Telefonica | February 14, 2011 | Press Release
Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 14th February 2010 – Telefónica today unveiled a new service that lets customers access, manage and enjoy apps on any mobile phone, tablet, netbook, mobile PC, set-top box TV and many other homescreen devices.
The multi-platform ‘all my stuff, anywhere, anytime’ applications folder – dubbed Frigo until the commercial brand is formally unveiled in the Spring – automatically backs-up content to The Cloud meaning customers can seamlessly take their profile with them when they switch device.
Frigo works across a number of operating systems – including Android, Windows Mobile, Java and Symbian – and is being launched this year in seven Telefónica territories: Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and UK. In April, Telecom Italia will be the first operator outside of the Telefónica Group to launch the service, giving its customers a one stop shop to discover, purchase, download, store, access and use a huge array of applications and services.
Fully integrated with aims of the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) – the alliance of telecommunications companies committed to building a global open applications platform – Frigo uses Qualcomm’s Xiam recommendation engine to enable Telefónica to provide customers with content, services and offers uniquely tailored to their individual needs and interests across all of their connected devices. Ericsson’s Mobile Service Delivery Platform (MSDP) solution powers Frigo’s application store elements.
Tanya Field, Director of Telefónica’s Mobile Data Group, said: “The real value offered by Frigo with regards to multi-platform is ‘all my stuff, anywhere, anytime’. The outcome for users will be true ownership of their apps and content through a personalised and consistent service that can be accessed and enjoyed on the device of their choice. Frigo also opens up opportunities to reach and retain vast new segments of customers because it is not restricted to specific, high-end devices and smartphones.”
Marco Patuano, Head of Domestic Market Operations at Telecom Italia, said: “The new telecommunications market is about bringing personalised Internet services to people. Apps are becoming a new digital lifestyle, the way people have instant access to information, discover and use services. Now is the time to open this experience to millions of customers, independently on their devices.”
Colm Healy, vice president and general manager of Xiam, said: “We believe that consumers value technology that makes it easier for them to find what they want quickly, conveniently and intuitively. Using Xiam intelligent recommendations technology, Telefónica will be able to provide its subscribers with user experiences that are uniquely responsive to their individual interests and tastes across all of their connected devices.’
Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson, said: “The partnership with Telefónica is key for our focus in the consumer applications space. This is a next step in the mobile apps area where Ericsson can improve consumer experiences which is important for the success of Telefónica.”
Frigo brings apps and content to all devices compatible with the following operating systems (OS) – Android; Java 2ME; Symbian S60; Symbian 3; and Windows Mobile. An Ericsson back-end server support the application store and the Frigo client. Its rich user friendly interface has the following key features:
· A one-stop-shop to browse and download products and services including integration with Bluevia
· Provides the opportunity to personalise and organise products and services using keyword association
· Drag and drop web management automatically synced to devices
· Fully WAC-enabled
· Back-up solution for products and services that enables customers to take their profile with them when they change phones
· Live feed functionality offering product service updates, selected by the customer
· Personalised recommendations based on your portfolio, your friends portfolio’s, where you are, what you like, what we think you’ll like – provided by Xiam
· Cross platform synchronisation for product service interaction
· Supports native apps (per OS) widgets, app launchers, extending to other content types as required
· Opportunities to leverage integrated opt-in advertising solutions and viral capabilities
