Robin O’Kelly, head of communications for mobile phone network T Mobile, has been discussing voice roaming and data pricing this week.
T Mobile has introduced flat rate data pricing in the UK but admits it needs to do more to match the new service from 3 that offers surcharge free access.
The UK’s fastest growing network are keen to focus on the mobile internet during 2007 having successfully introduced a new concept of bill with the Flext tariff in 2006.
Interestingly T Mobile also mentioned a dislike for the term HSDPA, preferring “mobile broadband” instead. With consumers already aware of how broadband has improved their internet surfing at home it will be far easier to sell mobile broadband without having to explain what HSDPA actually is.
O’Kelly hopes that T Mobiles internet speeds will reach 3.6 Mbps this year allowing a real comparison with home broadband. 3G coverage will also increase in the UK from 70 to 80 percent.
There was also scepticism for mobile TV with O’Kelly stating that the technology was not ready to allow T to take off in the mainstream.
When asked whether T Mobile would consider carrying the iPhone O’Kelly said they had a “strong interest” but wanted to know how Apple would be distributing it in Europe. As we might have expected T Mobile wanted a 3G version of the iPhone, stating “Are they going to have a 3G version for Europe? It would be handicapping itself if it turned up as 2.5G," and pointing out that the forthcoming Nokia N95 would be stiff competition.
With operators making a lot of their income from 3G and data access it’s not hard to see why T Mobile would be keen on a 3G iPhone. No doubt if a 3G version was made available it would attract much larger subsidy’s from the networks as well.
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