 | Mobile
Alliance formed
The Mobile Alliance is fromed to serve customers
across Europe
01 October 2003
Nine leading independent mobile operators today
announced the formation of a new mobile alliance to provide seamless,
enhanced voice and data solutions for businesses and consumers
across Europe. Amena (Spain), O2 (Germany, UK and Ireland), One
(Austria), Pannon GSM (Hungary), sunrise (Switzerland), Telenor
Mobil (Norway) and Wind (Italy) yesterday signed a formal agreement
in Munich, Germany.
The new alliance will initially span the European territories
of its members and address more than 40 million subscribers. It
aims to be quick to market with new, innovative cross-border products
and services as well as co-operate on initiatives, including technology,
sourcing and sales. As the alliance develops, it will expand to
cover other key regions to further enhance the reach and 'home-away-from-home'
experience of its customers, backed by the same simplicity, convenience
and service quality to which they are accustomed.
Customers will benefit from progressively introduced services
such as seamless GPRS and MMS connectivity across the members'
networks, and simple access to home services such as voice-mail
and customer service using familiar short-codes. In addition,
the alliance partners will introduce a pre-paid top-up service
to allow customers to quickly and easily top-up their credit when
travelling in member countries.
In a phased approach, corporate customers will be offered highly
competitive, flat rate price plans for voice and data services.
This will give them easy access to the Internet, email and corporate
networks, or whilst on holiday, the ability to download music
services, java games, graphics and ring-tones safe in the knowledge
they are in charge of what they spend.
Rudi Gröger, director of mmO2 plc, said: "The creation
of this alliance will be excellent news for our customers as we
will be able to offer an outstanding range of pan-European services
far greater than the members could alone.
"Key to the success of this alliance is an agreement to
have only one representative per country, which eliminates the
complexities that can arise with multiple in-country members.
This, we believe, will enable us to be agile and far quicker to
market with new and innovative services."
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