Europe Portugal - Vodafone Web Videocall is a new mobile communications service that enables videocalls to be made between any PC and 3G phone.

Designed for computer users, the service enables any Vodafone customer (whether or not they have a 3G phone) to associate their mobile phone number with their PC and to receive or make videocalls from their computer. As a result, as from today, Vodafone is able to offer 3G videocalling to all its 4 million plus customers.

The launch of the service makes Vodafone the first operator in Portugal, and one of the first in the world, to offer the opportunity to make and receive videocalls via a computer (laptop or desktop) to and from 3G phones, thereby achieving a decisive step in fixed-mobile convergence.

The Vodafone Web Videocall service has been designed to be simple to use. It costs the same price as a videocall made from a 3G phone and it is possible to use the same Vodafone mobile number. Downloading the application, available at www.vodafone.pt, is simplicity itself and is free to all Vodafone customers. The application enables users to manage their contacts (with photos and special ringtones and import of contacts from Outlook 2000), to access their call log easily and immediately, and to control picture quality and sound during the videocall.

On 1 January, Vodafone launched a special campaign to promote its videocall service which will run until the end of the month. During the promotion, videocalls to the Vodafone network will cost only 1 cent per minute to all customers.

This launch and promotion are part of the major effort that Vodafone is making to develop 3G in Portugal and are designed to extend the use of 3G services to an increasing number of users.

Vodafone Web Videocall is an application developed to Vodafone Portugal’s specifications by Nortel (in partnerships with Dilithium Networks).