Vodafone unleashes 3G live! service

 

Gallery

By Alun Williams

Posted on 10 Nov 2004 at 12:32

Vodafone has flicked the switch for the start of its 'Vodafone live! With 3G' service.

Its portal of mobile services has had a 3G makeover for UMTS-based (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) video calls and messages, music downloads, games and also 'mobile TV' for streaming clips to your handset.

'Today is an important day for Vodafone and the start of a new era in mobile communications,' boasted Arun Sarin, Vodafone Chief Executive. 'Customers want communication, organisation, entertainment and information on the move and they will increasingly turn to one device to deliver these needs - their mobile phone.'

Sarin expects 10 million customers to be using Vodafone live! with 3G by March 2006.

Ten new 3G handsets should be available - seven exclusive to Vodafone, but also the Sharp 902, described as Europe's first 2 megapixel camera phone. The company also claims that it will provide seamless handover of voice and data services from 3G to 2G.

The launch sees the service going live in 13 countries: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as the UK.

You can find more details about Vodafone live! With 3G at the Vodafone website. The company promises an 'easy to understand' pricing model: content purchases will be charged on an event basis, general browsing will be free and 3G voice calls should 'offer more value for money'. But note that exact tariffs will vary across the Vodafone subsidiaries.

The company has gradually rolled out its 3G services. Its first product was the Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard - Vodafone launches 3G into Europe which appeared in February 2004.

The Vodafone live! portal was launched back in October 2002 - Vodafone fone services go live