O2 inks mobile network-sharing agreement with Eircom (Ireland)
Eircom Group has signed a mobile network-sharing agreement with Telefonica O2 Ireland.
The agreement covers closer co-operation in a number of areas of mobile network-sharing such as site equipment, power supply, technology and transmission sharing.
Existing sites of both operators will be consolidated and new sites will be jointly built, wherever possible. A dedicated team with network staff from both operators will be set up to manage the day-to-day build and operation of the networks.
The agreement does not include a transfer of assets and no spectrum will be shared under the deal. All mobile operations supported by O2 (O2 and Tesco Mobile) and Eircom Group (Meteor and eMobile) will continue to compete with each other.
Just Mobile offers free calls and texts (Ireland)
Just Mobile is offering free calls and texts at any time to any mobile or landline network in Ireland to new and existing customers with a monthly top-up of US$25.50.
The offer runs until end-June and follows Just Mobile’s recent offer of free data for customers, which runs until 30th April. The company’s products are currently available nationwide in over 650 Spar, Spar Express, Eurospar, Mace and XL outlets.
In the meantime, Just Mobile has announced a new partnership with fuels and convenience retailer Topaz Energy. As per the terms of the agreement, Just Mobile products will shortly be available in 109 Topaz-owned service stations across Ireland, boosting the total number of retail outlets offering Just Mobile services to around 500 across over 500 towns and villages.
Just Mobile handsets will also be available in selected Topaz outlets with offers and bundles specifically designed for Topaz customers.
Telefonica O2 Slovakia launches new Filip postpaid plan
Telefonica O2 Slovakia is offering O2 Filip, providing customers with flexibility in decisions on monthly consumption. They only need to set up the amount in the wallet. Calls, SMS, MMS or data are spent from the wallet as needed. Moreover, O2 Filip automatically provides unlimited and free calls within the O2 network.
Unspent amounts from the wallet for the respective billing period are transferred to the next period.
Changes in the amount can be done via SMS for free, according to the customer’s needs. The free on-net calls apply before spending the wallet amount. The same conditions apply when calling to numbers of partner operators Tesco Mobile, Swan Mobile and Nay Mobile.
The price per minute to other networks in Slovakia and from Slovakia to the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Hungary, UK and Ireland varies according to the selected wallet amount.
For SMS the operator charges the single rate of US$0.08. With the calling plan, customers can activate the package O2 Data Unlimited, which is available without commitment for all customers of O2 Filip. The monthly fee of US$9 for the package will be spent from the wallet.
O2 Ireland rolls out new mobile broadband pack for SMEs
O2 Ireland has rolled out a new mobile start-up business package called ‘Office on the Move’ for SMEs, owner managers, start ups, home workers, professionals and ‘road warriors’.
The package is priced at US$135.06 per month and includes a Samsung N150 Plus Netbook PC, mobile broadband including dongle, mobile connection plus all national mobile calls to Irish mobile and landlines as well as texts.
The option with a HP 625 Notebook PC, with Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, costs from US$147.85 per month and includes mobile broadband, free mobile calls to other Irish mobiles and landlines. At the end of the 18 month contract, the customer owns the netbook or laptop PC.
Blueface offers new ‘Banter’ iPhone VoIP app (Ireland)
Blueface has launched an iPhone app which gives customers a virtual landline number and eliminates the need for residential and business customers to pay line rental fees.
Users download the Blueface ‘Banter’ app and enter their details, and are allocated a virtual geographic number depending on their desired location. Their account will be credited with US$0.62 of free trial credit.
Users can then make and receive calls from the virtual landline number via their iPhone. The app has been developed in co-operation with telecoms and IT applications solutions provider Vennetics and can be downloaded from the iTunes store.
For mobile users without an iPhone, Blueface offers the ‘goMobile’ service offering low international call rates.
Mozy releases iPhone, Android apps (Ireland)
Mozy has launched the Mozy mobile app for iPhone as well as other iOS devices such as iPad and iPod touch. Mozy has also announced the pending arrival of a similar app for Android mobile devices.
Mozy’s mobile apps allows subscribers to access the files they protect with MozyHome remotely. App users can view documents and open them in other applications, preview photos as thumbnails and download those they want to see in full, higher resolution, as well as post photos to Facebook.
The Mozy app is available for download in the iTunes App Store for US and Canadian users for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS version 4.0 and later. The Android app will be available in the Android Market, and works on devices running Android 2.0 or later.
Magnet upgrades WebTV service (Ireland)
Magnet Networks has upgraded its free live TV streaming service so that it can viewed on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices.
The Magnet WebTV service launched in January, offering live TV streaming of seven for channels for free, with integrated Facebook and Twitter feeds for live social media commentary.
It was previously only available PCs, Macs, and mobile phones or tablets that supported Adobe Flash Player. For US$8 a month, users can upgrade from the free service to one offering 21 channels.
Bitbuzz offers Wi-Fi to KFC restaurants (Ireland)
Bitbuzz, Irish Wi-Fi network operator has won an exclusive contract from KFC to provide Wi-Fi to its restaurants in Ireland and Scotland.
Customers at these outlets will receive 20 minutes of complimentary Bitbuzz Wi-Fi access by redeeming a complimentary voucher at the counter with their purchase.
O2 launches Money app in Ireland
O2 Ireland has launched new O2 Money app on the Apple and Android platforms.
The app is developed by Irish Payments Company 3V Transaction Services. The new, free app allows O2 Money customers to transfer funds between O2 Money cards in real time irrespective of where either sender or recipient is located.
The money transfer costs US$ 1.4 for any amount transferred up to US$494.4. Recipients can spend the money on the card in-store or online or withdraw funds at an ATM. The app has a dashboard feature providing users with transaction history and balance checks.
Other functions include a Google Maps feature to provide O2 Money customers with the nearest top-up store location and directions on how to get there. O2 Ireland entered the financial services market in February with the launch of the O2 Money pre-paid money card. To date, over 15,000 people have signed up for the card, of which 77 percent are aged 18-44 years. Since launch, 60 percent of O2 Money cards have been bought by men and 76 percent of transactions have been online. For the 24 percent transactions offline, the majority of usage has been in supermarkets, pharmacies and convenience stores.
Altobridge locks US$12 mn funding from Intel Capital and IFC (Ireland)
Ireland based Altobridge has announced that Intel Capital and IFC will together invest US$12 million in the company. This funding will provide Altobridge with additional capital to accelerate the pace of roll-out of its wireless communications platform.
The funding will also allow the company to commercialize its mobile broadband solution: Altobridge Data-at-the-Edge – a technology that the company says demonstrates a significant reduction in data bandwidth requirements on mobile networks.
According to Mike Fitzgerald, Altobridge Chief Executive, their technology enables mobile network operators in emerging markets to cost effectively extend their broadband services to the billion people of the world on the other side of the digital divide. The company’s Data-at-the-Edge solution reduces mobile network operators’ backhaul requirements by at least 50%. This strategic investment by Intel Capital and IFC will enable them to scale commercially and to advance their R&D to further reduce transmission costs for mobile network operators.
