UMTS �� science fiction or reality? - Conference Watch

Internationales Presse Kolloquium, Berlin (February 2002)

Going 'mobile with the Internet' was the focus of Deutsche Telekom's annual international 'presse kolloquium' this year at the opening of its Berlin representative office. Doused heavily in optimism for the potential of UMTS, the German operator aimed to persuade delegates that its 3G aspirations were both realistic and achievable.

"UMTS is not science fiction but work in progress," insisted Ron Sommer, chairman of the board of management, Deutsche Telekom, in his opening speech. Adding substance to his words, he announced T-Mobile's official UMTS network rollout launch in Germany under a contract with Siemens.

By the end of 2002, T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom's mobile arm, aims to have UMTS networks set up in 20 German cities with an investment of more than [euro]140 m in sites and technical equipment.

Significantly, Sommer avoided stating a definite timeframe for commercial launch and argued the timing of commercial introduction for UMTS services was "of lesser importance than the crucial success factor of meeting customer's high expectations of quality and attractive services

He did say 2004 would be the start of 'real business' when he forecast ten per cent of the German market would have a UMTS connection, increasing to 80 per cent of mobile users by 2010.

Kai-Uwe Ricke, member of the board of management, T-Mobile and T-Mobile Online (formerly T-Motion) explained that factors, such as mobile devices with larger screens than today and network compatibility between GSM and UMTS, were essential for UMTS rollout.

He also offered an insight into the UMTS hurdles T-Mobile would face,

"The challenge is technical and business-based. For example, today at T-Mobile, we charge by the minute but this pricing model will need to become more flexible and geared to the personal user behaviour of the customer.

"T-Mobile will also take on the role of integrator in mobile multimedia services between billing mediators and content providers, for instance."

UMTS enthusiasm was, to an extent, hard to digest considering the slow take-up of GPRS across Europe. "GPRS is clearly a decisive step in the direction of mobile multimedia services and an important milestone on the road to UMTS and mobile broadband communication," argued Ricke.

A range of GPRS products and solutions for the German market were an display, such as GPRS Smart Access, a software solution for business users that makes existing applications mobile. The German operator also announced further product launches at CeBit in Hanover this month.

Ricke pointed to the convergence of mobile and fixed network communications and the personalisation of applications as characteristics that would shape the future tele-coms market.

This is reflected by the relationship between T-Mobile and T-Mobile Online. The online service will offer users information and entertainment services based on SMS and WAP through 'T-zones' bundled by topic, such as sport or film. The 'Online Start Center' will be a standard access portal in both the fixed and mobile phone network for content services.

The service from T-Online will be charged 'per use' and added to the monthly phone bill. Charges range from [euro]0.05 for a music title on the web radio to [euro]2.90 for a game. A shopping and business portal will also be available.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Horizon House Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group