A UK based company has come out with a solution called MYMO to target new audience for the mobile phone market. MYMO is a unique new concept for kids. It is aimed at 5 to 10 year olds and is a excellent security device for kids. MYMO phone can call out to five numbers that parents pre program, in the click of a button. So SECURITY and COSTS are CONTROLLED. Also has a secure online tracking service, which enables parents to locate their child’s MYMO. Shiraz Lalani of the Daily Mirror says ” it is a brilliant solution for parents who want their kids to have a mobile for safety reasons MYMO has just three buttons controlling all the functions making it extremely simple to use for 4-8 year olds. By simply pressing a button, one of five numbers automatically rings.

MYMO comes in funky shapes and colours, also interchangeable faces.MYMO can be connected to use any UK network SIM card. MYMO uses the latest mobile technology to give your child a cutting edge piece of technology whilst retaining the fun element of communication. MYMO is available only on Pay As You Go, so that the costs can be maintained by parents.MYMO can dial up to 5 pre set numbers that you can preprogram on the phone, making sure the phone is used for the right reasons.MYMO lets you track down the location of your childs where abouts. You can register up to three family or friends mobiles on our secure tracking service. At an additional cost you can get 10 free location requests included and you can purchase more if you need them. As long as the phone is switched on and network coverage is available, you will be able to access the location of your children anywhere in the UK.

Mobile operator Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) has selected Nokia to supply and deploy GSM network equipment, including the Nokia Connect GSM solution for optimized network coverage, in a deal valued at 40 million euros. It calls for Nokia, and its main subcontractor Lead Com Integrated Solutions, to supply both GSM core and radio equipment to upgrade part of ETC’s existing network. Also included are GPRS for advanced data services and Nokia’s Operations Support Systems (OSS).

ETC is a new customer for Nokia’s GSM solution and the first in East Africa. Deliveries start immediately with the system targeted for operation in December, initially in the Addis Ababa region. Nokia will provide a full range of GSM and GPRS network infrastructure, including Nokia ConnectSite 10 and Nokia ConnectSite 100 base stations. Nokia, with LeadCom’s help, will also provide implementation of the network, including civil works, network planning, implementation and project management for fast quality ramp-up of the solution. “We are very happy to welcome ETC as a new GSM customer for Nokia,” says Dr. Walid Moneimne, Senior Vice President, Networks, Nokia. “We are gratified that Ethiopia Telecom has chosen Nokia as one of its main GSM suppliers and a trusted partner for the future of its network. East Africa is an important market for us, and this deal is a key milestone in Nokia’s network business in Africa, demonstrating our clear and strong commitment to this crucial marketplace.”

   Training is also provided to help keep the network running at peak performance. The services will be provided using Nokia NetAct (TM), the only fully-featured, multi-vendor, multi-technology operations support system on a single platform. The Nokia ConnectSite 10 and Nokia ConnectSite 100 base stations are part of the Nokia Connect GSM Solution for network deployment and operation in new growth markets using world-class technology platforms. The Nokia Connect GSM Solution enables operators to lower network-related expenditures and bring mobility to additional mobile users in a cost-efficient and timely manner.

Nokia can draw on its over 15-year track record of implementing and operating networks and its extensive practical experience of implementing mobile services for operators. Nokia has contracted operating services for 21 operators globally, in addition to providing full turnkey implementations for a total of 26 customers in 22 countries. Nokia NetAct(TM) has been delivered to over 300 customers.Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia is dedicated to enhancing people’s lives and productivity by providing easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, and solutions for imaging, games, media, mobile network operators and businesses. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on five major exchanges.

Celador International, licensor and distributor of some of the world’s most popular television programmes and CMate, the connected mobile gaming specialist, announced today an agreement under which CMate will develop and launch a connected one-on-one version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”Under the terms of the agreement CMate will exclusively develop and operate “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” connected mobile multiplayer games. By integrating with mobile operators, CMate’s unique gaming technology allows users to challenge each other to a real-time game of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” for either points or real money. Mobile users will be able to play against each other using JAVA or WAP.Celador International’s interactive division includes an award-winning catalogue of applications across all platforms - facilitating the use of pioneering technology developed specifically to support on and off air formats. David Chissick, Chairman of CMate said, “CMate is thrilled to exclusively offer ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ as a connected multi-player mobile game. CMate was selected to be the bearer of this outstanding format because of it’s unique technology enabling true multiplayer gaming regardless of handset type, communication protocol, network, country or language. We expect these games to be launched across the world in the near future.”Bruce Vandenberg, Director of Interactive Media at Celador International said, ‘This is the ultimate challenge for ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ fans. Players can now compete for supremacy via their mobiles. We are delighted with the multiplayer application developed with CMate and look forward to the games’ certain success.’

New World Mobility (NWM) and Nokia have signed a USD 30 million contract for the expansion of the Hong Kong operator’s GSM network, including EDGE and Push to talk over Cellular (PoC). Deliveries have already begun, with commercial services planned for later this year.Under the agreement Nokia will be the sole GSM and EDGE supplier for the eleventh phase of New World Mobility’s network deployment, enhancing the capacity and quality of both voice and data services for its 1.2 million subscribers.EDGE is an advanced GSM radio technology that can better support higher bit rate data services, such as video streaming, while PoC provides a convenient form of instant communication for groups. Both will provide New World Mobility with new opportunities for service differentiation.

The market potential is enormous,” says Dr. Norman Wai, President and CEO, New World Mobility. “PoC has clearly shown that it’s a winner, and we know our customers are eager to use this service that can provide them with a convenient instant form of communication for groups. We see it as a strong weapon that will help boost mobile data usage as well as our ARPU levels.”"The deployment of EDGE represents an important step for New World Mobility as we gear up to offer the most exciting services available today, and it enables PoC users to enjoy seamless service. Being a dedicated service provider, we will continue to make smart investment in our infrastructure to ensure the best quality services for our subscribers via advanced mobile technology,” adds Dr. Wai.”The agreement is a further proof of our long-standing relationship with New World Mobility,” says Simon Beresford Wylie, Senior Vice President, Networks, Nokia. “The comprehensive package of high-speed EDGE radio systems, combined with key core-network service enablers, such as PoC, will allow New World Mobility to offer exciting new mobile services and maintain a competitive edge.”In addition to its GSM and EDGE solutions, Nokia will provide a wide range of services, including solution consulting and integration, core network implementation, network audit and benchmarking service to optimize network and service performance levels. Also included are hardware services and training services to keep the solution running at peak performance. The system is supported by Nokia NetAct (TM), the only fully featured, multi-vendor, multi-technology operations support system on a single platform.Nokia is the sole infrastructure supplier for New World Mobility’s networks and has been supplying network equipment since 1996. The two companies have worked closely together in the deployment of advanced mobile communications.Nokia has a strong track record in implementing EDGE and has reached the global number one position in this technology. Nokia has 35 public EDGE references, and its solution is used in 16 out of 33 commercially launched EDGE networks.

So what do you think you’re mobile is doing right now! Well if you are not making a call then it could be doing one of the following:-1) Registering it’s existence
2) Scanning for suitable cells
3) Listening to cell broadcasts
4) Updating its location
5) Selecting or re-selecting cells

This is the case in most GSM system but could vary between networks. In general you’re mobile is doing a lot more than sitting in your back pocket.However if you are making a call then it is most likely maintaining this call but in order to do this it is frequently measuring neighbouring cells and reporting back to the network The mobile is frequently receiving instructions to control its power and align it’s timing with the network. Measurement reports sent by the mobile is used to make handover decisions, this enables calls to be maintained while you are moving between cells.In fact you’re mobile can make up to 100 measurements within a 480ms measurement cycle and still have time to search for synchronisation channels.

• T-Mobile continues its endorsement of sports sponsorship
• Strong T-Mobile Cycling Team to compete in Tour of Britain, continuing its success in the Tour de France
• Tour of Britain – September 1 - 5

T-Mobile today announces that it will be an official sponsor of the newly revived Tour of Britain cycle race (1st to 5th of September). “As sponsor of the world’s most successful cycling team and as a well known brand in the UK market it is a logical step for us to support British cycling through our involvement with the Tour of Britain“, says Sandy Munro, Marketing Director of T-Mobile UK. “General interest in cycling is increasing in the UK, as a leisure pursuit, but also as an environmental, health and fitness issue. We stand for a better world for you and believe there is a natural link with the benefits of cycling. As part of the three-year sponsorship agreement, T-Mobile will be the corporate mobile supplier to the Tour of Britain and will provide WiFi access in press rooms. T-Mobile will also sponsor the sprints competition; interval sprint points will be up for grabs at appointed T-Mobile HotSpots along the route. Specific areas of the route, such as the start line and the 1-kilometre-to-go banner, will also be decked out in T-Mobile corporate colours. Michael Heal, Communications Director of the Tour of Britain said: “We are delighted to have a leading international brand like T-Mobile as sponsor of this event. The Tour of Britain will be one of the most prestigious sporting events that Britain will stage every year for the foreseeable future. It can count upon a huge residue of goodwill and support and, as a sporting spectacle that tours the country, it has the capacity to reach and influence huge numbers of people on their own doorstep.”The race comprises of five stages, the first being in Greater Manchester and Lancashire, followed by stages in Yorkshire, the East Midlands, Newport and South east Wales and climaxing .

D-Link, the true leading global manufacturer of broadband, wireless, and networking hardware for Home and Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments today announced the D-Link Wireless Media Player that distributes digital music, video and photos stored on PCs to play and view on a television and/or stereo system.The Wireless Media Player (DSM-320) enhances the usability of both a home network and a home entertainment centre by creating a seamless connection between computers and consumer electronics. The DSM-320 is a product for the digital home; a product segment that D-Link believes is set to grow rapidly in the next few years.

D-Link’s media player supports all the most widely used standards, such as MP3, JPEG, MPEG, Xvid and QuickTime, for streaming video and audio on home networks.”The new wireless media player gives consumers access to more content than ever before in the area where they congregate the most, the living room,” said Kevin Wen, European President of D-Link. “Now a family can view a catalogued library of digital photos on their TV or listen to pre-set configured MP3s in surround sound stereo, all of which represent the next step in the evolution and convergence of the CE and PC for the digital home.

The look and functionality of the media player is coherent with that of other entertainment devices such as DVD players and therefore removes technology barriers for the customer,” concludes Wen.The Wireless Media Player uses IEEE 802.11g standard to link the home PC to the TV and Hi-Fi system. The media player can also be connected to the PC through a regular Ethernet network cable. DSM-320 connects to the TV via a SCART (with video, A/V and RGB), RCA A/V or S-video cable. It also comes with digital audio outputs for Coax or optical fibre. DSM-320 is a versatile device that can be used for everything from displaying digital photos and videos on a TV to playback of MP3 files on a stereo. The media player comes with a remote control and supports the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) standard, making it easy to install. The wireless bandwidth is 54Mbps in accordance with IEEE 802.11g.

Visto Corporation, provider of personal and corporate wireless e-mail and PIM solutions to mobile operators for the broadest set of mobile device platforms, today announced Visto Mobile 5.0, the next generation of its wireless e-mail platform which now provides instantaneous and automatic 2-way delivery of email, contacts and calendar updates on any 2.5G or 3G device. The new push email/PIM capability combined with Visto’s already broad device support and carrier grade delivery platform, reinforces Visto’s leadership as a superior platform and differentiated solution for wireless operators to deploy today to gain much broader and deeper market penetration and, unlike Blackberry, a differentiated, carrier specific solution.

 Several new features make Visto Mobile 5.0 with ConstantSync™ a break-through platform that keeps users completely up-to-date and always in touch. New push e-mail delivery to any mobile device over 2.5G and 3G networks provides users with instantaneous and automatic e-mail availability; the FIPS 140-compliant, end-to-end AES encryption provides total security; and the optimized network architecture that requires only 20 percent of the bandwidth of SyncML or IMAP-based solutions significantly reduces the amount of data transfer required for carriers and users. And, Visto’s unique ConstantSync technology goes beyond competitive solutions by also providing real-time 2-way updates to calendar and contact databases.Ten leading wireless carriers worldwide offer their customers access to wireless e-mail and PIM through the Visto Mobile platform, including AT&T Wireless and Nextel Communications in the United States.

Furthermore, Visto’s technology is available on all leading intelligent devices, including the new Motorola MPX220 SmartPhone and Sony-Ericsson’s P910.“Wireless email today is the most pervasive enterprise mobile application and a critical mobile solutions entry point for mobile operators and enterprises globally,” said Stephen Drake, Program Manager for IDC’s Mobile Software service. “Solutions such as Visto Mobile 5.0 that deliver a true push-based, real-time architecture as well as broad device and email platform support provide a compelling solution for both mobile operators and enterprises.”Visto’s new real-time push email and personal information management (PIM) capability provides a seamless user experience through it’s support for native device clients, background mode operation, and instant 2-way delivery of information. Visto has taken push-based email and PIM delivery to the next level by extending this experience to the broad range of operating systems supported by Visto Mobile 5.0 including Windows Mobile 2003 for SmartPhone and Pocket PC Phone Edition, Palm OS, Symbian OS, and J2ME MIDP 2.0.“We have the most advanced solution, strong mobile operator partnerships, the broadest device support, the financial strength and the patented intellectual property which will allow us to surpass RIM’s total subscriber base in 2005,” said Brian Bogosian, chairman, president and CEO of Visto Corporation.

Alcatel today announced a $AUD 7.5 million joint investment with the Australian Government in m.Net Corporation, a consortium of multinationals, Australian IT and telecommunications companies, government and research organisations. The investment will be used to upgrade m.Net’s next-generation UMTS/WCDMA wireless network in the city of Adelaide and turn it into the most advanced 3G network in Australia.Within the investment program m.Net will be able to take advantage of Alcatel’s expertise in end-to-end UMTS/WCDMA technology and leading mobile expertise.

                       The enhanced network that results will stimulate the development of new 3G applications by providing Australia’s application developer community access to the latest 3G technology.Alcatel is an existing member and key technology provider of the m.Net Consortium and this project is further evidence of the company’s commitment to next-generation mobile technology and to the Australian Information, Communication, Entertainment and Technology (ICeT) economy.”Collectively with Alcatel and other consortium members, we are making new and significant advancements in 3G and mobile broadband,” said Horden Wiltshire, Chief Executive Officer, m.Net Corporation. “Support from private sector companies with global mobile communications expertise, such as Alcatel, and the backing of the Australian Government is vital if Australia is to become a global leader in 3G technology and mobile broadband internet,” he concluded.”By providing the opportunity to foster innovation locally, Alcatel is ensuring that market-ready 3G applications will be available in Australia,” said Tony Cullen, Executive General Manager, Mobile, Alcatel Australasia. “Alcatel has market leading 3G experience worldwide and supplies systems for mobile communications networks globally. We are continually looking for ways to strengthen our presence in the global 3G market and we are glad to do so locally by further extending our participation in m.Net with this investment,” he added.

ThreePay, the market-leading pay-as-you-go offer from 3, has been awarded “Best Pre-Pay Package” at the  Mobile Choice awards.3, the UK’s first video mobile network, won the award for “best pre-pay package” by offering customers great value, leading handsets and an exciting range of services. ThreePay’s win follows another in June for 3’s contract price plans, which won the leading ‘consumer post-pay price plan’ at the Mobile Retailer Awards.ThreePay, launched in February has set the benchmark in the UK mobile market by bringing the great value of 3’s contract price plans to the pay-as-you-go customer. The Mobile Choice panel commenting on 3’s win said ThreePay triumphed with its “tremendous value and thumping array of services. Marc Allera, Sales Director, 3 said “We’re delighted to be recognised for the best pre-pay offer in the market. ThreePay ensured that 3 in the UK was the fastest mobile network ever to reach a million customers. The Mobile Choice award confirms what retailers and customers already know, that ThreePay is the market-leading pay-as-you-go offer. 3 is challenging the old operators at every level and setting the agenda for pricing in the market, our innovative and great value price plans are unmatched.”On August 19th , 3 announced that in under 6 months approximately 430,000 customers had signed up to ThreePay, that’s 36% of its 1.2 million customers in the UK. ThreePay offers great value to pay-as-you-go customers currently spending £15 a month or more. The NEC e228 and NEC e313 are 3’s best selling video mobiles on ThreePay. ThreePay top-up vouchers are now available in over 60,000 outlets across the UK and 3 currently has 79% population coverage for its video mobile services, as well as national coverage for voice and text services.