Nokia and SingTel announced today their collaboration to bring together the best of two worlds, 2G/3G and WLAN (Wireless LAN) in an integrated dual-mode telephony solution on Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia N80 Internet Edition. SingTel’s VoIP on mobile service, which is unique in its kind, combines the mobility of cellular and the cost-effectiveness of wireless broadband. Selected SingTel Mobile subscribers will be invited for a service trial which will allow them to use voice and data services from home and on the move through SingNet Wireless Surf Zones. The commercial launch of the service is expected to be later this year.

“Nokia is pleased to co-operate with SingTel on this industry leading initiative on our range of multiradio mobile devices”, said Chris Carr, General Manager, Customer Market and Operations, Nokia Singapore, “Consumers can now experience the power of mobility and benefit from accessing Internet services and calls without being connected to a computer.”

Vicki Brady, Vice President (Consumer Marketing), SingTel said, “SingTel is proud to be one of the first operators globally working with Nokia to bring VoIP services over Wireless LAN to our customers using Nokia devices. With SingTel’s VoIP on mobile service, our customers can make local calls over the Internet with their VoIP handsets for a fixed monthly fee.”

Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and the Nokia N80 Internet Edition are the first Nokia devices that are able to support SIP-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). All three devices work on 2G, 3G and WLAN networks. The Nokia N80 Internet Edition is the first ever handset to enable seamless home media networking between compatible TVs, audio systems and PCs.

SingTel’s VoIP on mobile service will be available to non-business customers on postpaid mobile plans, allowing them to make unlimited local calls using their SIP-enabled VoIP devices. The service can be accessed using the WiFi network at home or through more than 330 SingTel Wireless Hotspots across the island. The subscription fees for the service will be announced in due time.

M1 and Research In Motion have launched Singapore’s first UMTS-enabled BlackBerry handset – the BlackBerry 8707v.

The BlackBerry 8707v offers customers more ways to stay connected wherever they are. In addition to phone, email and mobile data applications, customers can also use the handset as a tethered modem to access the Internet from their laptops. The BlackBerry 8707v also enables users to speak on the phone while simultaneously sending and receiving email, browsing the Internet or using other data applications, even while the handset is being used as a modem.

The BlackBerry 8707v functions on 2100 MHz UMTS networks, and also supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS (quad band) networks to provide comprehensive roaming coverage in many countries.

“We are continuously working on ways to improve our customers’ mobile experience, particularly their ability to work from anywhere. The BlackBerry 8707v is another powerful addition to our range of BlackBerry solutions. It will give a productivity boost to individuals in large or small enterprises in their quest to stay in touch with their customers and business partners. The launch of the BlackBerry 8707v reinforces our commitment to our customers’ needs and our aim to be the preferred mobile service provider in the enterprise market,” said P. Subramaniam, M1′s Director of Enterprise & Alliances.

“The BlackBerry 8707v is an ideal choice for mobile professionals seeking a highly developed solution for both voice and data applications,” said Norm Lo, Vice President of Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. “We are very pleased to bring the BlackBerry 8707v to Singapore with M1.”

The BlackBerry 8707v has a bright, high-resolution color landscape QVGA (320 x 240) LCD screen that delivers vivid graphics with ample workspace for reading emails, browsing the Internet or viewing attachments (including support for popular file formats such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, PDF, ASCII, JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF and PNG). An intelligent light sensing technology automatically optimizes the screen and keyboard lighting levels for indoor and outdoor viewing. The handset features a full QWERTY keyboard for rapid and accurate thumb typing and includes dedicated “send,” “end,” “mute” and “power” keys. A built-in speakerphone enables hands-free conversation, and the handset can also be used with a wireless headset or car kit via its built-in Bluetooth support.

For corporate customers, BlackBerry Enterprise Server(TM) software tightly integrates with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise, and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data.

For individuals and smaller businesses, BlackBerry Internet Service(TM) enables users to manage up to ten corporate and personal email accounts (including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, IBM Lotus Domino and most popular ISP email accounts) from a single device.

Nokia and MobileOne (M1), one of the leading mobile and IDD service providers in Singapore, have entered into an agreement for the supply of the first High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network in Singapore. With Nokia’s support, M1 can offer high-quality network coverage and the very latest multimedia services to its mobile customers.

In addition to the HSPA supply, Nokia will expand M1′s WCDMA 3G radio network coverage and upgrade M1′s core network as well as provides a software upgrade. Also, included are network optimization and deployment services consisting of installation, commissioning, integration and acceptance testing of the network. The value of this agreement is USD 30 million.

“This award of Singapore’s first HSPA contract to Nokia is an important milestone for M1. It reaffirms our commitment to offer our customers high quality mobile services that combine mobility with higher speed and wide area coverage for data intensive business and consumer applications,” says Neil Montefiore, Chief Executive Officer of M1 “With HSPA, downloading of large files, multimedia and music on the move can be done at a fraction of the normal time required. It will certainly be seen as a technology that truly enhances our customers’ mobile experience and greatly improves their quality of life.”

“We are delighted to be selected as the preferred supplier of HSPA networks by M1. This win clearly confirms and demonstrates M1′s confidence in Nokia to deliver high-quality cutting-edge technology to mobile operators and consumers,” says Ricky Corker, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Networks, Nokia. “With Nokia, operators can bring a new class of services to market quickly, cost-effectively and with the highest network performance, this shows further proof of Nokia’s strength in advanced radio network technologies.”

Nokia is M1′s sole core network and WCDMA 3G network supplier.

In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 60 customers to date. Nokia’s high-performing HSDPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling a fast, cost-effective rollout. Nokia HSDPA offers almost 10-times faster data services than current 3G networks, meaning an enhanced service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with a large number of HSDPA contracts. Many network operators have already opened their HSDPA networks with the Nokia solution.