Telefonica Maviles Espana (TME) has launched Oficine MoviStar UMTS, the first pre-commercial UMTS service to be publicly launched by a wireless operator in Spain, along with the company’s plans for its 3G project for the next few months.
Telefonica Maviles will distribute UMTS PCMCIA cards to its corporate customers, enabling them to access all UMTS ‘Oficina MoviStar’ data services (internet, intranet and e-mail) from a laptop PC at speeds of up to 384 kbit/s.
These cards will be given out in specific areas of the 40 cities where Telefonica Maviless currently has UMTS coverage.
In this way, Telefonica Maviles claims it is meeting the strategic commitment made with the Spanish government last December, whereby the pre-commercial launch of the first UMTS service was set for the last quarter of 2003 and the commercial launch of 3G services was scheduled to begin in 2004, subject to handset availability.
Telefonica Maviles Espana plans to invest around Euro1 billion in 3G infrastructure between 2003-2006. The company’s target is to have coverage in the 52 provincial capitals of Spain by the end of this year and between 7,000 and 8,000 UMTS base stations in 2005.
The ‘Oficina MoviStar UMTS’ pack includes the PCMCIA UMTS card; software; a users’ manual containing information on the services offered and how to use both the device and the software; and, lastly a USIM card.