[3g-g]

From This is Money (http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money-savers/article.html?in_article_id=404205&in_page_id=5&ct=5) it seems like the operators at least, are predicting now is the time that 3G will kick off, handsets seem to have been the reason for the slower uptake. However, the content available now is also vastly improved over the original UMTS offereings, which was in the main, glorified WAP IMO! It's definately going to be a 3G Christmas for all, and you can tell the ops are begining to gear up already.



THEY gambled a breathtaking £24bn on licences to operate 3G services. Now, five years later, mobile phone chiefs are poised for a breakthrough. They are predicting mobile mania this Christmas.

The third-generation technology that allows mobile phone users to download video, music and games was given a huge boost this summer by the Ashes cricket coverage and the intense interest in up-to-the-minute news of the London bombings.

Jim Slater, marketing chief at retail chain Phones4U, says: 'This will be the biggest Christmas for 3G. There is huge customer interest.

'In the past, younger people - the key customers - have shied away from 3G because, though they want the services, they will not compromise on the quality of the handsets.'

The new 3G handsets can match the smallest of mobiles, hold as much music as an iPod mini and take highdefinition pictures. So the network operators - Orange, 3, T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone - believe the time is right to launch a fresh drive on the technology.

Guy Laurence, global marketing director for Vodafone, says: 'A breakpoint has been reached. 3G is ready to go mass market. 'The handsets are 25% lighter, 30% better, and 30% cheaper than the last generation.' Laurence confirms that the market 'came alive' with Vodafone's coverage of the Ashes cricket series. He says: 'People watched virtually the whole of the five tests by turning on their mobile phones.'

But also, the terrorist attacks in London on July 7 and 21 had customers scrambling for their 3G phones, according to Laurence and Bob Fuller, chief executive of Vodafone's rival, 3.

Fuller says: 'It was a major rolling news event that people wanted to follow closely.'

Laurence says: 'The advantage that 3G phones have for delivering news is that, like our keys and wallet, they're always with us. Big events such as the cricket or 7/7 have shown users that mobile phones are a fantastic way of keeping up to speed.'

Nigel Hall, director of 3G at Orange, says that the phones will change the way people consume entertainment. Orange has just launched TV services over its 3G network and is screening the ICC Super Series cricket from Australia. This is already influencing consumer behaviour.

'Watching TV gets people accustomed to turning to their phones for entertainment,' says Hall. 'We're not saying that in the future we will slump on our sofas at home with our mobiles - this is about media snacking, having a bit of spare time to fill. Mobiles are becoming the first place people turn to for fun.'

Services on offer through different networks include news, traffic video reports, comedy downloads, thousands of hours of music and music videos, full songs that can be used as ringtones, video cameras, TV, horoscopes, gambling and even pictures of glamour models.

Handset makers have their part to play. Bob Brace, vice-president of Nokia's handset division, says: 'We were quite careful when we started to push 3G phones. Now there is a range that can capture all the different needs.'

[Ben]

'The handsets are 25% lighter, 30% better, and 30% cheaper than the last generation.'

LoL! Only someone at Vodafone could come out with a statistic of "30% better". I'd love to know the maths behind that one.

I hope everyone isn't disappointed this Christmas... I guess it's too early yet to see what the networks intend to do in order to push 3G to the front of the stage, but right now the vast majority of people aren't considering 3G when they come to replace their current mobiles. It's going to take big advertising campaigns if they want to generate the interest they really need after several bumpy starts, but do they still have the guts to go the whole hog or is it a case of once bitten twice shy?

Bob Brace over at Nokia must be feeling pretty pleased with himself after Nokia stormed 3G handset sales. If only the entire NSeries was out and represented by the operators. They've had a very easy ride to the top this year, but the Christmas period wont be so easy unless the N70 and 6280 manage to shine amongst the competition.

I also see they mention Orange TV. If Orange want to push that this Christmas then they've got some serious work to do!

[Hands0n]

TBH I am having a tough time convincing those who will hear me (family & friends mainly) as to why they should wait for the 4Q/2005 to go 3G.

"What does 3G do for me that my handset does'nt do?" they ask, and revealing a telling confusion between the technology and specifically handsets! Or "Why would I want my phone to be able to do that?". Centered around their own particular use of a mobile phone, to make calls and send texts, they are at a loss to understand why they would need to watch TV and all the other "great" things that 3G appears to offer to them.

The only ones who appear to listen with a sympathetic ear are those who have a leaning towards technology, or who find appeal in the latest gagets. Everyone else seems to be entirely ambivalent to 3G, other than the notion that they can get cheaper calls from "that new Three company, innit?".

An uphill struggle is forecast for all the mobile ops, unless they can wrap up the technology to make it invisible and press on with their selling based on what they can actually deliver across it.

[LeMotor]

For me 3G means speed only...anything else (maybe apart from Video Calling, but who has a Video Phone I know? It's too early!)I could do with a 2.5G Phone...therefore mobile high speed internet usage for affordable prices is the key, only!