[April 16th 2003] O2 is about to conduct a mobile video trial with its customers
using its existing mobile data network to help create a mobile video service
planned for launch later this year. O2 has selected 350 of its customers to take
part in the trial which will begin at the end of this month.
Dave McGlade, CEO O2 UK said: Mobile Video is a natural addition to the
range of services we already offer like Media Messaging and the O2 Games Arcade
and fully exploits the technology we have available today. We want to develop a
range of communications and entertainment services that our customers really
want and trials like this give us the opportunity to listen to our customers and
get crucial feedback. "
O2 ' s Mobile Video trial aims to encourage experimentation with its range
of services and will give trialists the unique opportunity to download or stream
video content free of charge during the six week period. This trial will use
some of the most advanced UK mobile phone technology through the latest mobile
phones - the Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650 and the O2 xda.
During the six week Mobile Video trial period, O2 will showcase a range of
services including the ability to create and send your own video clips. Using
the built in camera of the Nokia 7650 and Nokia 3650, you can record up to 10
seconds of video and send it to another video capable phone or email address,
using O2's existing Media Messaging service.
The trial will also offer the opportunity to browse, select and download
video clips via a special trial WAP portal. The content providers will include
Sky delivering regularly updated news, sport, weather and entertainment. Once
selected, the clip will be 'streamed' or downloaded on to the customers mobile
via the O2 mobile data network.
O2 is also leveraging its sponsorship of Arsenal football club and the
England Rugby team. Arsenal fans will be able to get exclusive Arsene Wenger
interviews and post match highlights whilst rugby followers will have access to
footage of England rugby internationals.
Last month, O2 announced a trial the world ' s first ' music over
mobile ' service using existing mobile data (GPRS or 2.5G) technology. The O2
music service will enable customers to select, retrieve and store the latest
chart hits via their GPRS-enabled mobile handset onto a specially designed
' digital music player ' - and start listening in around 12 seconds. Starting in
May 2003 in the UK and Germany, the music trials are expected to lead to the
launch of a commercial service later this year. O2 is partnered by global brand
MTV and the largest music providers in the world, including BMG, who will
provide track listings for new chart releases as well as pre-releases.
About O2
· The business operations of mmO2 plc are branded O2.
· O2 (UK) Ltd has nearly 11.95 million customers (end Dec 2002), of which
33 per cent are contract and the remainder pre-pay. The proportion of service
revenues generated by data usage in the last quarter is 17.4 per cent. The
number of SMS messages handled by O2 UK over the year was 4.92 billion.
· O2 UK's GSM network, including GPRS capability, covers over 99per cent
of the population and approximately 90 per cent of the UK by land area, and
comprises over 9,000 base stations.
· O2 UK was the first mobile network in the world to have launched and
rolled-out commercial GPRS services. Work is underway to develop its future 3G
network.
· The company has 200 O2 retail stores located across the UK, plus a 40 per cent
shareholding in The Link Stores Limited.
· International roaming agreements with 327 networks allow our customers
to receive and make calls in 141 countries. Additionally, O2 customers are now
able to roam with GPRS in 24 countries.
· O2 UK became the first UK mobile operator to achieve registration to
BSEN: ISO 14001, the international environmental standard. The main theme of the
standard is continual environmental improvement and endorses our commitment to
the positive protection of the environment.
