By Editor on March 3, 2011 · Leave a Comment
MTS in partnership with Vodafone and Opera Software has announced the launch of a new customized version of Opera Mini for MTS subscribers.
According to MTS, using MTS Internet with Opera Mini, MTS customers will be able to add up to 30 of their preferred pages to a Speed Dial screen and quickly load them with a quick tap function. This unique capability surpasses the standard version of the Opera Mini that allows customizing up to nine websites. In the coming months, the new browser will also enable the use of a wide range of widgets for YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Omlet directly on the phone.
According to MTS Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Mikhail Gerchuk, they are pleased that their partnership with Vodafone brings them the opportunity to offer unique services to their subscribers. The Opera Mini browser is very popular in Russia with more than four million MTS customers a month using it to surf the Internet. The launch of the new browser moves their partnership with Opera to the next level. With the customized Opera Mini’s added capability, they can turn a budget handset model with limited functions into a very capable Internet browsing device. They are confident that their subscribers will get a richer and more convenient mobile Internet experience with the MTS Internet with Opera Mini.
More than 70% of Russians use Opera Mini to access the Internet from mobile phones (based on StatCounter stats provider data). Opera uses compression technology that reduces traffic by up to 90% of the initial volume, enabling mobile operators to optimize investments in infrastructure and use network capacity more efficiently. The technology also allows for the download of web pages up to six times faster than a regular browser on a mobile phone, thereby significantly reducing costs for mobile Internet users.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Facebook, Mikhail Gerchuk, Mobile, MTS, MTS Internet, new customized version, Omlet, Opera Mini, Opera Software, Russia, Speed Dial screen, twitter, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone, YouTube
By Editor on February 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Amdocs, the leading provider of customer experience systems, today announced that Vodafone Germany has selected Amdocs OSS (operational support systems) software to support the rollout of its 4G LTE (long term evolution) mobile network in order to increase the capacity and speed of data services it can offer to its customers. Vodafone Germany is Germany’s leading integrated communications company, serving more than 40 million customers with products and services for mobile communications, fixed network, data and broadband internet.
“Demand for new services and data consumption is growing rapidly,” said F. Grosschmidt, director of network support systems at Vodafone Germany. “With our LTE network we will be able to offer our customers exciting new high-bandwidth services and faster download speeds but we will need to optimize capacity management in order to realize the value of our network investment. Amdocs’ integrated OSS solution will enable us to quickly realize return on investment with faster time to market for new services, while reducing capital expenditure through better utilization of current and planned network capacity.”
The Amdocs OSS solution offers Vodafone Germany automated LTE network planning and rollout processes to speed network deployment at reduced operating costs. In addition, the Amdocs OSS solution will give Vodafone Germany complete and accurate visibility of its network assets. With an accurate view of its network capacity at any given time, as well as future planned network resources, Vodafone Germany will be able to plan for current and future network changes.
Amdocs has a long standing relationship with the Vodafone Group and has deployed OSS and BSS (business support systems) in a number of Vodafone’s operating companies including Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and United Kingdom.
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About Amdocs
Amdocs is the market leader in customer experience systems innovation. The company combines business and operational support systems, service delivery platforms, proven services, and deep industry expertise to enable service providers and their customers to do more in the connected world. Amdocs’ offerings help service providers explore new business models, differentiate through personalized customer experiences, and streamline operations. A global company with revenue of approximately $3.0 billion in fiscal 2010, Amdocs has over 19,000 employees and serves customers in more than 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit Amdocs at www.amdocs.com.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with 4G, Amdocs, Amdocs OSS, BSS, Director of network support systems, F. Grosschmidt, Facebook, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, LinkedIn, LTE, Mobile, Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Romania, twitter, United Kingdom, Vodafone Germany
By Editor on February 25, 2011 · Leave a Comment
A new research report from Ovum has revealed that Facebook is shaping up to be a strong competitor to mobile operators that are in danger of underestimating the threat it poses.
In a new report the telecoms analyst states that Facebook is much more than a social network – this is just a starting point and its domain spreads much wider. However, operators are being slow to wake up to the extent of Facebook’s ambitions and tend to view it as benign, non-competitive presence that they are keen to form partnerships.
According to Eden Zoller, author of the report and principal analyst of Ovum, Facebook is encroaching directly on mobile operator territory and should not be underestimated. It has come a very long way since it first launched Facebook Mobile in 2006. It is now a force to be reckoned within mobile with over 200 million users interacting with the service via mobile phone. It is much more than a social network and is better viewed as an increasingly rich platform for communications and content. Facebook wants to integrate with everything and be the main way that people consume and share information, anywhere and on any device.
Facebook has made several moves that have placed it in competition with mobile operators. It has an integration deal with Skype for voice communications and in November 2010 unveiled an email offering. Meanwhile, it is turning increasing attention to location-based services with its places platform and is pushing into mobile advertising in the shape of the Facebook Deals ‘check-in’ service. Facebook apps dominate app stores across most smartphone operating systems.
Zoller added that there is also intense ongoing speculation that Facebook will come out with its own phone, which in some respects would be the final piece of the puzzle. However, they don’t think that Facebook is in any rush to launch its own hardware just yet, although it could be interested in working with partners on a customized device platform. This would in effect make Facebook a social operating system.
Despite this competition from Facebook, mobile operators are keen to partner with it, for example, by offering easy access to its services and address book integration.
As per Zoller, while there are good reasons why operators should wish to partner with Facebook, they should be more alert to the fact that it is shaping up to be a strong competitor. It is only by understanding Facebook fully that operators can engage with it effectively, be that on a collaborative or competitive basis.
By Editor on February 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment
A recent survey has unearthed that there are significant variations in between different operating systems in terms of mobile web activity. The research method analyzed mobile behavior via operators’ IP traffic.
According to the survey, Android users were the most ‘web intensive’ with an average of 9.1 daily site visits per user, compared to iPhone (8.0), BlackBerry (5.7) and Symbian (5.2), the latter utilized more as a feature phone as opposed to a smartphone.
It was also revealed that variations in mobile usage in terms of handset screen size; <2″ displays saw an average of 2.8 site visits per day per user, whereas >4″ displays exhibit a marked increase, with 10.4 visits per day, per user.
Social networking sites continue to dominate the mobile internet picture, with a 28% share of all site visits. The importance of Facebook for example depends heavily on the operating system utilized. For users with a Symbian operating system, Facebook accounts for 24% of all visits while elsewhere the significance is lower; iPhone (17%), Blackberry (16%) and Android (13%). Similar variations were found for other popular sites; Google for example is hardly used at all by users with Symbian phones.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Android, Blackberry, Facebook, feature phone, Google, IP traffic, iPhone, Mobile, mobile web activity, Operating Systems, smartphone, social networking sites, Symbian, Symbian operating system, USA
By Editor on February 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment
HTC is about to launch two new smartphones keeping social networking as the main focus- the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa. Both the phones feature a dedicated Facebook button for one-touch access to the key functions of the Facebook service that are integrated throughout the HTC Sense experience.
According to Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile Business for Facebook, they have worked closely with HTC for several years on bringing Facebook to their devices. HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa are the next stage. HTC has brought Facebook to these two new devices in an innovative way enabling people to connect and share easily whenever they want, wherever they are.
The Facebook button on HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa are context-aware, gently pulsing with light whenever there is an opportunity to share content or updates through Facebook. With a single press of the button, users can update their status, upload a photo etc.
The handsets feature Android Gingerbread 2.3.3, the latest version, and use the latest iteration of HTC Sense to integrate Facebook throughout the HTC Sense experience. When a user makes a phone call, the dialer screen displays their friend’s latest status and photos, and even tells them if their birthday is approaching. The same updates are also displayed when users receive a call from a Facebook friend.
The HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa smartphones will be available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011. In the United States, HTC has signed an exclusive sales deal with AT&T.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Android Gingerbread 2.3.3, AT&T, Facebook, Head of Mobile Business for Facebook, Henri Moissinac, HTC, HTC ChaCha, HTC Salsa, HTC Sense experience, Mobile, Social Networking, United States
By Editor on February 9, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Mobile data bandwidth usage continued its phenomenal increase with 73% growth during the second half of 2010, according to research report. Video streaming continues to drive this growth as it remains the fastest growing application type, accounting for 37% of mobile bandwidth.
The H2 2010 report reveals that YouTube is responsible for a tremendous 17% of mobile data bandwidth usage and continues as the single most significant website for video streaming, accounting for 45% of total video streaming traffic. The report also shows the continued exponential growth experienced by social networking applications such as Twitter and Facebook, which grew by 378% and 267%, respectively, underlining the natural synergy that exists between social media and the mobile Internet.
The use of VoIP and IM applications also continued to grow rapidly with an 87% increase, demonstrating their ongoing appeal for subscribers.
This report also reveals that Google’s Android Market lags far behind Apple’s App Store with only 9% of the overall app store download traffic. However, its rapid 177% growth rate may influence this balance in the near future.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with VoIP, Android Market, App Store, Apple, bandwidth usage, Facebook, Google, H2, IM applications, Mobile, mobile bandwidth, Mobile Data, mobile internet, social media, twitter, USA, YouTube
By Editor on February 4, 2011 · Leave a Comment
CommuniGate Systems, the leader in super-efficient, massively scalable Unified Communications technology, announces its partnership with GO Telecom, the First Cloud Telecom Operator in the Middle East, in delivering the revolutionary telecommunications service GO Terhal†to the Saudi telecom market. Powered by CommuniGate Systems’ Pronto! and CommuniGate Pro technology, GO Terhal delivers the region’s first digital voice capability.
GO Telecom’s innovative service combined with the performance and reliability of CommuniGate Pro deliver virtually all types of communication capability from a single, super-scalable solution.
GO Terhal subscribers can access their files, and make free and low cost phone calls in super-clear HD Voice from any web-enabled computer, thanks to CommuniGate Systems’ browser based unified communications application, Pronto!.
Available for both business and consumer subscribers, the technology enables GO Terhal subscribers to stay connected anywhere, from any device via one number.
Boasting High Definition (HD) Voice VoIP and Video, mobile VoIP (mVoIP), social network integration (including Twitter, Facebook), hosted IP PBX, HD conference calling, instant messaging (IM) & presence, email, address books, calendaring, collaboration, mobile synchronization, personal filestorage and more, Terhal Web and CommuniGate Pro offer the most cost-effective, most complete unified communications platform.
CommuniGate Systems’ technology and expertise have been crucial in delivering this innovation in telecommunications to the market,†said Zaid Al-Shabanat, Chief Executive Officer, GO Telecom, With their support and the hard work of young Saudi Cadres, we have been able to provide cutting edge HD Voice services and create the first cloud communications solution in the region tailored to meet the needs of the Saudi market.â€
Responding, Carlo Petrolo, CommuniGate Systems’ Director of Middle East and Africa said, GO Telecom gave us an exciting challenge with GO Terhal. Partnering with them to bring their vision to life has been rewarding, and we believe Go Terhal will revolutionize communications for Saudi citizens all over the world.â€
About CommuniGate Systems
CommuniGate Systems develops carrier-grade unified communications software for fixed-line, cable and mobile operators to deliver value-added voice and multimedia services over their IP-based networks. The Company’s software solutions enable service providers to deliver hosted, SaaS, or cloud-based communications, including Voice over IP (VoIP), Mobile Voice over IP (mVoIP), Unified Communications and converged mobile and fixed-line services cost-effectively at massive scale.
The Company’s software comprises of the industry acclaimed CommuniGate Proâ„¢, and the application suites Pronto!â„¢, MobileOfficeâ„¢, UC Centrexâ„¢, VoicePlusâ„¢ and MessagePlusâ„¢.
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About GO Telecom
GO Telecom aims to become Saudi Arabia’s service provider of choice by introducing world leading technologies, GO†is committed to serving the community and the environment by revolutionizing the telecommunication standards in Saudi Arabia and providing world class services to our customers.
GO Telecom is the First Cloud Telecom Operator in the region and the second fixed-line operator to acquire a license from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (Saudi Arabia) (CITC) to provide fixed services in Saudi Arabia, GO†provides Broadband Internet services over WiMAX, fixed line VoIP services, and Intergraded Communication solution to consumer and business sectors. For more information visit: www.go.com.sa
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with address books, calendaring, collaboration, CommuniGate Systems, Egypt, email, Facebook, First Cloud Telecom Operator, Germany, Go telecom, GO Terhal, HD conference calling, High Definition (HD), instant messaging (IM) & presence, IP PBX, Middle East, Mobile, Mobile Synchronization, mobile VoIP (mVoIP), personal filestorage, Pronto!, Saudi Arabia, social network integration, twitter, Unified Communications technology, USA, Voice VoIP and Video
By Editor on January 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment
CommuniGate Systems, the leader in super-efficient, massively scalable Unified Communications technology, announces its partnership with GO Telecom, the First Cloud Telecom Operator in the Middle East, in delivering the revolutionary telecommunications service “GO Terhal” to the Saudi telecom market. Powered by CommuniGate Systems’ Pronto! andCommuniGate Pro technology, GO Terhal delivers the region’s first digital voice capability.
GO Telecom’s innovative service combined with the performance and reliability of CommuniGate Pro deliver virtually all types of communication capability from a single, super-scalable solution.
GO Terhal subscribers can access their files, and make free and low cost phone calls in super-clear HD Voice from any web-enabled computer, thanks to CommuniGate Systems’ browser based unified communications application, Pronto!.Available for both business and consumer subscribers, the technology enables GO Terhal subscribers to stay connected anywhere, from any device via one number.
Boasting High Definition (HD) Voice VoIP and Video, mobile VoIP (mVoIP), social network integration (including Twitter, Facebook), hosted IP PBX, HD conference calling, instant messaging (IM) & presence, email, address books, calendaring, collaboration, mobile synchronization, personal filestorage and more, Terhal Web and CommuniGate Pro offer the most cost-effective, most complete unified communications platform.
“CommuniGate Systems’ technology and expertise have been crucial in delivering this innovation in telecommunications to the market,” said Zaid Al-Shabanat, Chief Executive Officer, GO Telecom, “With their support and the hard work of young Saudi Cadres, we have been able to provide cutting edge HD Voice services and create the first cloud communications solution in the region tailored to meet the needs of the Saudi market.”
Responding, Carlo Petrolo, CommuniGate Systems’ Director of Middle East and Africa said, “GO Telecom gave us an exciting challenge with GO Terhal. Partnering with them to bring their vision to life has been rewarding, and we believe Go Terhal will revolutionize communications for Saudi citizens all over the world.”
About CommuniGate Systems
CommuniGate Systems develops carrier-grade unified communications software for fixed-line, cable and mobile operators to deliver value-added voice and multimedia services over their IP-based networks. The Company’s software solutions enable service providers to deliver hosted, SaaS, or cloud-based communications, including Voice over IP (VoIP), Mobile Voice over IP (mVoIP), Unified Communications and converged mobile and fixed-line services cost-effectively at massive scale.
The Company’s software comprises of the industry acclaimed CommuniGate Proâ„¢, and the application suites Pronto!â„¢, MobileOfficeâ„¢, UC Centrexâ„¢, VoicePlusâ„¢ and MessagePlusâ„¢.
About GO Telecom
GO Telecom aims to become Saudi Arabia’s service provider of choice by introducing world leading technologies, “GO” is committed to serving the community and the environment by revolutionizing the telecommunication standards in Saudi Arabia and providing world class services to our customers.
GO Telecom is the First Cloud Telecom Operator in the region and the second fixed-line operator to acquire a license from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (Saudi Arabia) (CITC) to provide fixed services in Saudi Arabia, “GO” provides Broadband Internet services over WiMAX, fixed line VoIP services, and Intergraded Communication solution to consumer and business sectors. For more information visit: www.go.com.sa
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with address books, Boasting High Definition (HD) Voice VoIP and Video, calendaring, collaboration, CommuniGate Systems, email, Facebook, First Cloud Telecom Operator, Go telecom, HD conference calling, hosted IP PBX, instant messaging (IM) & presence, Middle East, Mobile, Mobile Synchronization, mobile VoIP (mVoIP), personal filestorage, Saudi Arabia, social network integration (including Twitter, Unified Communications technology, USA
By Editor on January 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Facebook has launched a new security feature, designed to deter attackers from snooping on users who browse the social networking site via public wireless networks.
The service enables users in browsing Facebook over HTTPS, an encrypted protocol that prevents the unauthorized hijacking of private sessions and data.
According to Alex Rice, a security engineer, Facebook currently uses HTTPS whenever your password is sent to them, but today they’re expanding its usage in order to help keep your data even more secure. You should consider enabling this option if you frequently use Facebook from public internet access points found at coffee shops, airports, libraries or schools.
The 500-million member site was spurred on to add the security feature last fall when a researcher unveiled a Firefox plug-in, known as Firesheep, that permits anyone to scan open Wi-Fi networks and hijack, for example, Twitter and Facebook accounts.
According to Rice, Facebook plans to roll out the secure connection option to users over the next several weeks. He did warn, though, that using HTTPS may cause pages to load at a slower rate and that some third-party applications may not be compatible with the protocol.
At some point, HTTPS will be offered as a default setting to all users. Google announced a similar initiative for its Gmail service roughly a year ago.
News of the new capability comes on the same day as a hacker gained access to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s fan page to leave a bizarre comment, apparently political in nature, according to security firm Websense.
According to Zuckerberg, let the hacking begin: if Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn’t Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way. Why not transform Facebook into a ‘social business’ the way Nobel Price (sic) winner Muhammad Yunus described it?
Facebook has also introduced a new control that will prompt users to identify tagged friends in photos if the site detects suspicious account activity.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with a security engineer, Alex Rice, encrypted protocol, Facebook, Facebook founder, Firefox plug-in, Firesheep, Mark Zuckerber, public wireless networks, security feature, Social Networking Site, twitter, USA
By Editor on January 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Facebook has extended its mobile services with the deployment of a java based application that can be downloaded onto most basic phones.
The Facebook for Feature Phones app works on more than 2,500 devices from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG and other manufacturers, and it was built in cooperation with Snaptu.
According to Facebook, the app provides a better experience for its most popular features, including an easier-to-navigate home screen, contact synchronization, and fast scrolling of photos and friend updates.
The 14 mobile operators are offering free data access when using the new Facebook mobile app during the first 90 days after they launch. During the next few months, they plan to make the app available through more networks to deploy the Java application.
The operators to Launch the service today on m.fb.snaptu.com/f are– Dialog (Sri Lanka), Life (Ukraine), Play (Poland), StarHub (Singapore), STC (Saudi Arabia), Three (Hong Kong), Tunisiana (Tunisia), Viva (Dominican Republic), Vodafone (Romania), the operators to launch the services later are– Mobilicity (Canada), Reliance (India), Telcel (Mexico),TIM (Brazil) and Vivacom (Bulgaria),
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Dialog Sri Lanka, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Facebook, Feature Phones app, Hong Kong, India, java based application, LG, Life (Ukraine), Mexico, Mobile, Mobilicity (Canada), Nokia, Oman, Play (Poland), Poland, Reliance (India), Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Snaptu, Sony Ericsson, Sri Lanka, StarHub (Singapore), STC (Saudi Arabia), Telcel (Mexico), Three (Hong Kong), TIM Brazil, Tunisia, Tunisiana (Tunisia), Ukraine, Viva (Dominican Republic), Vivacom (Bulgaria), Vodafone Romania
