MWC 2008: T-Mo announce new MDA models, tease with Compact IV, flat rate roaming data, US 3G and no Shadow for Europe!

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Well well, i'm rather glad I liveblogged the T-Mobile Press Conference here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, it was chock full of great info!

You can get the full deets by reviewing the liveblog transcript here, but here's my favourite bits...

• 10 million Web'n'Walk users, annual subscriber growth over 70%
• Partnership with Yahoo! for federated search (oneSearch)
  
• MDA range expanding massively for 2008, Ameo 16GB, MDA Compact IV (see below), MDA Vario IV and more!
• 80% of devices are WnW ready, HSDPA coming to mass market
• Partnering with laptop makers to embed T-Mo HSDPA. HP, Acer, Fujitsu Siemens, Sony, Toshiba + more)
  
• Flat rate european data roaming on ANY network in all 27 EU countries. 2 euros per mb, 15 euros day pass and a 'no surprises' daily spending cap. Coming later this year
  
• US 3G rollout of 10,000 base stations already and 15,000 by mid year will mean at switch on T-Mo will have the best US 3G network
  

The press conference literature adds that FOUR NEW MDAs will be released in 2008.

During the press conference, the MDA Compact IV was VERY briefly shown in the presenters hand. Too briefly to grab a camera shot sadly, BUT it was VERY small, VERY shiny and it was revealed that the device will feature GPS in line with it's predecessors, a VGA screen and a 'revolutionary 3D interface'. Sounds like HTC is finally getting into the compact VGA game? :)

Finally, during the Q&A session I put a question forward, asking for more info about the new MDAs, and also asking whether the Shadow range would be coming to the UK. I was told I could see the new MDAs at the devices stand afterwards (not true), and that the Shadow range is not coming to Europe.

Any questions on the above, feel free to ask :D

P

[Guest welshmikie]

Well well, i'm rather glad I liveblogged the T-Mobile Press Conference here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, it was chock full of great info!

You can get the full deets by reviewing the liveblog transcript here, but here's my favourite bits...

• 10 million Web'n'Walk users, annual subscriber growth over 70%
  
• Partnership with Yahoo! for federated search (oneSearch)
  
  
• MDA range expanding massively for 2008, Ameo 16GB, MDA Compact IV (see below), MDA Vario IV and more!
  
• 80% of devices are WnW ready, HSDPA coming to mass market
  
• Partnering with laptop makers to embed T-Mo HSDPA. HP, Acer, Fujitsu Siemens, Sony, Toshiba + more)
  
  
• Flat rate european data roaming on ANY network in all 27 EU countries. 2 euros per mb, 15 euros day pass and a 'no surprises' daily spending cap. Coming later this year
  
  
• US 3G rollout of 10,000 base stations already and 15,000 by mid year will mean at switch on T-Mo will have the best US 3G network
  

The press conference literature adds that FOUR NEW MDAs will be released in 2008.

During the press conference, the MDA Compact IV was VERY briefly shown in the presenters hand. Too briefly to grab a camera shot sadly, BUT it was VERY small, VERY shiny and it was revealed that the device will feature GPS in line with it's predecessors, a VGA screen and a 'revolutionary 3D interface'. Sounds like HTC is finally getting into the compact VGA game? :)

Finally, during the Q&A session I put a question forward, asking for more info about the new MDAs, and also asking whether the Shadow range would be coming to the UK. I was told I could see the new MDAs at the devices stand afterwards (not true), and that the Shadow range is not coming to Europe.

Any questions on the above, feel free to ask :D

P

hi paul that blog ws informative as i work in tmobile in the uk. could you post the picture of the compact 4? or do you know if its gonna be the htc cruise me and my colleagues are itching to know thanks

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

There is no picture of the Compact IV, and no, it's not the touch cruise.

P

[Guest demusss]

There is no picture of the Compact IV, and no, it's not the touch cruise.

P

Any dates on when T-Mobile UK will be having the Vario IV available?

Thanks

Anthony

[Guest Neil5459]

There is no picture of the Compact IV, and no, it's not the touch cruise.

P

So, do you think the HTC small screen VGA rumours are actually correct this time? The initial specs for the Polaris said VGA for ages until the prototypes showed emphatically that it wasn't :)

[Guest tsutton]

Looking forward to the new phones and the great roaming plans!

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Well, the big cheese on the stage with the device in his hand specifically picked out VGA as a feature, so sounds promising!

P

[Guest]

Yes I'm interested to know what dates are involved as I'm at the end of my contract and don't want to tie myself down for 18 months if there's a tasty new device on the way! :)

As for the VGA Compact IV - could it be that it's not a HTC device this time? E-Ten Glofiish anyone?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I did get to play with the new Ameo 16GB, it's keyboard is marginally better than the old one if at all sadly :)

P

[Guest Syphon Filter]

W?hich device will be the Vario IV be??

[Guest micaels]

Paul:

Do you think the new keyboard will work on the old athena?

[Guest creamhackered]

Shame they didn't have the new compact and Vario 4 devices there :)

[Guest Confucious]

Flat rate european data roaming on ANY network in all 27 EU countries. 2 euros per mb, 15 euros day pass and a 'no surprises' daily spending cap. Coming later this year

Any idea how much the daily cap will be? When's it coming? Looks like my only excuse for needing WiFi has just gone out the window :)

[Guest deadphill]

While a flat rate no surprises cap is a good idea I would need to do an awful lot of browsing to make €15 worth of internet access abroad worth my while. My need for data when roaming when I am on leisure time is for stuff like google maps and webpages of recommendations etc, nothing more.

Its bound to make my useage over 1mb for €2 but not say more than 10mb.

The idea of these rates however is welcomed, I believe that if they could introduce web n walk across the whole of europe whereby the first 100mb of data abroad is included before you have to pay more is a better idea. Make the idea of web and walk truely global!

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Paul:

Do you think the new keyboard will work on the old athena?

I see no reason why not...

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Any idea how much the daily cap will be? When's it coming? Looks like my only excuse for needing WiFi has just gone out the window :)

Ideally 15 euros IMHO!

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

While a flat rate no surprises cap is a good idea I would need to do an awful lot of browsing to make €15 worth of internet access abroad worth my while. My need for data when roaming when I am on leisure time is for stuff like google maps and webpages of recommendations etc, nothing more.

Its bound to make my useage over 1mb for €2 but not say more than 10mb.

The idea of these rates however is welcomed, I believe that if they could introduce web n walk across the whole of europe whereby the first 100mb of data abroad is included before you have to pay more is a better idea. Make the idea of web and walk truely global!

15 euros a DAY remember :)

I think the 1 meg 2 euros with a ceiling will work well, of course in an ideal world, our WnW would just be inclusive abroad free :D

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Which I think will happen one day btw...

P

[Guest tsutton]

15 euros is like £11

Still, I think it's better than £3 per MB or whatever for Europe data charge.

Edited February 12, 2008 by tsutton

[Guest Confucious]

I tend to only go to Europe for a couple of days at a time - and normally end up getting WiFi in the hotel, hopefully I'll be able to claim this back on expenses. Unfortunately my next trip is to the Us so won't be able to use this :)

[Guest Monolithix]

That Ameo *so* needs some RealVGA :/

[Guest deadphill]

Yes sorry I was aware it was €15 a day but then I didn't mention it in the post. £11 quid a day for browsing is far more expensive than buying a map. Not as convenient but still its a lot. When the networks realise that taking smaller morsels of money but then taking more of it is a better idea than charging a lot but with very little uptake they will make more money.

It always makes me laugh because everyone will find their way to this thinking eventually, its just when they have done it once before on similar formats e.g: free minutes included with line rental, you think they would learn!

Phill

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

What's buying a map got to do with anything? :)

P

[Guest madferret]

15 euros is like £11

Still, I think it's better than £3 per MB or whatever for Europe data charge.

£7.50 per MB with T-Mobile at present.

Even at that price, sending and receiving a couple of emails is still cheaper than text or MMS for quick messages!

[Guest deadphill]

What's buying a map got to do with anything? :)

P

lol Sorry did it again. I guess thats what happens when you are surfing while at work!

I was trying to compare the cost of buying a map to the cost of downloading the data required for using something like google maps while abroad.

Phill