobile WiMAX service in Las Vegas, Atlanta and Portland. Including Baltimore, the carrier now offers its Sprint 4G-branded service, which includes roaming onto its 3G CDMA network, in four markets.
According to market analysts, the Sprint’s price cut is viewed as “slightly positive,” adding that the new price “is more palatable to prosumers and consumers during these tough economic times. … These initiatives considerably reduce the cost barriers to adoption, increasing the carrier’s potential consumer base.” The firm also pointed out that Sprint is offering its 3G/4G USB Modem U300 for free with a two-year service contract and $50 mail-in rebate, down from an initial price of $149 in December.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Research In Motion (RIM) today announced plans to launch the new BlackBerry® Curve™ 8520 smartphone in various countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. The BlackBerry Curve 8520 – a new addition to the BlackBerry Curve series – is an incredibly approachable smartphone with plenty of easy-to-use communications and multimedia features to keep you connected and entertained on the go. It is expected to be available starting in early September, with specific dates varying from country to country.
For people who like to be connected, the slim new BlackBerry Curve 8520 provides easy mobile access to email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and popular social networking sites (including Facebook® and MySpace) and features a highly tactile full-QWERTY keyboard for comfortable, accurate typing. It also features rich multimedia capabilities and easy access to music, games and other mobile entertainment apps.
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www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The LG touchscreen GD910 watch phone has recently hit the mobile market. The handset will be available with a two year contract and is priced at $US1,270. According to the sources this is the “starting price” so the one-year contract might cost the users more. The handset will be available exclusively with Orange France.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Verizon Wireless, the USA based mobile operator, has dropped the prices of almost all its smartphones to $99 or less for customers subscribing for a 2 year contract. Verizon with this moves comes in a neck to neck competition with Apple’s iPhone 3G through AT&T, and raises speculation that newer smartphones may be coming to the carrier.
Every BlackBerry device will now cost $100 or less apart from BlackBerry Tour.
The price cuts suggest that Verizon is planning to clear out the inventory to launch new smartphones.
www.WirelessFederation.com/news:T-Mobile has reportedly launched the HTC Hero, under the name of T-Mobile G2 Touch, in UK. The operator offers the G2 Touch handset for free with an 18-month contract agreement and a monthly plan of at least £35.
The handset features:
- 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display
- Android OS 1.5
- GPS
- Wi-Fi
- 3.5mm headset jack
- 5MP camera with autofocus
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: AT&T is likely to soon launch the Samsung A887 Solstice on its network on 2 August. According to a media report, the carrier will sell the Samsung handset for s low as $99.99 (with a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate).
The Samsung Solstice is a mid-end touchscreen phone with features like A-GPS, Video Share, stereo Bluetooth, email, IM and a 2MP camera. The A887 seems to be using the TouchWiz UI.