France Telecom is launching an innovative range of wireless Internet services for consumers and businesses. The new services and portals are based on the Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) enabling Itineris GSM customers to access the Internet directly from their handsets.
Following the introduction of the increasingly popular Wanadoo Internet access service in 1996 and the Ola and Mobicarte consumer wireless telephone services in 1997, France Telecom is today leveraging its Internet leadership by rolling out the first wireless Internet solutions for French consumers.
Set for launch in May, Itineris Services is a package of services designed specifically for wireless phones. Users can personalize their interface to access the new Voila Mobile search engine and Web guide (a WAP version of the Voila portal), send and receive email, and use a handy online organizer, all directly from the handset screen. These services will be joined in June by an e-Care online customer service for direct management of subscription features, as well as secure online shopping thanks to smart card payment. The suite of services will expand further in September to include chat rooms, network games and Club Itineris.
"Our offering is clearly designed to democratize the wireless Internet in France: access to the service is free, and calls are simply deducted from the subscriber's standard call time," commented Michel Bon, France Telecom's CEO. "And thanks to France Telecom's wireless Internet services, customers are free to do whatever they want, however, whenever and wherever they need. It allows customers complete freedom to customize the service."
The services will be available from WAP handsets, starting with the Itineris Nokia 7110 kit. Starting next month an Ola WAP kit will be launched with a Mitsubishi Trium handset, followed by mobicarte WAP kits later in the fall.
France Telecom has ordered 5 million WAP handsets from cellphone makers and aims to have 1 million wireless Internet customers within one year.
In June, businesses will be able to set up customized wireless Internet portals tailored to their specific needs and profiles.
France Telecom R&D has played a pivotal role in the development of these services, making them extremely user-friendly. France Telecom's R&D center continues to apply its energies to conceiving and developing future uses and technologies for wireless phones.
Wireless Internet for France and across Europe
The new wireless Internet services developed in France with Itineris and Voila will be deployed in other European countries as well. WAP-enabled portals and services will rapidly be introduced by all of the group's European subsidiaries, beginning with Dutchtone in the Netherlands, Mobistar in Belgium and Mobilix in Denmark. This will give 20 million customers Internet access from their wireless handset.
Deployment of GPRS with throughputs of 30 to 40 Kbps
In May France Telecom will integrate the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) standard in the Itineris GSM network serving the southern part of Paris, followed by the southern suburbs of Villejuif and Rungis in June. This will give Itineris customers high-speed data transmission capabilities (30 to 40 Kbps), greatly facilitating Internet access via the wireless portal. GPRS technology will be deployed throughout the Itineris network by the end of 2000.
Creation of 3W, an incubator for wireless Internet start-ups
To provide focused industrial and financial support to energize the development of wireless Internet products and services, France Telecom has created the incubator "3W" (World Wide Wireless), whose aim is to identify and nurture young ventures in this enormously promising segment.
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