SK Telecom launches WCDMA automatic roaming services with England’s T-Mobile, Netherland and Sweden’s Vodafone, Denmark’s Hi3G in England, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

Automatic roaming services allow the user to take his/her mobile phone overseas for usage without changing handsets or being designated a separate number. WCDMA automatic roaming services even allow video calling (video calling not available in Denmark).

With four European countries added, WCDMA roaming services may be used in a total of 12 countries, including countries where previously available, such as Italy, France, Germany and Spain. SK Telecom has built a foundation for deployment of a WCDMA roaming belt in the European region, from Sweden in the North to Spain and Italy in the South.

SK Telecom revealed that it will continue to expand WCDMA automatic roaming services in the Europe region, in countries such as Portugal, Finland and Austria, and in Asia in countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Lee Sung-Young, head of SK Telecom’s Global Roaming Division, remarked, “The availability of WCDMA roaming in the Western European region, where a great deal of foreign travel demand is concentrated, will contribute to the promotion of WCDMA.”

Nokia Flagship Store showcases new mobile services and technologies to consumers through an innovative retail experience

Nokia unveiled today the new Nokia Flagship Store in Helsinki, Finland on Aleksanterinkatu street. The Nokia Flagship Store in Helsinki is Nokia’s fourth Flagship Store and will open for the public on Saturday, August 19.

Pioneering new techniques in mobile phone retail, altogether 18 Nokia Flagship Stores will be opened in high-profile retail locations in major shopping destinations of the world in the next couple of years. Nokia opened its first Flagship Store in Moscow in December 2005, followed by stores in Chicago and Hong Kong in the summer of 2006. After Helsinki, the next Nokia Flagship Store will be opened in New York.

“Helsinki, Finland is a natural location for a Nokia Flagship Store. Through an innovative retail experience like the new Nokia Flagship Stores, we aim to inspire and educate consumers to the benefits of mobility and broaden the appeal of the Nokia brand,” says Kai Г–istГ¤mГ¶, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Phones. “Through the Flagship Stores we want to develop a one-to-one relationship with our consumers, listen to their feedback and find valuable consumer insights.”

“The Nokia Flagship Store pioneers new technologies and techniques, setting a new standard in the retail world as a whole, let alone mobile phone stores. At the Nokia Flagship Store, consumers can test the latest Nokia mobile phones and multimedia computers, and learn about new mobile services and technologies in a comfortable, cutting-edge environment. We want to offer a relaxing, interactive environment for consumers to truly experience the power of mobility,” explains Jukka Tiitu, General Manager, Finland and Baltic. “Nokia Flagship Stores form the top end of Nokia’s retail experience and marketplace strategy. The feedback and lessons received through the Flagship Store in Helsinki will be shared and utilized by our retail and operator partners with more than 1,000 retail outlets in Finland. All of these customer outlets will continue to be the main sales channels for Nokia products in the future.”

The Nokia Flagship Stores are owned, managed and operated by Nokia. Their well-trained and knowledgeable staff will be on hand to help consumers find a product or service that reflects their lifestyle and individual needs. The Nokia Flagship Store in Helsinki showcases a wide portfolio of Nokia products and services, including the exclusive Nokia Vertu phones available for the first time in Finland. At the store, consumers will be able to set up their new devices, review service provider options and test the range of mobile enhancements related to their new phone. All questions relating to phone repair will also be part of the customer service, handled by a dedicated Nokia Care staff.

Nokia started its very first public Unlicensed Mobile Access pilot over Wireless LAN in the city of Oulu last week. This live trial will last at least two months and is being conducted under real life surroundings and conditions. Fifty families from the city of Oulu will be trying and testing the functionalities of this new technology with the help of a brand new Nokia 6136 mobile device.

The Nokia 6136 was among the first Nokia mobile phones to offer UMA capabilities. This distinctive device integrates UMA technology to allow for seamless handover of voice and data connections between GSM cellular and WLAN networks. In other words, it combines the benefits of mobile and fixed landline through voice over WLAN.

“UMA technology truly brings simplicity in the usage of voice over IP,” says Peter Ropke, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones R&D, Nokia. “This pilot project is an important step forward in bringing functional UMA technology to the mass market. Both operators and consumers will be able to garner the benefits of this new technology.”

UMA technology makes it possible for users to seamlessly roam and handover between local area networks and wide area networks using the same dual-mode device. Instead of constantly communicating with a base station, UMA allows the phone to also make calls through WLAN internet networks. In turn, this will also make it easier and cheaper for operators to expand their area coverage by implementing WLAN hotspots instead of costly base stations.

The pilot project is a joint cooperation between Nokia, the DNA/Finnet group and the City of Oulu. The City of Oulu announced the Pan Oulu project last year which enables its citizens to receive free WLAN internet via hotspots around the city. These hotspot areas around the downtown area of Oulu will be a great way to assess the way UMA works in a constantly changing environment like WLAN.