3G FOMA Handset Offering Video Clip e-Mailing

H3G Sees 30,000 handsets Distributed Mid-Feb

MILAN (AFX) - Hutchison Whampoa Ltd's H3G third generation mobile unit intends to distribute 30,000 terminals to shops from mid-February for the launch of services, said an H3G spokesman.
The launch of commercial services follows testing, including "beta testing" of services with 333 politicians, business, sports, media and other personalities by end of January, he said.

"We start with 333 videophone terminals for personalities by the end of January. Then, from the second week of February we start to distribute terminals in shops, a first batch of 30,000," he said.

"We have 120,000 bookings for the service. We are selling bookings and in mid-Feb we start selling handsets. The exact date is not set yet," he said.

"The fact we are distributing terminals proves that we are very much at the launch of the service," he said.

H3G is mainly selling the NEC 606 handset for 780 eur incl VAT, plus NEC kit, such as the 808, as well as some Motorola terminals, he said, noting these will be available in 1,200 shops.

H3G's network has 44 pct coverage of the country via 2,200 aerials, while roaming on second generation services will be provided under an agreement with Telecom Italia Mobile SpA, he said.

The service offerings are being fine-tuned, with reliability of the video call service expected to have reached 95 pct by mid-February, from today's 85-90 pct reliability, he said.

The 85 eur a month service package includes 40 hours of video calls, 600 SMS data messages, 200 MMS multimedia messages, and 400 consultations with H3G's mobile portal, he said.

H3G is initially targeting three categories of users: professionals on the move, "show offs", and technology fans, he said, noting these people have a "good capacity to spend".

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