m-Travel.com and Travel Distribution News

Archive Category: Telecom

Mobile wake-up call to the travel industry

By Mike Grenville | 160characters.org

"Don't wait for 3G," said Vodafone, calling on the travel industry to take advantage of the mobile technology that is already there and that consumers are using. "SMS is the prevailing communications method of this millenium so far and the travel industry can no longer afford to ignore it," was the view from Vodafone at EyeforTravel's European Travel Distribution Summit in London last week.

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DoCoMo smart card enables global GSM roaming

TOKYO -- Global roaming capabilities for mobile phone users may be taking a big step forward. But, the online application is in Japanese only. NTT DoCoMo is introducing its World Walker G-Card, a new smart card that will enable DoCoMo mova 2G subscribers to use both DoCoMo and non-DoCoMo GSM mobile phones for international roaming outside of Japan beginning next month.

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Vertical markets split on mobile operating system

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Vertical markets continue to deploy mobile solutions in order to increase worker productivity. Although mobility has been embraced in vertical markets, a standard operating system (OS) has not. According to a recent vertical market survey of nearly 1,000 members of IDC's Mobile Advisory Council, the Palm OS remains entrenched in healthcare, education, and government segments while Windows CE/Pocket PC is the preferred platform for mobility solutions within field sales/service and utilities segments.

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Former SAS executive Marie Ehrling joins Telia

STOCKHOLM -- Marie Ehrling, formerly Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Scandinavian Airlines, will begin a new position in January as head of Telia's Swedish operations. She will report directly to Telia's President and CEO Anders Igel. Ehrling, 47, holds a B.Sc in economics from the Stockholm School of Economics. Within SAS, she had the responsibility for the ground and station services divisions, international traffic routes and the establishment of Star Alliance.

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European mobile subscriber growth stagnates

CAMBRIDGE, UK — Subscriber numbers in Western Europe's mobile telephone market will stagnate at around the 300 million mark for the foreseeable future, according to a new report released this week by Analysys, a global advisory firm on telecoms and new media. However, there are some positive signs for mobile operators, with the long-term decline in average revenue per user (ARPU) starting to level out.

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Vicinity's location server added to AT&T's mMode

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- The Vicinity Location Server (VLS) has been added to the mMode service recently launched by AT&T Wireless. Customers in all AT&T Wireless GSM/GPRS markets can now use their wireless phone and VLS technology to find the nearest ATM, fast food establishment or other retailer. 

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NTT DoCoMo licenses i-mode in France

TOKYO -- NTT DoCoMo, the world's largest and fastest growing mobile communications company, will license and transfer its i-mode technology and trademark to French mobile communications operator Bouygues Telecom. Under the licensing pact, DoCoMo will provide Bouygues Telecom with the patents, know-how, and technologies needed to launch the service on the Global Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and UMTS networks if Bouygues Telecom is granted a 3G license in France.

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SITA and Comfone develop in-flight phones

CANNES -- SITA and Comfone, the Swiss based supplier of roaming services to mobile network operators, have taken a step forward in the development of in-flight communications with the signing of a contract that is designed to make paying for on-board phone calls easier for airline passengers. Both companies are exhibiting and participating in the 3GSM World Congress this week.

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Siemens presents wireless start-ups at 3GSM

CANNES -- Two systems of mobile travel reservations are among start-ups presented this week by Siemens Mobile Acceleration at the 3GSM World Congress. Eight months ago Siemens Mobile Acceleration started its operations with the announced goal of fostering start-up companies that focus on wireless technologies, platforms, and applications for GSM/GPRS, and UMTS mobile telephony.

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Mobile operators waiting for 'killer app'

By Bruce Jackson | Chief Technical Officer, Elata

As executives of mobile operators recover from the festive season, the talk will inevitably turn from indebtedness to the new "killer" applications which are planned to relieve the gloom in 2002. Historically, every time a mobile operator has needed to improve revenue from services, it simply launched a new one. And why not? After all, Short Messaging Services (SMS) have so far proven lucrative beyond expectation, and Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) that use next generation networks to send pictures and video clips between subscribers may soon offer a good return. 

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