LONDON-European mobile data users are set to enjoy greater competition on tariffs and devices following the decision by T-Mobile to more than halve its mobile data charges and push the BlackBerry device to single business users and high-end consumers. In an attempt to stimulate consumers to use mobile data services, T-Mobile International announced aggressive price cuts to its existing tariffs, new content partnerships and a commitment to introduce branded handsets tailored for its T-Zone service.
T-Mobile has targeted the consumer market with its new entry-level data offering, which will cost as little as 5 euros (US$5.50) per month. The company has also moved to bolster its content portfolio, signing deals with big names, such as Disney, Universal and MTV, for the provision of movie trailers, sports highlights and high-quality music.
According to Nikesh Arora, the firm’s chief marketing officer, the company wants to encourage greater use of its existing Internet portal with a new content download center. “We have spent the last two years building the critical mass of content,” said Arora at a London press event. “As of 1 April, everything will be packaged for mobile data services to be easily available to the consumer, including specific handsets to support one-button access to our T-Zone portal. For example, we plan to launch a ‘Professional Blackberry’ device that we have helped to co-develop with RIM (Research In Motion).”
Ren
