Mobile World Congress 2008
T-Mobile Offers Up Vague Outline of 2008 Mobile IM Push
| Feb 14, 2008 | Wireless Services - Europe | Show Update
| Analyst: Emma Mohr-McClune
Current Perspective: Positive/Neutral
Vendor Importance: Moderate
Market Impact: Moderate |
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Event Summary
February 12, 2008 -- T-Mobile will launch a mobile instant messaging service later this year in key European markets. Customers will be able to enjoy real IM chat on their mobile phone using their favourite instant messaging provider. Agreements have been signed with providers of Windows Live Messenger, ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), and Yahoo! Messenger, bringing together the largest IM communities with a ‘near-seamless’ communication experience between mobile and PC users.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Slightly positive on T-Mobile's plans to launch a mobile IM service later this year, because although the intention is good, hard details and, more critically, pricing are not yet available. However, a mobile IM service combining the major IM clients with a ‘near-seamless’ communication experience between mobile and PC users sounds good at this point, and it will allow T-Mobile a certain level of competitive catch-up.
• Vendor Importance: Moderate to T-Mobile, as the new service will presumably leverage the company's existing Web'n'walk portfolio with a view to boosting mobile Internet service usage – a key prerogative for the operator this year. T-Mobile needed to offer IM services to complement its existing SMS and mobile e-mail services and cater to the messaging needs of the youth and teens market.
• Market Impact: Moderate on the European wireless market at this time, as this announcement fails to indicate a startling unique selling point for 2008; many competitors, notably Vodafone and Orange, are already far along the mobile IM development route and this service is likely to witness plenty of competition. The race is now on for operators to come up with the most compelling price package and service proposition that offers the best seamlessness between PC-based and mobile IM communities.
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Current Perspective
Competitive Positives and Concerns
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