Wireless Federation

Vodafone to launch ‘Vodafone Guardian’ app (UK)

On 12.01.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Mobile phone operator Vodafone has come out with a new parental control service allowing parents to monitor and restrict unwanted content and misuse of the mobile phone by children. According to reports, the new service to be titled ‘Vodafone Guardian’ will enable parents to blacklist certain numbers, transfer unwanted texts to a secured folder as well as set up an approved list for outgoing calls.

Further, sources claim that the new application would also enable parents to restrict internet use as well as manage access to the phone’s camera. With a large number of children owning a smartphone and spending a lot of time surfing the internet, parents have often raised concerns regarding the content being viewed.

The app will reportedly be free of charge and will be made available in a week’s time in the UK along with Egypt, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand. Further, Vodafone also plans to launch the app in Italy and Spain under the name ‘Smart Tutor’.

Telefonica signs network sharing agreement with China Unicom (Spain, China)

On 11.22.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Spanish telecom operator Telefonica has reportedly entered into a strategic partnership with China Unicom, wherein both operators will use each other’s networks to expand their coverage. According to reports, the deal will provide Telefonica access to China Unicom’s network in the regions of Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Australia, France and Sweden.

In return, China Unicom can reportedly increase its presence through Telefonica’s network in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, USA, Puerto Rico, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.

Reports suggest that Telefonica believes this agreement will help both operators expand their capabilities to provide telecom services to various customers in different geographic areas.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Denmark • Argentina • Australia • Austria • Belgium • Brazil • Bulgaria • Chile • China • China Unicom • Colombia • Czech Republic • Ecuador • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Guatemala • Hong Kong • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Japan • Latvia • Lithuania • Mexico • Morocco • Netherlands • Network Sharing • Norway • Oman • Panama • Peru • Poland • Portugal • Puerto Rico • Romania • Singapore • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Telefonica • USA • Venezuela

Irish MVNO puts up the shutters

On 08.05.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Just Mobile is a MVNO based in Ireland, and it announced the closure of its network. This move was triggered by the failure to secure additional funding for sustaining operations.

In its heydays, the company had run its operations on the back of Vodafone’s network. However, the same network, in addition to other suppliers could not carry on supporting the company any further who had been extra supportive otherwise, as acknowledged by the MVNO.

According to a statement issued by the company, it had created something special for their customers but unfortunately the business climate is not conducive for young companies to raise capital in.

The absolute closure date for the company is 19 August, however, the process will be carried forward progressively over the next couple of weeks.

The company has been reported to have suffered loses worth $2.82 million since its inception ten months back.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Ireland • operator

BBC unveils iPad app in Europe for its TV shows

On 07.28.11, In Mobile, By Editor

bbc_ipad_app

BBC, the UK based broadcaster has announced the unveiling of an app for Apple’s iPad. The app makes it possible for reviewing the BBC television shows by way of the iPad’s inbuilt iPlayer app.

It is going to be an on-demand subscription service. Western Europe will witness the app’s launch in 11 markets, ahead of subsequent launches elsewhere. Services will be offered at $10.04 per month or $71.86 annually in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, in the app’s initial launch.

Subscribers will be able to both stream and download shows for offline viewing – the major highlight of the BBC app.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Austria • Belgium • France • Germany • Ireland • Italy • Luxembourg • Mobile • Netherlands • Portugal • Spain • Switzerland

EU member states served notice to expedite implementation of new telecom regulations

On 07.20.11, In Mobile, By Editor

25^th May 2011 was the deadline set by the European Parliament and the EU’s Council of Ministers for the member states of the European Commission for full implementation of the new EU telecoms rules as part of their national law. Twenty of the EU member states have been sent information requests as to why they have not yet reverted with regard to the stipulated implementation of the telecoms rules.

Under the EU infringement procedures, the information requests are equivalent to letters of formal notice.

Under the ambit of the new EU telecoms rules, phones, mobile services and internet are taken into account with regard to rights of the consumers and businesses. The highlights of these rights comprise of customers being empowered to switch telecoms operators in just one day without changing their phone number, more transparency regarding the services customers are offered, in addition to securing their personal data online.

So far only seven Member States namely Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the UK have confirmed the Commission of full implementation of the rules; a majority of the EU member states having notified the Commission of implementation to certain extents while the legislative processes are continuing.

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain constitute the twenty other Member States that are yet to respond to the letters of formal notice within two months, failing which or even not being convincing, the Commission stands to issue the concerned Member States, a formal request to implement the legislation. The second request will be the form of a ‘reasoned opinion’ under EU infringement procedures. Eventually, the matter will be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Denmark • Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Oman • operator • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden

Vodafone looks to improve customer experience while roaming with latest roaming offers (Malta)

On 07.12.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Vodafone announces new call and internet usage rates while roaming. The new offerings lets consumers pay at local rates outside of the local zone.

At the cost of $1.39, customers will now be able to take advantage of a 10 minute call while roaming as well as use 30 MB of data per day for $4.17. Vodafone is looking to bring to customers an enhanced experience at competitive rates.

Vodafone’s latest offerings are applicable in Vodafone networks across Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and United Kingdom, in addition to roaming in Austria on Mobilkom, Belgium on Belgacom, France on SFR and Switzerland on Swisscom.

According to Daniel Grech, Business Marketing Manager at Vodafone Malta, Vodafone’s initiatives with regard to roaming are part of the bigger effort to provide customers the most competitive roaming rates as well as roaming service.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Austria • Belgium • Czech Republic • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Malta • Netherlands • Oman • operator • Portugal • Romania • Spain • Switzerland • United Kingdom • USA

3 Ireland, Nokia introduce FAI smartphone app

On 06.02.11, In Mobile, By Editor

3 Ireland in collaboration with Nokia has introduced the official smartphone app of the FAI.

The app enables football fanatics to get the latest news on the Irish football team via their Nokia handset. In addition to receiving the latest news, subscribers can view Twitter updates from players, fans and pundits. The app also contains exclusive content such as video footage of the Irish team and pictures from the Irish squad’s gallery.

Other features of the app include a 3D penalty shoot-out game, which gives users the chance to test their skills and to be in with a chance to win a range of great prizes, from match tickets to signed football jerseys.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: app • Ireland • Jersey • Mobile • operator

Roamware introducess Roaming Quality Monitoring suite

On 06.02.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Roamware, Inc., a leading provider of roaming and mobile financial services (MFS) solutions, announced the general availability of its Roaming Quality Monitoring (RQM) suite. This solution provides roaming managers with detailed performance analyses that holistically capture all critical KPIs needed to actively track roaming and international voice and SMS service delivery quality. The solution has already been deployed by CSL, Hong Kong’s leading mobile operator.

“Roaming and international voice and SMS are important services that CSL’s roaming subscribers use to stay in touch across boundaries, so ensuring top notch service quality is a critical business KPI for us. Roamware’s RQM suite has helped CSL to proactively monitor such service delivery, watch the GRQ KPIs, detect malicious activity and fraud, enhance overall roaming and international voice and SMS service quality for our subscribers, and improve revenue assurance for CSL,” said George Lam, General Manager, Wholesale and International Services, CSL Limited. “CSL has been a leader in delivering innovative services to Hong Kong mobile subscribers. We are happy to partner with Roamware to enrich our infrastructure in order to continue delivering world-class services to our customers,” he added.

Said Dr. John Jiang, EVP, CTO and Co-Founder, Roamware, “Roaming and International voice and SMS usage continues to grow globally every year. Operators realize that voice and SMS are not just a service but a way of life for mobile users, especially for high-value international roaming subscribers who use it as a convenient communication channel across boundaries. There is consequently a strong need for solutions that actively keep track of voice and SMS service quality and ensure that operators are able to leverage their full revenue potential.”

Roamware’s RQM suite is a comprehensive and innovative set of solutions that provides operators with complete roaming revenue assurance with a 360-degree view of all roaming activities including network access, service access, connection establishment, connection retention, connection quality and GRQ gauging.

About CSL Limited

Established in 1983, CSL is Hong Kong’s first mobile operator. We are the leading mobile network operator in Hong Kong, arguably the most competitive telecommunications market in the world. CSL offers comprehensive post and pre-paid mobile services to both local and international customers. CSL is also the leading roaming operator in Hong Kong as we are able to provide unmatched international multi-media connectivity with over 520 roaming operators around the world. CSL is a subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Limited, Australia’s leading telecommunications and information services company.

About Roamware, Inc.

Roamware, Inc. is the leading provider of roaming and mobile financial services solutions with a customer base of over 480 mobile operators across 154 countries. The company is the global leader in mobile roaming solutions with an estimated 60 per cent market share of the voice and data roaming segments for GSM, 3G and CDMA technology platforms. Roamware m-commerce and mobile banking solutions have been successfully deployed by major banks and global operators around the world, including: Vodafone, Permanent TSB and Bank of Ireland. Its solutions range from credit transfers, international remittance, person to person transactions to top-up and bill payment. The company is headquartered in San Jose with operations in Brussels, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi Singapore, Dublin, Johannesburg, Amman and Hong Kong. http://www.roamware.com

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Australia • Hong Kong • Ireland • Mali • Mobile • Singapore • U.S • USA

Vodafone to move call centres abroad (Ireland)

On 05.29.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Vodafone has decided to move two call centre operations from Ireland to Egypt and India respectively, and to outsource its debt collections to a third party here. A total of 139 jobs would be lost at a local outsourced call centre with a potential 45 further job losses at Vodafone itself.

According to Vodafone, some of its mobile data services would move to Vodafone Egypt, where the company has an existing agreement to use the Egyptian subsidiary for outsourced work. In addition, the Vodafone mobile back office will move this activity to India from October. A new company will be hired to handle debt collections in Ireland.

According to the Communications Workers’ Union General Secretary, Terry Delany, the company appears happy to make profits from its Irish customers, enjoy Irish pro-business supports and Irish tax rates, but is not willing to reciprocate in supporting Irish jobs to service its Irish operations. Vodafone will continue to have over 400 staff working in its Irish call centers. In total, it employs about 1,200 staff in Ireland.

These initiatives have been taken against a backdrop of falling revenues and declining customer numbers as the recession affects consumer spending.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Egypt • India • Ireland • operator