Vodafone | Fone Arena

Vodafone India sports the Global Red branding

The Global Mobile Service Providers starts operations in India, the 2nd largest mobile market in the world. The Vodafone logo is synonymous with the Global Red Branding strategy of Vodafone.

As an Indian Mobile user, I have never seen Vodafone as a Mobile brand. I relate it to the Ferrari Formula 1 Team ( Vodafone is a sponsor for the team)

But now all of a sudden, Vodafone is a Mobile Operator in India. Vodafone is known worldwide for its Value Added Services. Will be interesting to see what Vodafone does in India considering the nature of the market.

Vodafone-pug

The Hutch pug in the new Vodafone TV AD

Vodafone-hutch-operator

My Vodafone number phone was showing the Hutch operator text till yesterday

but changed to Vodafone suddenly . A really fast re-branding excercise I must say.

Now the hutch website hutch.in points to vodafone.in

Hutch logo will be replaced by Vodafone soon

We had hinted earlier the Hutch might change colors again in What will Vodafone do with Hutch

Looks like Vodafone wants to spread its brand image in India soon. So its going to be the the Battle of the Reds (Vodafone vs Airtel) as Hutch and Airtel are the largest mobile operators in India. Hutch has always been seen as an elite brand in the country as it is present only in a few circles. Vodafone is known for its Premium services around the world. Vodafone cannot use the same global pricing strategy in India for sure due to the nature of the market here. Lets wait and watch Till then it may may bid good bye to the Hutch Pug

Hutchison Essar rechristens as Vodafone Essar

Vodafone Essar will be the new name of the old Hutch venture in India. This move comes after Vodafone’s acquistion of HTIL.

Asim Ghosh, Hutchison Essar’s current chief executive, will be chairman and chief executive officer.

Arun Sarin will be the Vice Chairman.

Ravi Ruia will non-executive chairman

What will Vodafone do with Hutch ?

Hutch has changed colors since it started operations in India.

I remember seeing Hutch first in the Orange. They then changed to pink and blue.

Now after Vodafone has taken over Hutch , will Hutch move to Red synonymous with India’s other largest telecom provider Airtel.

It would be interesting to see what Vodafone does with Hutch.

Hutch India now Vodafone’s Baby

The battle’s finally over ? Atleast IBN Live says so.

The long battle amongst the Telecom biggies for the aquisition of Hutch India might be over.

Vodafone has won the bid for $19 Billion.Essar is happy about the deal and the price. Vodafone is said to have even offered Essar to become a partner firm.

Hutch is expected to announce an official statement tomorrow

via [ibnlive]

The Hutch Saga continues

The rumors have started again. Reports suggest that the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa group is believed to be considering a sale of its telecom business. The sale might include Hutchison Essar as well. Hutch has postponed its IPO in India so many times.

Vodafone has shown interest in taking over Hutchison Essar. Its willing to offer upto 13.5 Billion Dollars for the deal. Reliance is reported to have teamed up with Blackstone Ventures and is willing to offer upto 15 Billion Dollars.

Its interesting to note that Vodafone has an 10% stake in Bharti Airtel� which is valued at� close to 1.4 Billion pounds. But� there is a no compete attached to this deal.

We still need to wait and see the turn of events.

[ibnlive ]

Nokia and Vodafone to expand use of S60 as a standard platform

Vodafone and Nokia work together to increase the use of S60 as a standard software platform collaboration between Nokia and Vodafone expands the potential market for S60

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE February 13, 2006

Vodafone and Nokia work together to increase the use of S60 as a standard software platform collaboration between Nokia and Vodafone expands the potential market for S60

3GSM World Congress 2006, Barcelona, Spain/Espoo, Finland – Nokia Corporation and Vodafone have today announced that they are collaborating to strengthen the S60 software platform’s role in Vodafone’s device portfolio. The collaboration will help Vodafone to offer new services more quickly to its customers by increasing the use of S60 as a standard software platform for mobile handsets worldwide.

“Standardisation of handset software platforms across mobile phone manufacturers offers significant opportunities for Vodafone. We will be able to reduce time to market for new products and services and help customers take up new services more quickly. The fact that Nokia is developing the S60 platform in close co-operation with us further enhances our ability to offer innovative and consistent new services in a competitive and efficient way,” said Dirk Wierzbitzki, Deputy Director of Terminals, Vodafone Group.

S60 offers Vodafone the leading technologies in customization, extensive support for new mobile services, and the baseline for best in class user experience. S60 customization capabilities, proven by strong track record in satisfying operator needs, help Vodafone to differentiate their services and applications. Together with the S60 community, Vodafone will also be able to enhance user interfaces (UI) of mobile devices.

“We are very pleased with Vodafone’s choice of S60 as a preferred device software platform. This collaboration is an important step towards increased service differentiation and innovation speed for the whole industry. S60 platform offers a rich application suite, great extensibility and ease-of-use for multimedia, imaging and business services. High priority is given to the customization and application development needs of the operators,” said Matti V?nsk?, Vice President, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, Nokia.

Nokia and Vodafone will develop a Vodafone-specific software complement on top of the S60 platform. The collaboration also includes the expansion of the licensee base and increased portfolio penetration through open roadmap governance and establishes a strong independent brand position for both the S60 software and the supporting developer activities. In addition, Nokia and Vodafone are working jointly to promote independently licensable reference designs from semiconductor vendors to enable shorter time to market for new S60 devices.

According to Nokia estimates, the total smartphone industry volume reached approximately 46.3 million units in 2005, compared to an estimated 20.6 million units in 2004. Nokia alone will have cumulatively shipped more than 50 million S60 enabled devices by the end of February 2006 (Nokia, February 2006).

About Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

About S60

The S60 built on Symbian OS, is the leading smartphone software in the world and it is licensed by some of the foremost mobile phone manufacturers in the market. The flexibility of the S60 platform allows for various hardware designs and software configurations. This is demonstrated through the multitude of S60 devices already available on the market. Through its award-winning user interface, extensive support for new mobile services and the innovation potential for partner solutions, the S60 provides an open and scalable business opportunity for mobile operators and 3rd party developers. For further information about S60 news and community, please visit www.s60.com.

About Vodafone

Vodafone is the world’s largest mobile community, with equity interests in 26 countries and Partner Networks in a further 31 countries, serving over 179 million proportionate customers. Vodafone’s global consumer service offering, Vodafone live!, opens up a world of mobile colour

Orascom Buys Stake In Hutch, Enters India

Orascom Telecom has entered the Indian Telecom arena, with the acquisition of 19.3 per cent stakes in Hutchison Telecom

Friday, December 23, 2005: Orascom Telecom has entered the Indian Telecom arena, with the acquisition of 19.3 per cent stakes in Hutchison Telecom. With the deal, Orascom is on its way to some of the high growth mobile markets in Asia. Hutchison already has operations in India and Sri Lanka, while Orascom, the Cairo-based telecom company, has presence in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

According to Naguib Swiris, CEO, Orascom Telecom, ?We have often expressed our keen interest to enter some of the largest and highest growth mobile markets in the world like India, Indonesia and Vietnam. The tie-up with Hutchison Telecom presents Orascom Telecom with exposure to these markets.?

As per the terms of the tie-up, Orascom and Hutchison will combine procurement, apart from signing roaming agreements between all the complementary operations. Orascom will send two representatives to the Hutchison Telecom board. Besides, the company will have its members on the board of Hutchison Essar, in which Hutchison Telecom holds 42 per cent stakes.

Orasom and Hutchison control mobile operators with two billion subscribers in 15 countries.

via [EFY Times]

Nokia 6680 smartphone now starts shipping to Vodafone K.K. in Japan

okia today announced that it has started deliveries of Nokia 6680 to Vodafone K.K. in Japan. The stylish Nokia 6680 3G WCDMA terminal will be marketed in Vodafone’s lineup under the name “Vodafone 702NK II (Nokia 6680)”.

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE December 16, 2005

Nokia 6680 smartphone now starts shipping to Vodafone K.K. in Japan

Tokyo, Japan – Nokia today announced that it has started deliveries of Nokia 6680 to Vodafone K.K. in Japan. The stylish Nokia 6680 3G WCDMA terminal will be marketed in Vodafone’s lineup under the name “Vodafone 702NK II (Nokia 6680)”. This device is expected to be commercially available in Japan from December 17.

“We are extremely pleased with Vodafone’s decision to offer the Nokia 6680 to Japanese consumers,” said Heikki Tenhunen, President of Nokia Japan. “Rated as the best-in-class WCDMA device by research company Strategic Analytics and praised by a large number of consumers, the Nokia 6680 imaging smartphone delivers what it takes to be an ideal multimedia companion both at work and play.”

The Nokia 6680 is optimized for video calls with its two integrated cameras. The multimedia functions of the product are further enhanced by functions like digital music player, and the Nokia 6680 also has smartphone capabilities and productivity features for the busy tech-savvy consumer who wants to manage effectively his personal and professional life.

The Nokia 6680 (Vodafone 702NK II), specially customized for Vodafone K.K., delivers highly sophisticated 3G functionality in an attractively styled, compact form. One of the few products in the WCDMA market with truly international roaming capability, the Nokia 6680 (Vodafone 702NK II) allows consumers to enjoy various 3G services provided by Vodafone K.K., including the Vodafone live!, international roaming video calls and video streaming services in or outside of Japan.

The full-fledged smartphone feature set of the Nokia 6680 (Vodafone 702NK II) is enriched by robust data communication functions including WCDMA and Bluetooth wireless technology, which makes it fast and convenient to browse the Internet, send and receive emails with attachments, and link with other electronic devices such as PCs. These features make the Nokia 6680 (Vodafone 702NK II) a first-class tool for conducting business, whether in the office or out and about.

The Nokia 6680 is the third Nokia 3G product available in Vodafone K.K.’s device lineup. The Nokia 6630 (Vodafone 702NK) was added to the Vodafone K.K. portfolio in December 2004, and the Nokia 6650 (V-NM701) became available in the Japanese market in August 2003.

Detailed information about Nokia 6680 (Vodafone 702NK II) and its services can be found from Vodafone’s website www.vodafone.jp.

About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com

Nokia applauds the successful auction of Telsim assets

Nokia has noted with satisfaction the successful completion of the Turkish government’s auction of Telsim’s assets to Vodafone.

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE December 13, 2005

Nokia applauds the successful auction of Telsim’s assets

Espoo/Finland – Nokia has noted with satisfaction the successful completion of the Turkish government’s auction of Telsim’s assets to Vodafone.

As previously agreed with Telsim and the Turkish Savings and Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), which currently controls and manages Telsim’s assets, Nokia will receive a settlement payment upon completion of the sale. Nokia’s share is 7.5 % of the purchase price, which is expected to be received during the first two months of 2006.

“We are extremely pleased with this positive outcome and a satisfactory resolution of our claim against Telsim,” says Rick Simonson, Chief Financial Officer, Nokia. “TMSF has done a tremendous job in carrying out the auction in an effective and successful fashion, and for that hard work we’re grateful. We are also happy to congratulate Vodafone on its successful bid. Vodafone will be helping to shape the future landscape of communications in Turkey.”

Nokia’s claims in this matter arose from Telsim’s default on its repayment obligations under a loan facility related to network equipment delivered in 2000. In February 2004, the Arbitral Tribunal in Zurich fully approved the claim against the Turkish company.

Nokia introduces Nokia 6234, 3G phone for Vodafone

In connection with its annual Capital Market Days event, Nokia today unveiled the 3G-enabled Nokia 6234. Featuring a 2-megapixel camera, a 320 x 240 QVGA color screen, digital music player, stereo speakers and a wide array of features and applications which take advantage of WCDMA mobile broadband services, the Nokia 6234 will be available exclusively for Vodafone customers world-wide.

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE December 1, 2005

Nokia introduces Nokia 6234, feature-filled 3G mobile phone exclusively for Vodafone

nokia 6234

Feature-filled model underlines operator customization as cornerstone of Nokia strategy

New York, NY, US – In connection with its annual Capital Market Days event, Nokia today unveiled the 3G-enabled Nokia 6234. Featuring a 2-megapixel camera, a 320 x 240 QVGA color screen, digital music player, stereo speakers and a wide array of features and applications which take advantage of WCDMA mobile broadband services, the Nokia 6234 will be available exclusively for Vodafone customers world-wide. The stylish and classic Nokia 6234 (WCDMA 2100 / GSM 900/1800/1900) is expected to begin shipping in the 1st quarter of 2006.

“The Nokia 6234 for Vodafone is an excellent example of Nokia’s renewed commitment to operator customization — a cornerstone of Nokia’s strategy,” says Kai Oistamo, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Phones, Nokia. “The operator-exclusive Nokia 6234 offers a familiar design and Nokia’s intuitive, easy-to-use menu structure, complemented by Vodafone’s signature colors, graphics and easy access to Vodafone’s wide range of 3G services. It’s an ideal balance.”

In addition to the operator exclusive industrial design, the Nokia 6234 offers an array of Vodafone-specific software features. These include Vodafone graphics, icons, menu texts and themes in the user interface offering a unique look and feel to the easy-to-use Nokia menu. Equally important, the Nokia 6234 provides branded access to Vodafone’s services. Additionally, the Nokia 6234 features Vodafone start-up and shut-down graphics and tones, customized wallpapers, screensavers and ringtones.

“We have worked very closely with Nokia over the last two years, with particular focus on developing more terminals which are Vodafone live! enabled,” says Peter Bamford, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone. “We are now taking that to another level with the Nokia 6234. For the first time, we have a mobile phone designed by Nokia that is exclusive to Vodafone. The fact that it is a 3G product is all the more important.”

nokia 6234

For consumers, the 3G-enabled Nokia 6234 offers a 2-megapixel camera with 8x zoom, operational in landscape mode. With this, the Nokia 6234 allows for pictures to be taken on the spot while the video sharing functionality allows to mutually enjoy special moments instantaneously. The bright QVGA screen displays pictures and multimedia content such as videos and websites in a compelling and colorful way.

The Nokia 6234 holds an impressive music experience, to be enjoyed via the built-in stereo speakers with 3-D sound effects or headphones. Supporting microSD memory cards of up to 2 GB, the Nokia 6234 puts a collection of consumers’ favorite albums right into their pockets. A Visual Radio client complements the audio experience of the Nokia 6234.

With Bluetooth Wireless Technology, the Nokia 6234 easily transfers pictures taken to any compatible printer and seamlessly connects to a wide assortment of Bluetooth enabled headsets and car kits. Unifying easy-to-use imaging capabilities with music on the go and 3G services like video sharing, the Nokia 6234 offers up to 4 hours of talk time on GSM networks (up to 3 hours of talk time via WCDMA) and up to 2 weeks of standby time.

About Vodafone
Vodafone provides a full range of mobile telecommunications services, including voice and data communications. Vodafone has equity interests in 27 countries and Partner Networks in a further 14 countries, with a proportionate customer base of over 171 million. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com

VODAFONE, Vodafone live! and the Vodafone logos are trade marks of the Vodafone Group. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trade marks of their respective owners.