Europe
: Deutsche Telekom announced a plethora of new technologies, products
and services on Thursday in the run-up to the Internationale Funkausstellung
(IFA) in Berlin.
During
the next few years, the Group is planning to invest around EUR 3 bn
in the rollout of a high-tech optical fiber network with speeds of
up to 50 Mbit/s in Germany. This step and the merger of T-Online with
Deutsche Telekom are part of the Group's effort to create the basis
for providing its customers with high-level triple play services,
which means rapid Internet access, top-quality communications services
and individually accessible entertainment offerings. At the same time,
the speed of broadband access is set to be increased significantly
via the UMTS mobile network. The consumer market-oriented subsidiaries
T-Com, T-Mobile and T-Online will be showcasing innovative devices
like a dual phone at the IFA, along with new rate options and services.
"We are presenting
ourselves here at the IFA as Deutsche Telekom, a company with its
own aim, its own market strategy, and its own development logic. We
are perceived as an intelligent integrated telecommunications Group
and our philosophy is clear: first the customer, then the technology,"
said Kai-Uwe Ricke ( inset ), Chairman of Deutsche
Telekom AG. "At the same time, we are also convinced that there
is not 'just one' customer, either in the consumer or the business
customer segment. We must target a range of different customer groups
and interests with a variety of products. This is what we will be
demonstrating here at the IFA with our innovation drive. We are now
making tomorrow happen."
High-speed broadband network
with speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s
Walter Raizner, Member of the Board of Management responsible for
Broadband/Fixed Network at Deutsche Telekom, spoke of "joining
the top group of broadband states," referring to plans to construct
a high-speed network. T-Com intends to provide Germany's 50 largest
cities with high-speed broadband lines by 2007. Speeds of up to 50
Mbit/s mean that Ger-many will join the ranks of the top broadband
states. By mid-2006, the first cities will be connected to the new
optical fiber network. This will enable 2.9 million households to
use state-of-the-art technology within their own four walls. Up to
EUR 3 billion are to be invested initially in the coming years in
Germany to meet the conditions for developing completely new services
and applications. Of course, these and other investments must also
be viewed against the backdrop of market success and the general situation
on a new market.
"Our vision is to
give the customer access via one single line - i.e. our broadband
connection - to the wealth of the multimedia world, using a range
of devices: at present telephones, televisions, PCs, video telephones
and multimedia boxes. The benefits of this for our customers are obvious.
They will have easy access to superfast Internet, video, games offers,
high-quality general entertainment and interactive learning,"
said Raizner.
Participants in the pilot
trials in Stuttgart und Hamburg can already test high speeds of up
to 25 Mbit/s for six weeks free of charge. The only conditions: answering
a few questions at the end of the trial - and being quick. Only a
few hundred participants can take part. Starting today, anyone interested
in participating in the trials can register at www.t-com.de.
Highspeed UMTS to be launched
in 2006
Broadband access is also getting even faster for UMTS mobile communica-tions.
According to René Obermann, Member of the Board of Management
responsible for Mobile Communications at Deutsche Telekom, commercial
use of what is known as high-speed UMTS based on HSDPA will be launched
in time for CeBIT 2006. "High-speed UMTS will then be available
wherever T-Mobile already offers UMTS coverage. HSDPA enables us to
offer a high-speed mobile experience outside our WLAN network, which
offers access to 16,500 hotspots worldwide."
Speeds will initially be
increased to up to 1.8 Mbit/s. This is particularly practical for
using Internet applications on devices in the fast-growing pocket
computer segment and for laptop applications. Transmission speeds
will gradually even be increased to up to 7.2 Mbit/s. HSDPA also enables
complex intranet applications or Internet pages to be accessed quickly
and sig-nificantly reduces the time spent waiting for pages to load.
T-Mobile will in-cidentally be the first operator to put HSDPA-enabled
laptop cards onto the market in the fall.
Integrated mobile/fixed-network
products
From a customer perspective, fixed-mobile convergence is a significant
and interesting trend. It avoids, for example, having duplicate contracts,
bills, answerphones and address books. T-Mobile and T-Com have a variety
of solutions and the right offer for every customer - whether they
prefer mobile or fixed-network communications.
T-Mobile is developing
a new product called mobile@home for the growing number of customers
that also want to use their cell phone to communicate conveniently
and at fixed-network rates from the comfort of their own four walls.
With this offer, customers can also be called on their cell phone
at home at inexpensive fixed-network rates and of course make cheap
calls from their cell phone at home to the German fixed network. In
addition, voicemail calls made at home are free.
The area referred to as
"their own four walls" is also generously defined: a radius
up to 2 kilometers. The offer will be launched commercially in the
first quarter of 2006.
A highly attractive data
rate will also be on offer with the new product. Wireless Internet
access will be possible via a UMTS WLAN router. T-Mobile will incidentally
be one of the first German mobile operators to launch an Internet
box of this kind on the market. It will be available to business customers
from October and to consumers from the first quarter of 2006.
Dual phone
"The" fixed-network convergence offer is a dual phone. This
device is completely new on the market and is of interest to all those
that want to continue reaping the benefits of a landline, but would
like more mobility at the same time - without changing devices. The
possible uses of the fixed network are increased considerably, and
it is made mobile - all with a single phone number, a singe bill and
a single point of contact.
The new device offered
by T-Com combines the advantages of the fixed network with those of
mobile communications - more comfort and better quality at low prices.
At home, customers make calls through the fixed network, and at a
Hotspot, say in an airport or station, they access the Internet via
W-LAN - this means better voice quality. And on the go, customers
make calls using the tried-and-true GSM technology.
The dual phone enables
customers to continue using their DSL/W-LAN hardware, as well as a
plethora of value-added services. For example, the synchronization
feature with the Outlook address book, video telephony or access -
even on the go - to centrally stored MP3 files on their PC. The device
is to be launched in the 2nd quarter of 2006.
T-Box - a fixed-network
and mobile answerphone
Another convergent product is the enhanced version of the T-Box. From
October 1, 2005, T-Com will be offering customers the option of answering
calls not only for their own landline number, but also for mobile
numbers, irrespective of the mobile provider. Regardless of whether
the call is made to the landline or mobile line, it will be forwarded
to the same voicemail - the T-Box. This means that T-Net customers
only need to listen to their mes-sage on one answerphone - and even
that is free.
SIP phone
Another future-oriented T-Com product is the SIP phone, which combines
voice and video communication in one device. In addition to conventional
telephone calls and conferences, it is also possible to look the person
you are calling in the eyes at high-definition quality and receive
video messages. Emails, faxes, SMS and MMS messages are downloaded
with the SIP phone and stored by a central "answering machine."
It also offers fast access to numerous information and entertainment
services: the latest head-lines, traffic information, emergency service
information, and shopping and activity tips. Games are also available.
The offer is based on "SIP" (Session Initiation Protocol)
technology, which exchanges voice information or data via the IP network.
SIP provides the basis for all kinds of value-added communications
services, so even T-Com customers that do not have an affinity for
computers will be able to access personalized communications services.
TV via cell phone
Mobile broadband networks also offer mobile customers an increasing
range of options. Following the rollout of web'n'walk, the free Internet
service for use on the go, T-Mobile has now added mobile TV to the
offer for UMTS-based cell phones.
Two additional sport or
cinema programs are available as well as n-tv live around the clock.
The number of programs is set to exceed 10 in the future. Reception
via UMTS using the streaming process is free during the introductory
phase which runs until the end of March 2006, and no charges will
be levied for the data transferred for TV reception. All UMTS devices
offered by T-Mobile during the Christmas period this year will feature
mobile TV streaming.
T-Mobile is also working
on business models to reach wider customer groups with digital radio
technologies such as DVB-H and DMB. There will be live demonstrations
of these services on the trade fair stand. T-Mobile will be offering
its customers an innovative TV offer for their cell phones in time
for the 2006 World Cup.
Web'n'walk devices
Although it has only been on the market for a few weeks, web'n'walk
is already a success, especially with the younger generation. With
this service, T-Mobile is systematically implementing its strategy
of focusing its activities on the customer experience even in developing
mobile data services. "We do not lock our customers up in the
cramped world of closed cell-phone portals, we give them the diversity
offered by the free Internet," said Obermann. For web'n'walk,
T-Mobile has put together packages made up of innovative mobile devices,
fast data connections and inexpensive data transmission rates.
Several new models have
already been showcased at the IFA: the succes-sor to the MDA III,
the new version of the MDA Compact, the Nokia N70 and the new model
of the SDA, which is exclusive to T-Mobile. The SDA web'n'walk model
is a device for all customers wanting to use the free Inter-net with
a particularly compact cell phone. The offer is already set to include
ten devices for mobile Internet access by the Christmas sales period.
The MDA Pro, a mini notebook
with rapid mobile Internet connection and top-notch features will
also be launched at the IFA. The device supports UMTS, W-LAN and GPRS,
thus ensuring the ideal conditions for mobile broadband applications.
Fixed-network flat rate
and double minute-based packages
There is also news on the price front: T-Com will be introducing an
flat rate plan in the fall (starting October 6). The T-Net with voice
telephony flat rate plan is likely to be just under EUR 40, and the
flat rate for an ISDN connection with voice is expected to be around
EUR 48. In addition, the minute-based package included in the successful
Call Time rate option in connection with T-ISDN will be doubled effective
September 1, 2005.
Switch&Profit
Savings can also be made with Switch&Profit. With this newly introduced
bonus program, T-Com customers have the option of automatically diverting
incoming calls from Germany from their mobile phone to their T-Com
fixed line for free. In this way, they can make calls with fixed-network
quality and reduce their telephone costs at the same time: for each
call minute that Switch&Profit customers divert, 2.59 cents will
be credited to their telephone bill, which is the equivalent of up
to 1.5 free minutes.
Music&Fun
With its "Music & Fun" offers, T-Com is the first telecommunications
provider in Europe to transpose a success story in the mobile communications
segment to the fixed network: fixed-network lines will be audibly
more versatile and communication more entertaining and individual
from the fall. The offer includes the T-NetBox professional announcement
service and ring tones, and sound logos, greeting messages (MusikGruß),
background sounds and jingle fun will be added in the future. There
are also cult ring tones available for the telephone at home. You
can order hits, anthems or film soundtracks easily via www.t-com.de/music&fun.
Sound logos will soon replace ring tones. With the MusikGruß
service, the greeting message will have a musi-cal feel to it in the
future.
Mobile Jukebox
In addition to the free Internet services web'n'walk and Mobile TV,
music is another market segment offering great potential for T-Mobile.
The partnership with Robbie Williams plays an important role here.
T-Mobile gives fans the opportunity to download and listen to exclusive
content before it is released and to place images of their favorite
star on their cell phones. The initial services, such as ring tones,
sound logos and single clips are already available at IFA. The Sony
Ericsson Walkman W800i provides optimal support for this Robbie Williams
content.
T-Mobile will thus be cooperating
with the market leader "musicload" from T-Online in the
future. This enables entire pieces of music to be downloaded with
high sound quality to cell phones like the Nokia 6680, the MDA com-pact
and the SDA II. Over 300,000 full titles are currently available in
the "online record shop." The mobile public Internet also
gives music fans the opportunity to access other offers. At Christmas,
additional offers will be available on the popular iTunes platform.
Family Whiteboard soon
to be piloted
The Family Whiteboard is one of the first products from the T-Com
House to be introduced on the market. This interactive electronic
bulletin board simplifies everyday household organization. Each user
has their own personal mailbox, where messages can be left - by email,
SMS, MMS or phone call. Anyone leaving the house can call up a variety
of information about, for example, current bus and train departures,
the weather or the latest stock exchange prices. A pilot test will
be under way from the end of 2005 for 200 families and households.
New T-Online features
T-Online 6.0 access software
The new T-Online 6.0 access software will allow even better utilization
of the possibilities of broadband technology. It is available immediately
online and in T-Punkt stores for free and can also be ordered. The
installation process, which is certified by the TÜV (German Technical
Inspection Agency), is completed in four steps. Now included are broadband
applications that will have particular appeal to DSL customers such
as T-Online Internet Telefon 6.0, T-Online DSL Manager 6.0 and the
T-Online Info Cockpit 6.0.
Cockpit 6.0
With Info-Cockpit 6.0, T-Online is providing the largest broadband
com-munity in Germany with their first "sidebar" - a window
that provides individualized information through variable mini-programs.
This customizable T-Online Info-Cockpit 6.0 information center gathers
the content, services and applications that the individual surfer
uses most in one window.
Gamesload
The PC games market is a rapidly developing growth sector. T-Online
is one of the first major providers to launch Gamesload, a digital
online shop for full-version PC games, enabling users to download
numerous latest games and try them out for a limited period before
they buy. This gives players the chance to test the software on their
own PC before purchasing.
Media Receiver T-Online
S 100
T-Online is presenting a significant move toward multimedia communication
and entertainment from a single source with the "T-Online S 100,"
its own media receiver that enables home entertainment via DSL Internet
access. The device, known as an IP streaming set-top box, is included
in the T-Online Vision package together with a splitter for connection
to both the DSL network and the Speedport W 500V - a combination of
DSL modem, router and DSL phone adapter. The T-Online Vision package
will be available for purchase in specialist stores as a starter deal
for EUR 49.95 starting in November.
Deutsche Telekom will be
showcasing its broad range of innovative services at the Internationale
Funkausstellung in Berlin from September 2-5. Under the motto "Winning
Together," Deutsche Telekom's four business units will be demonstrating
their innovative strength and solution competence, based entirely
around the 2006 World Cup.
