Air New Zealand will be enabling its new Boeing 777-300 aircraft with mobile phone and data capability, with the first aircraft due for delivery in November this year.
The introduction of the new service will enable Air New Zealand’s customers to use their iPhone, Blackberry and GSM mobile phones to safely send and receive emails and text messages during their flights.
“Feedback from our customers has shown they wish to be able to text, and check emails, to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues during their long-haul flights,” said Ed Sims, Air New Zealand Group General Manager, International Airline. | |
Fox Mobile Group, announced the unveiling of Bitbop, a soon-to-be-available wireless subscription service that unlocks the smartphone's potential as a full-service entertainment portal. Bitbop's state-of-the-art platform allows people to view premium video content on their mobile device for the price of $9.99 a month.
FMG chief marketing officer Chris Hoerenz said, "Bitbop is an on demand subscription-based service that delivers on the promise of making the smartphone an easy-to-use entertainment device for television programs and movies. We are able to give mobile audiences the wide range of content they want, when and where they want it, with all the customer friendly features they expect."
Added Joe Bilman, executive vice president global products, FMG, and chief architect of the Bitbop service, "I was in a meeting with a group of executives when I realized that most people carry their devices with them 100% of the time and had no idea what they could do with them.
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Facebook has launched 0.facebook.com which is another way for users to access Facebook anytime, anywhere. 0.facebook.com is a new mobile site that includes all of the key features of Facebook but is optimized for speed. It initially is available through more than 50 mobile operators in 45 countries and territories with zero data charges.
According to Facebook, When using the mobile internet, users around the world experience slow access and expensive data plans. 0.facebook.com was designed to help solve these two barriers.
Collaborating with operators from around the world, Facebook developed the new mobile site with two main attributes:
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A new mobile phone service enabling UK customers to text for their credit card information has been launched by MBNA.
By using the new Mobile Banking Text service, customers can use their mobile phone to get credit card account information, including balance, payments and transactions, within seconds by simply texting to a dedicated mobile short-code number - 83838.
Ian Craig, Sales, Service and Operations executive for Bank of America Europe Card Services, which operates the MBNA brand, said: "Our customers' needs and expectations are changing - they want greater control and choice in managing their finances, and they want to do so in a way that fits their lifestyles.
"Newer technology, including mobile phone functionality, SMS, the Internet and voice recognition systems are transforming the way our customers expect us to interact with them. The Mobile Banking Text service is one of a number of exciting new improvements we will be making to our services.
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Square has announced it has started distributing the free card readers necessary to accept credit card payments with its mobile app for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android devices. Additionally, Square is starting to mange their own credit card processing.
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Comcast today announced the launch of its high-speed wireless data service in Boston, as the company continues its nationwide rollout of High-Speed 2go.
In its initial offering, Comcast's High-Speed 2go is a third-generation or 3G wireless high-speed data service that provides nationwide wireless Internet service via wireless data cards. Comcast is now offering this wireless service bundled with one or more of its popular XFINITY Internet, XFINITY TV or XFINITY Voice products, providing mobile broadband where ever and whenever customers need to be connected. Later in the year, Comcast will offer a 4G High-Speed 2go product delivered via the Clearwire network in the Boston market.
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Southwest Airlines announced it will add text messaging and email communications over smart phones to its automated flight change notification service. A Varolii client since late 2007, Southwest has dramatically increased the number of customers served via its proactive outreach—sending more than 5.5 million messages to passengers in the last 18 months to notify them of flight delays, cancellations and gate changes. By reaching more passengers with personalized notifications and enabling them to self-select new flight options or transfer to an agent if necessary, the airline has decreased the amount of time passengers spend on the phone with an agent or standing in line at airport service counters.
Varolii Upholds Southwest's World-Class Customer Service Mantra | 
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Time Warner Cable Business Class, the B2B arm of Time Warner Cable), today announced the launch of Business Class Mobile, its 4G-based high-speed wireless data service. In the first phase of the rollout, Business Class Mobile will be available in Texas, with additional markets to be added throughout 2010.
Where as Time Warner Cable's Business Class Internet Access products are used in the office environment, Business Class Mobile enhances a business's productivity by enabling its employees to receive high-speed Internet access when they are outside of the office. Business Class Mobile allows employees who are out of the office to download large files, as well as access intranet sites, customer relationship management tools, and other company-related information. The service also eliminates the added expense and service limitations of pay-for-use, limited range Wi-Fi access in airports, hotels and other locations.
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| Cricket Communications, Inc.., a leading provider of unlimited wireless services, today announced the availability of Cricket Navigator, a new premium voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation solution that will be exclusive to Cricket customers. In addition to the core navigation features, Cricket Navigator features specific functions that put time and money-saving local information at a user’s fingertips. Examples of the premium features include: | |
XIPWIRE, a mobile payment service, is launching its simple text-to-pay technology in Philadelphia. Offering the most simplistic user interface currently available, XIPWIRE enables consumers and merchants to send and receive money securely and quickly via text message from a mobile phone. Users can fund XIPWIRE accounts with money from a debit card, bank account, credit card or with money that friends and family transfer to the account. With two easy steps, users can pay for everything from cheesesteaks and water ice to dog-walkers and coffee shops – all from the convenience of a mobile phone. While mobile payments are commonplace throughout the globe, their adoption is only now gaining momentum domestically; in an effort to introduce the technology and provide a risk-free opportunity for merchants and consumers, the XIPWIRE service will be free of charge through 2010.
Sharif Alexandre, a Drexel Hill native and University of Penn graduate, spent two years researching and developing a simple and secure platform that would change how people transfer money to one another. | 
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Consumer Cellular, a national provider of wireless phones and services, now offers free, automatic mobile usage alerts for all customers. A first ever in the wireless industry, Consumer Cellular’s usage alerts do not require a customer to opt-in and are designed to eliminate unexpected overage fees on phone bills.
Consumer Cellular now monitors a customer’s cell phone use on their behalf so customers do not exceed their monthly wireless plan. Customers are notified with a Usage Alert when they near their monthly voice, text or data allotment. This advance notification provides customers the option to pace their usage or upgrade their wireless plan to better fit their lifestyle. Customers are also able to change their rate plan retroactively up to the last day of the customer’s billing cycle, which allows customers to take advantage of the best possible pricing.
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MetroPCS Communications is the first national carrier in the United States to utilize fully automated voice mail-to-text service. This feature automatically converts a voice mail message to text message and sends the content as an SMS or email – eliminating the need to dial in and listen to voice mails or write down details.
MetroPCS is one of the first carriers in the U.S. to take advantage of advances in automated speech recognition, offering a service that ensures privacy and much faster conversions than human-assisted solutions. The feature is powered by Yap, a leader in automated voice mail-to-text services.
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| Cricket Communications, Inc. recently announced the availability of Cricket Broadband at 450 select Best Buy stores in Cricket markets.
Beginning Sunday, March 28, Best Buy customers can select Cricket Broadband’s unique all-inclusive $50 monthly Internet service plan. This industry leading product includes all fees and telecom taxes and provides unlimited high-speed wireless Internet access without a signed contract, credit check or concern of overage fees. With unlimited broadband access users can email, surf and download from their PC or Mac desktops or laptops from home or on-the-go anywhere within Cricket Broadband's coverage areas. The Cricket A600 modem will be available as a self-activated grab-and-go offering for $69.99 with no activation fee. In addition, $50.00 top-up cards will also be available for this product at Best Buy. Cricket Broadband works well with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 plus Mac OS 10.3.9 and higher. | |
Rebtel, the Internet phone company used by more than 4 million people around the world, today demonstrated a new application for Android phones that automatically makes international calls between 51 countries free of charge - no Wi-Fi required.
Called Rebtel Free Call, the app will be in the Android Market by next week. The iPhone and BlackBerry versions are now being prepared for submission to Apple and RIM.
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| Cricket Communications, Inc. today announced the launch of new value-driven, unlimited services plans, all including nationwide talk and text coverage in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Cricket customers can now take advantage of unlimited calling in the top 125 cities in the U.S.
Cricket’s new national service plans start at $30 and all plans offer unlimited nationwide talk. Other service plans at $40, $50 and $60 offer additional features including unlimited text, picture and video messaging; mobile Web, navigation, mobile video entertainment and 411 capabilities. | |
| At the International CTIA WIRELESS 2010 show, Clearwire Communications, LLC, an operating subsidiary of Clearwire Corporation and the largest 4G service provider in the United States, today announced new details about the company’s planned expansion of its 4G mobile broadband network in 2010. In addition to the newly named markets, the company announced the launch of the 30th 4G-embedded computer, and 4G service for the forthcoming Apple iPad. The company also outlined a series of advancements in network architecture that will increase capacity, enhance data speeds, and help reduce the environmental impact of the company’s growing wireless data network. | |
To end an era when 1 in 4 mobile phones is either lost or stolen each year, the iTag company today officially unveiled its innovative new mobile Lost and Found application and services. With immediate support of Android handsets, iTag additionally announced that it will offer FREE Premium lifetime service for the first 10,000 people to register at iTag.com.
iTag is a FREE service that gives mobile phone owners the ability to locate and protect lost or stolen phones. From iTag’s safe and secure website, owners can literally view the location of their phone on a map. Consumers can also make their phone ring from iTag.com, even if it is set to silent or vibrate. As an added precaution against thieves, if someone switches the phone’s SIM card, an alert is sent and the owner can view the new number to give it to the authorities.
Other features available at iTag.com include: |  |
Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, is unveiling a new convenience for film fans, where they can get movie tickets sent as barcodes to their mobile phones.
Fandango is rolling out its "Mobile Ticket" program in eight markets around the country, with more markets to come.
The benefit is that moviegoers can simply take their mobile phones straight to the theater ticket-taker, who scans the phones' barcode, allowing customers to bypass the box office windows and kiosks.
Fandango's Mobile Ticket works with most mobile carriers, and does not require a smart phone. The program is rolling out to more than 100 screens in the Reading Cinemas circuit, including:
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Target is the first national retailer to offer a scannable mobile coupon program that allows guests to receive exclusive offers directly on their mobile phones. Coupons are redeemed by scanning a barcode on the phone at checkout.
Guests can opt-in to the program on their PC at Target.com/mobile, on their phone at m.target.com or by texting COUPONS to 827438 (TARGET). After opt-in, guests receive a text message with a link to a mobile Web page that contains multiple offers, all accessible through a single barcode. Offers are single use and expire on the date listed.
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SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company, today announced it has added 11 new calling plans and three new phone models to its product and service offerings.
The new Unlimited Cellular Advantage plan is ideal for the on-the-go user who needs it all. This comprehensive wireless plan bundles unlimited private and group Push To Talk (PTT) minutes, unlimited cellular minutes, unlimited text messaging and unlimited data - including access to BlackBerry e-mail - for $99.99 per month across the SouthernLINC Wireless Regional Calling Area.
The Push To Talk & More suite of plans offers a variety of choices based upon how - and how much - customers use their phones. These 10 new plans provide more minutes for the same price as previously offered plans. Three types of plans are available - PTT and text messaging only, PTT and cellular only, and PTT, text messaging and cellular.
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Rogers Communications today announced new North America One Rate wireless data plans, the latest additions to the company's affordable North American wireless roaming solutions. Recognizing the evolving needs of its business and consumer customers, Rogers has created the new North American One Rate wireless data plans to provide additional cost certainty to customers travelling to the United States, along with the flexibility and convenience to use their device's data capabilities (email, mobile web surfing, downloading documents) the same way they would at home, without incurring roaming fees when using data within their monthly allotment.
According to Statistics Canada, in October 2009 Canadians made 3.3 million trips to the United States, making it Canada's most frequent destination for travel. With more than 30 per cent of current Rogers postpaid wireless customers using data-enabled smartphones, up more than 10 per cent from early 2009, the North American One Rate plans, along with a number of other wireless voice and data roaming options already available, offer customers the greatest selection of high value U.S. and international data roaming solutions, at the most affordable advertised rates in Canada. | |
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