Globe Telecom Launches VMS as its Latest Value-Added Service
Globe Telecom, one of the leading mobile operators in the Philippines (over 27 million subs), is launching VMS (Video Message Service) nationwide. By doing so, Globe will be the first to market VMS as a new media channel to their subscribers.
VMS is a video service that allows users to share video via mobile person to person, follow local and foreign video bloggers and take part of premium content offered by VMS broadcasters. This means the customers can subscribe to VMS from celebrities and infotainment broadcasters from around the world.
Globe shall be supporting the launch with a massive media campaign, and on-ground interactive use of VMS, in partnership with GMA New Media, Inc. GMA will provide exclusive VMS content in form of short clips of GMA TV shows and video blogs.
- We are very excited to bring another innovation to our subscribers with the launch of VMS. This allows our subscribers another opportunity to enjoy their mobile phones apart from texting, calling or doing mobile internet. And with this new technology, we are strengthening the connections and bonds of every Filipino by providing them yet another exciting and innovative platform to share their precious moments with each other, says Joanna Africa, Head for Portfolio management of Globe team.
VMS is developed by the innovative mobile technology company Ironroad.
- We are very excited about Globe’s launch of VMS in the Philippines. Globe is the right partner for us since they have a great strategy to launch VMS widely in a short time, says Jonas Litborn from Ironroad.
The VMS app is available for download from Android market and App store.
About Ironroad
Ironroad is a Swedish company that has developed the VMS (Video Message Service) technology, which was fully launched in 2010. VMS is now established in 10 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. Ironroad has about 75 employees and offices in Sweden (headquarter), Norway, Spain, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Our partners and clients are several global mobile operators and media companies, such as Tele2, 3 Hutchinson, TeliaSonera, Indosat and Telkomsel.
VMS is the sequel to SMS and MMS, a simple and inexpensive way to share experiences and communicate through your mobile phone. VMS is downloaded as an app from the App Store or Android Market.
To learn more about Ironroad or VMS please visit http://www.ironroad.com
Telenor Svalbard celebrates 100 years in the Arctic
Telenor opened its first telegraph station in Svalbard in 1911, and now – after 100 years – Svalbard is probably among the world’s most digitalised communities in the world. On Sunday 29 May, the celebration was kicked off by Telenor’s chairman Harald Norvik and CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas, opening the world’s northernmost 4G/LTE network in Longyearbyen.
The LTE test launch adds to a number of “northernmosts” – most northerly domestic fiber services, northernmost 2G, 3G, satellite station, and other ground-breaking records.
Telenor Svalbard’s global role
Looking back, apart from a few years during Word War 2 where Svalbard Radio was put out of service, Telenor Svalbard has been in full operation for 100 years. Over the centennial, Telenor Svalbard has opened up the Arctic to a number of global users – the shipping industry since the sinking of Titanic, Amundsen and Nobiles’ dramatic flight ventures, the airlines’ first Euro-American routes over the Arctic. Today, one vital role is the transmission of all environmental, weather and climatic data from satellites crossing the Arctic ice sheet. 14 satellites report to the world’s hubs via Telenor’s global network. Through northern coastal radio stations, it also serves Norway’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) responsibility for safety at sea, covering an area from Scotland to the North Pole.
Telecommunications in no man’s land
Around 1900, when industrialization and mining industry was starting to take off in the Arctic, Svalbard was increasingly becoming attractive to various nations and great powers.
On May 3, 1911, the Norwegian parliament agreed that a radio telegraph station was to be built on Svalbard. The station was named Spitsbergen Radio and originally built in Green Harbour linking Svalbard to the Norwegian mainland. The Norwegian authorities regarded this substantial investment as an opportunity to strengthen their presence and thus acquiring a stronger foothold on Svalbard.
The establishment of what later became Telenor Svalbard, was pivotal in securing Norway sovereignty over Svalbard when The Svalbard Treaty was signed in 1920.
Telenor Svalbard today
Svalbard/Spitsbergen is the natural location for Arctic research activities, including multinational, Norwegian, and Polish research stations. While its location and landscape does imply challenges, the modern infrastructure and the very latest technology at hand make anything possible – even in the midst of a freezing wasteland. The city and the inhabitants of Longyearbyen have, on several occasions, served as a test bed for Telenor’s implementation of technological improvements and new services. In spite of their remote location, today’s inhabitants of Longyearbyen are taking advantage of the latest in technology in their daily lives – such as interactive IPTV, fiber to the home, Triple-Play, and mobile broadband.
Telecom Italia At Femtocells World Summit in London
Mobile operators can easily monetise femto-enhanced applications and services which provide tailored, customer-centric experiences to mobile users. This is according to Camillo Carlini of Telecom Italia’s Home Network and Handset Engineering division.
Telecom Italia is a pioneer in the femtocell industry and during the upcoming Femtocells World Summit in London, Camillo Carlini will present the company’s latest initiatives to enable, develop and test femto-enhanced applications. The event will bring together more than 350 industry experts in London from 21-23 June, at what is the only global event of its kind.
Femtocell more than a full mobile service provider
Says Telecom Italia’s Camillo Carlini: “with applications, femtocells’ value proposition goes well beyond providing coverage and enriches the customer’s user-experience by creating a full service environment. Operators can easily monetise femto-enhanced applications and services given that mobile operators directly control the applications capabilities on femtocells and customers interested in a particular service can add it to their contract.”
He continues: “the Femtocell recognises the customer as soon as they enter their home and enhances mobile devices’ capabilities and supported services. Also, in public spaces mobile phones and devices become aware of where they are, and can receive relevant information and ask the customers for context related actions.”
Femtocells in our everyday lives
According to Camillo Carlini, femtocell applications can make an immediate impact on people’s lives. He explans: “when you are at work, the femtocell can make you aware of who is at home, such as your children or family members, and when you return you can automatically receive messages left for you, as well as automatically switch the air conditioning on, and your mobile phone synchronized with your new media server contents.”
“Additionally, your mobile phone itself is aware of being at home and can change to different interfaces and applications, more suitable for home rather than office.” He adds: “when you go out and use, let’s say, metro transportation, femtocell applications help you to be recognized at the metro entrance and allow you to go in if you have already paid; or mobile payment would be possible through femto applications.”
Telecom Italia’s Camillo Carlini says another example of an outdoor application is visiting a museum: “the femto application will know in front of which artwork you are, delivering the related description content to play on your mobile. In a shopping mall, femtocell applications will present you with real-time alerts of price changes and special offers based on your tastes and preferences.”
The Femtocells World Summit, organised in exclusive partnership with the Femto Forum, brings together the femtocell ecosystem to discuss the latest developments and experiences with femtocell deployments worldwide.
Improved coverage only the start
The chairman of the Femto Forum, Simon Saunders says femtocell deployments are growing rapidly with the majority of major operator groups now offering services. He continues: “However, it is clear that the improved coverage and capacity that femtocells provide is only the start. Advanced femtocell applications are commanding great interest both from the operator community and direct from consumers themselves. Our research shows that of those global consumers interested in femtocells, almost 70% find these advanced services either very or extremely appealing.”
Highlights from the programme:
• An Operator’s Perspective on the First Femtocell Deployment in Greece – Dr. Polychronis Tzerefos – New Products, Innovation and Wholesale Group Product Manager, Vodafone Greece
• Femtocell perspectives in Russia: Success factors and barriers – Alexey Alekseev – Project Director, Convergence Products, MTS Russia
• Femtocells and the data monetisation challenge – Jorge Alvarez – Network Strategy Manager, Telefonica o2 UK
• Strategies and Challenges in Deploying Femtos in Rural America – Rick Vergin – CEO, Mosaic Telecom
• Leapfrog with FemtoCells – Nick Papadoglou – Senior Manager, Wind Hellas
• The Applications of Femtocells with Satellite Backhaul and their Role in Disaster Relief – Jesada Sivaraks – Engineer, TOT
• MegaFon’s experience in femtocell deployment in Russia, 2011 – year of challenge – Pavel Skorodumov – Senior Engineer, MegaFon
• Network Norway’s Experience in Launching an Enterprise Femtocell Service – Geir Ove Jenssen – Femtocell Project Manager, Network Norway
Globe Telecom Launches VMS in the Philippines
Globe Telecom, one of the leading mobile operators in the Philippines (over 27 million subs), is launching VMS (Video Message Service) nationwide. By doing so, Globe will be the first to market VMS as a new media channel to their subscribers.
VMS is a video service that allows users to share video via mobile person to person, follow local and foreign video bloggers and take part of premium content offered by VMS broadcasters. This means the customers can subscribe to VMS from celebrities and infotainment broadcasters from around the world.
Globe shall be supporting the launch via a multi-million media advertising campaign, and on-ground interactive use of VMS, in partnership with GMA-7 TV, the number one network in the Philippines. GMA-7 will provide exclusive VMS content in form of GMA TV shows short clips and video blogs of GMA celebrities.
- We are very excited to bring another innovation to our subscribers with the launch of VMS. This allows our subscribers another opportunity to enjoy their mobile phones apart from texting, calling or doing mobile internet. And with this new technology, we are strengthening the connections and bonds of every Filipino by providing them yet another exciting and innovative platform to share their precious moments with each other, says Joanna Africa, Head for Portfolio management of Globe team.
VMS is developed by the innovative mobile technology company Ironroad.
- We are very excited about Globe’s launch of VMS in the Philippines. Globe is the right partner for us since they have a great strategy to launch VMS widely in a short time, says Jonas Litborn from Ironroad.
The VMS app is available for download from Android market and App store.
About Ironroad
Ironroad is a Swedish company that has developed the VMS (Video Message Service) technology, which was fully launched in 2010. VMS is now established in 10 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. Ironroad has about 75 employees and offices in Sweden (headquarter), Norway, Spain, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Our partners and clients are several global mobile operators and media companies, such as Tele2, 3 Hutchinson, TeliaSonera, Indosat and Telkomsel.
VMS is the sequel to SMS and MMS, a simple and inexpensive way to share experiences and communicate through your mobile phone. VMS is downloaded as an app from the App Store or Android Market.
Spreadtrum selects Opera Mini and Opera Mobile
The semiconductor manufacturer referred to in Opera’s OSE announcement on May 20, 2011 was Spreadtrum.
Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera’s cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience.
Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com.
Aspiro launches WiMP version for iPad (Europe)
Aspiro’s Scandinavian music streaming service WiMP has launched a customized app for iPad in Norway and Sweden.
The new application is available for download on the AppStore, containing the complete WiMP music library with more than 10 mln licensed tracks, album lists, search and more.
WiMP aims at assisting users in finding their way via a huge library of music available through streaming. WiMP for iPad can be explained as a merger between the desktop and mobile versions.
It is customized to fit the larger screen with a tablet-adapted user interface. Additional space has been given to editorial content such as artist biographies, playlists with editorial descriptions and album reviews. It also displays related artists, making it easier for users to discover new music.
A number of improvements will follow in coming versions, both planned and user-generated. WiMP is growing fast and by the beginning of May had 200,000 paying customers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Portugal.
HTC Flyer tablet hits major European markets
HTC has announced that the new HTC Flyer tablet is now available across major markets in the EMEA region from 13 May.
The device is available as a Wi-Fi only or a combined 3G/Wi-Fi model, and will also be available to buy in store and online from the HTC.com website.
The combined 3G and Wi-Fi HTC Flyer features 32 GB of onboard memory which can be expanded with a microSD card of up to 32 GB and will retail at US$914.89.
A second variant will be available for US$704 with Wi-Fi connectivity only and expandable 16GB memory.
From 13 May, the device will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
Norway consults on interference between LTE, DTT
Norwegian telecom regulator NPT has invited comments by 5 June to a study conducted by ATDI on its behalf on the impact a future LTE network in the frequency band 790-862 MHz might have on the digital terrestrial broadcast service.
The study also includes suggestions on ways to mitigate the interference. As a part of the process of awarding spectrum in the 800 MHz band, NPT tasked ATDI to do a study on the possible interference issues that might occur in the digital terrestrial broadcast service in the frequency band 470-790 MHz due to the introduction of an LTE network in the frequency band 790-862 MHz.
The study is based on theoretical modelling/simulation and assumptions, therefore it should not be considered as a final conclusion on how many people will experience an actual harmful interference.
The number of potentially affected people has been calculated by using the population densities in areas where interference has been indicated. The actual distribution of digital terrestrial TV broadcast service subscribers has not been considered.
NetCom alters roaming prices (US)
TeliaSonera’s subsidiary NetCom has announces that it has altered the tariff charges for calling within Nordic countries is now the same as the one charged for calling within Norway.
This offer is available for new and existing customers of Fastpris S/M/L/XL, Fastpris Data and FlexiTalk.
The new price applies for all mobile networks, not only TeliaSonera ones, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. NetCom, as other TeliaSonera subsidiaries in Baltic and Nordic countries, also launched a new pricing model offering 90 percent percent lower prices for mobile browsing in the Nordic and Baltic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia).
Under the new pricing structure, NetCom customers can get a surf package that contains either 20 MB or 50 MB per day at a price of US$7.07 or US$14.33. Once this quota is used up, the customer can buy a new surf daily add-on of 20 MB or 50 MB.
TeliaSonera reduces Nordic, Baltic data roaming prices (Sweden)
TeliaSonera has reduced data roaming prices for customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries by approximately 90 percent.
New lower prices and the cost control function automatically apply to all customers who travel to Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
All customers have total control over costs since a text message is sent by TeliaSonera to the customer if the customer needs to buy more data to stay online. Actual pricing will differ slightly in each of the aforementioned markets.
The offer is network independent, meaning that the customer does not need to actively choose a specific network. When the daily amount is used up and the customer chooses not to buy more data, the surfing function is closed for the rest of the day.
