T-Mobile Deutschland is pressing ahead with the expansion of its offer for mobile broadband applications for laptops. Germany’s leading mobile communications provider is launching its cooperation agreement with technology provider HP with a low-priced special offer package consisting of a notebook, a web’n'walk Card and a mobile data contract. With the HP Compaq nx7400 Business Notebook PC and via the web’n'walk Card plus the T-Mobile UMTS network, subscribers can work with the intranet or access information on the Internet quickly and comfortably. The hardware will be available at a special low price in conjunction with a T-Mobile contract and is expected to be on sale at computer specialists by the third quarter of 2006. Additional joint solutions from HP and T-Mobile for mobile data communication via the iPAQ and laptop are currently being developed.

The compact HP Compaq nx7400 Business Notebook PC is aimed at cost-conscious users. Thanks to the new Intel processor technology and up to four gigabytes DDR2 RAM, it is easy to work productively and flexibly while on the move with this laptop. It is equipped with a 15.4 inch widescreen display and has many practical and innovative functions, including HP ProtectTools, for example, which protect users from unauthorised access to sensitive data. Flexible battery solutions also enable users to work in comfort on business trips or during longer meetings. The standard battery offers up to 4.5 hours running time, and the new HP high-capacity battery even offers up to 14 hours. As well as the notebook, subscribers also receive the web’n'walk Card W-LAN or the web’n'walk Card compact. These data cards from T-Mobile enable users to surf on the move and download data at bandwidths of up to 1.8 megabits per second via the HSPDA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access). So even very large files can be downloaded onto mobile computers in short order. HSDPA is already available for the entire T-Mobile Deutschland UMTS network.

A fixed element of the offer is a T-Mobile postpay contract consisting of the DataWeb data rate and the web’n'walk Large data option. This package offers professionals a quasi-flat rate and hotspot usage for a fixed price of EUR 59 per month including VAT. With a data volume of 5 gigabytes for mobile data transmission by HSDPA/UMTS or EDGE/GPRS and 200 hours of W-LAN at T-Mobile and T-Com HotSpots, users are perfectly equipped with professional technology for working on the move.

“Thanks to the cooperation agreement with HP we can perfect our range for mobile broadband applications and offer our customers modern data solutions hand in hand with high-quality laptops – and all at very attractive prices,” explains Ingo Marten, Head of Data and Solutions Business Customer Sales at T-Mobile Deutschland, highlighting the wide-ranging benefits for customers.

“This cooperative agreement is an important strategic step for both our companies,” says Ingo Gassmann, Director PSG Category Management at HP Deutschland. “Both partners give customers the benefit of their own individual experience and strengths – HP its products and technologies for mobile data communication, and T-Mobile its high-performance mobile communications network and individual rates.”

T-Mobile is launching MDA Vario II. This is the first HSDPA cell phone to be made by a German network operator. HSDPA offers bandwidths of up to 1.8 megabits/second across the whole T-Mobile UMTS network. Users of PDA phones can surf the Internet via web’n'walk at an ultrafast speed and access the information and entertainment services they need from anywhere. Those using the device for business will appreciate the high speed when downloading emails with large attachments or researching online for example. Besides HSDPA, the integrated EDGE and W-LAN technologies in MDA Vario II also enable high-speed experience whilst on the move.

Innovative technology, sophisticated ease of use, high quality manufacturing and the smart range of colors on offer – anthracite, Bordeaux and black – are the cornerstones of the unique make-up of MDA Vario II. As a real all-rounder, the phone also offers numerous Office Mobile applications such as Word Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile based on the operating system Windows Mobile 5.0 for use on the move. Users can completely synchronize their Outlook with contact details, calendar entries, messages and so on with their device. MDA Vario II supports current email standards as well as the Microsoft email push service which T-Mobile provides as part of its MDA messaging solution. The BlackBerry Push Service can be easily installed on the device and software is supplied. For high resolution photographs and video recordings a 2 mega pixel camera with close-up mode and flash is built-in. A second camera enables the owner to be shown during video telephony via UMTS. The side track wheel, the slide out QWERTZ keyboard, a button to end completed programs and soft keys which can be allocated on the large touch screen color display mean all functions can be used quickly and easily. The large internal memory can be further extended by a plug-in micro SD card.

The MDA Vario II will be available from August 14, 2006 at a price of EUR 359.59 on the Relax 100 tariff on a 24-month postpay contract. The Relax 100 basic charge of EUR 28 includes 100 free minutes to the German fixed network and all German mobile networks.

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.