TOKYO-Following a partnership signed in June, Italian operator Wind Telecomunicazioni said it began i-mode services in Italy today based on technology from Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. Italy marks the eighth market for i-mode service and the sixth European market for the mobile Internet offering.
The service will be launched on Wind’s GPRS network using two NEC-manufactured handsets. The Italian service will be integrated with Wind’s Internet portal Libero and will enable customers to use their conventional e-mail accounts for i-mode service.
There is no monthly fee for the service. Packet transmission costs 1 cent per kilobyte, and content charges will range from free to $3.56 per month.
Wind is Italy third-largest mobile carrier with about 10 million subscribers.
In a separate announcement, Wind will participate in a field trial with Nocable SpA and Telecom Italia Group using equipment from Calypso Wireless. Nocable will test Calypso’s ASNAP technology, which seamlessly switches between GSM/GPRS networks and Wi-Fi networks.
Nocable has Wi-Fi zones installed at McDonald’s restaurants in Italy. The 30-day trial will be conducted on Nocable’s Wi-Fi networks and Wind’s and Telecom Italia’s mobile networks.
“Upon successful completion, we will then enter into negotiations to deliver our cell phones and license our ASNAP technology to Nocable,” said Mark Sujo, vice president of sales for Calypso Wireless.
