Double deals for Vodafone
Vodafone has started selling two prepay phones together in one deal in a bid to get more people to sign up to its Family tariff.
The handset deals are being heavily marketed and sold in Vodafone's own stores as well as in Woolworths outlets. Two Samsung C300s are being bundled together for £75, while two Nokia 1600s are priced at £50.
Operators have been reluctant in the past to sell multiple prepay phones for fears of box breaking. Vodafone in particular has previously taken a tough line with retailers selling more than two handsets to a single customer. A source at Vodafone said: 'It's not two for one, but it's got a slight saving.'
Vodafone is looking to drive volume on its Family deals without heavy cuts on price. The Family proposition encourages four people to register as a family, costing only one member £5, and rewarding all four members with free calls to each other.
Source:http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/content/16136.asp?men=2⊂=3
Mobile phones, the new currency
After becoming your digital camera, diary and Internet browser of choice, mobile phones could soon take the place of your cash and credit cards too. In fact, the ubiquitous mobile phone could make the wallets obsolete in a few years just as your wrist watch has been reduced to being a mere fashion statement.
Nokia, the world's biggest handset maker, and a number of telecom service providers have thrashed out a global initiative to turn mobile phones into wallets. A number of large Asian and European carriers such as KPN, Maxis Communications, Mobilkom Austria, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, SKT, and Wind are part of the 14-member body that had initiated the project several months ago.
Nokia, along with rival phone makers Samsung and LG Electronics of Korea have said they will embed a wireless chip into their phones soon.
The world's biggest payment card company, MasterCard, is also involved in the initiative, which is cheaper and much faster than other wireless payment experiments, like those using SMS messages. China Mobile, Vodafone, Cingular – all owned by AT&T and BellSouth -- and Telefonica already support the common wireless chip format on the mobile phones they distribute for their networks.
Inside ‘m-wallet’
Mobile wallet works on the same concept as credit cards. It will be akin to storing a credit card in the mobile phone. The device will do much more than just make transactions. It will also hold coupons and loyalty programme points and allow for paying bills and other forms of online banking. Primarily, wallet phones can contain credit cards; entrance, train or air tickets; and employee or voter ID cards. Information, like remaining electronic cash balance, or transaction records can be directly read offline by the cell phone.
The wallet phone operates on contactless payment systems, which use “near field communications” and a special chip is embedded in a credit card. It runs on the same principle, except the chip is in the handset.
The biggest benefit of this technology would be that users need not carry a bulky wallet any more. The other benefit would be that unlike a credit card, users can check the information stored in the device at any point in time, on their handset itself.
However, the wallet phone will have to overcome the consumer fears about security. Fears like what if the mobile phone gets stolen will have to be dealt with. Also, it must prove to the payment chain merchants and wireless phone networks - that it saves money or boosts profit.
Trials begin
Media reports suggest Nokia and Motorola have already started trials for m-wallet. Nokia is teaming up with MasterCard for two US wallet phone trials. One trial includes 7-Eleven; the other Cingular Wireless and Citigroup.
Motorola, the world’s second-biggest mobile phone-maker, has three wallet phone trials in operation, including one with credit card issuer Discover in Chicago and Salt Lake City in the US.
Motorola is providing phones and software for the trial. If Discover rolls out the service commercially, it will be available on non-Motorola phones, too, but Motorola’s m-wallet software will power the system.
Source: http://infotech.indiatimes.com/Telecom/Technology/Mobile_phones_the_new_currency/articleshow/msid-1954845,curpg-2.cms
Motorola MOTORAZR maxx Ve for Verizon Wireless
Motorola has launched a CDMA EV-DO capable version of its MOTORAZR maxx line from CTIA Wireless in Orlando, Florida today. The MOTORAZR maxx Ve, destined for Verizon Wireless, is the latest in the RAZR line of devices.
The MOTORAZR maxx Ve shares a lot in common with the GSM maxx and maxx V6, though two things do make it stand apart. For starters, the external display on the MOTORAZR maxx Ve has been enlarged, which will make controlling MP3/WMA audio with the external controls much easier. Motorola has also chosen to include Bluetooth v1.2 instead of the v2.0 seen in the GSM maxx handsets, though the A2DP stereo headset profile is still available. Shared in common with the previous maxx handsests is 60MB of on board memory with microSD memory expansion, a 2.0 megapixel camera, and stylish decorative lights on the outside of the flip.
The MOTORAZR maxx Ve will be available through Verizon Wireless before the end of this month. Pricing information has not yet been disclosed.
Source:http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=3248&source=SIDEBARHOME
Nokia Siemens and Orange to provide Blyk mobile phone network
Nokia Siemens Networks has agreed a deal to host the full core network of innovative virtual mobile phone operator Blyk.
The company, formed from the merged networking businesses of Nokia and Siemens will supply, build and host Blyk's core network as it offers free, advertiser-funded mobile telephony service.
"In its first-ever full mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) hosting arrangement, Nokia Siemens Networks will be hosting the entire operation of Blyk's core network," the networks joint venture said in a statement. Nokia Siemens Networks has set its sights on growing its managed services and hosting operations, where it maintains and administers networks on behalf of other operators.
Blyk provides free calls and text messaging to 16-24 year-old subscribers funded by mobile advertisements delivered directly to their phones. Blyk will initially offer its mobile services in the UK, before expanding to other European countries. Blyk is scheduled to start operations in the UK in mid-2007 and will use the Orange mobile phone network for its delivery infrastructure.
"Orange became the first operator to launch advertising on the mobile last year and feedback from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive. That makes Blyk's approach even more exciting and we shall be watching their progress with interest" said Keith Greenfield, director of wholesale for Orange UK.
MVNO services are proving popular in the UK, with Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Fresh Mobile already established. Asda is expected to enter the market this year while easyMobile, a joint venture between easyGroup and TDC failed last year.
No financial details relating to the Blyk deal have been announced.
Source:http://www.itpro.co.uk/networking/news/109601/nokia-siemens-and-orange-to-provide-blyk-mobile-phone-network.html
Orange mobile phones
mobile phone offers on orange mobile phone deals for limited period
Orange is one of the most recognized and widely-used network service used by consumers all over the world. Orange aims to be the leader in network service in terms of service, quality, innovation and choice of mobiles. Orange was the pioneer in developing a videophone.
Orange offers various mobile phones manufactured by leaders in mobile manufacturing, such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG, Motorola and Samsung.
Apart from these well-known mobiles, Orange also offers mobiles under its own brand name. Orange mobiles are not only stylish in their look-and-feel but also feature a host of latest applications. This makes orange mobile phones truly multipurpose in all sense.
The following models of Orange mobile phones are available in the market:
• Orange SPV C550 Music
• Orange SPV C600
• Orange SPV M3100
• Orange SPV M5000
• Orange SPV M600
Orange SPV C550 Music and Orange SPV C600 models of Orange mobiles are quite light in weight. Both have 1.3 megapixel-cameras. You can enjoy MP3 songs on these mobiles too. Both offer the features of Bluetooth, Infrared and GPRS for quick and easy data transfer.
Orange SPV M3100, Orange SPV M5000 and Orange SPV M600 models are a bit heavier with weights ranging from 176-285 grams. But the look of these Orange mobile phones is quite stylish. Orange SPV M3100 and Orange SPV M600 offer 2 megapixel cameras. This will definitely make photography a pleasurable experience for you!
Orange SPV M3100, Orange SPV M5000 and Orange SPV M600 models also provide Bluetooth and Infrared feature that facilitates easy and wireless data transfer.
The Orange SPV M3100 and Orange SPV M5000 Orange mobiles also support GPRS feature.
With Orange mobile phones, you also get the opportunity to avail the wonderful deals offered by Orange.
So, what are you waiting for? Paint the world ‘Orange’ with the feature-rich Orange mobile phones.
Source:http://www.1888articles.com/orange-mobile-phones-0455d7bz8t.html