LTE, Long Term Evolution, 4G, whatever you want to call it, was designed to be a complete IP based system. Many of you may be surprised to hear this, but when LTE became a standard, it only supported data. That’s right, 4th generation networks didn’t have an interoperable standard for voice and SMS. Several solutions have been proposed, and I’ve extended my support to VoLGA, but it looks like Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has decided IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) will be the way going forward.

Who supports the decision? AT&T, Orange, Telefonica (many of you know them as O2), TeliaSonera, Verizon (NYSE: VZ), Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE). That’s a lot of companies. Their posse is called “One Voice Initiative” and now that the big boys have all decided on a standard, progress towards getting LTE networks up and running will start to pick up. Verizon and TeliaSonera are competing to see who will launch the world’s first commercial LTE network in 2010, but it’s going to quite a ways off until 4G coverage is equal to the current 3G footprint.

If anyone can point me (and IntoMobile readers) to a blog post or a book that explains how IMS works, that would be greatly appreciated. I’ve always avoided the standard since I thought it would never fly. Oh how wrong I am now.

Update: The One Voice spec has been published, check it out [PDF] if you’re a network engineer.

[Via: Press Release]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• ABI Research: A dozen operators launching LTE next year
• TeliaSonera aiming to be the first operator in the world to launch a commercial LTE network
• T-Mobile adds 3G footprint to network coverage map
• Verizon confirms LTE 4G network trials with Vodafone; to share with AT&T
• Verizon Wireless lights up 4G LTE test network!

Newsy newsy news – gotta love it – and this piece of news relates to the diversification of carriers on which the iPhone 3G(S) will officially sit in the UK! Orange are taking the lead (in following O2 (NYSE: TEF)), and getting the device ready for sale on the 10th November – also known as next Tuesday (relative to today).

The iPhone will be available in all 402 of Oranges stores, online, and also in the HMV outlets that Orange has a concession in. But not only that, Apple stores will have the Orange variant, along with Carphone Warehouse (and now Phones4U too!).

So what are the price points then? I mean, right now, that’s all anyone really wants to know:

Well, on Contract, you’ll need to pay £45/month to get the 3GS for free, and £30/month if you want the 3G model for free – those are 24-month kickers, so quite a commitment there. All the plans including unlimited Internet access (with fair use policy!), and also access to BT Openzone for WiFi (hmm, that model sounds very familiar!), with varying minutes/text dependent on the tariff. However, from a cursory glance I gave them, the tariffs look almost exactly the same, give or take a couple of pounds each way. Check it out in detail here.

On PAYG, again, the pricing seems frighteningly similar – forgetting the minutiae of the tariffs for a moment, the upfront costs of the devices (topping out at £539 for the iPhone 3GS), is pretty much exactly the same as O2 again. Check it out in detail here.

There are also some SME tariffs (here), just in case you might be interested – but I think the summary is that you are going to be paying pretty similar rates wherever you go. Nice.

[Original story via: Macworld.co.uk]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• UK: comparison of selected tariffs vs. iPhone tariffs on O2UK
• UK: Virgin Media does ‘unlimited text & web’ bundle tariff for PAYG users
• UK: iPhone going to be cheaper on O2
• UK: 3 does ‘zero pound’ tariff, includes free Skype
• O2 giving iPhone customers free upgrade to Apple iPhone 3G

Orange announced a deal with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) to bring the Goole Mobile App to its customers in Europe. The multi-year agreement is made to make mobile search and geo-location services easier to use by the carrier’s customers, while at the same time helping Google become ever more powerful player in the mobile industry. This, of course, is not to say Orange won’t benefit from the deal, as well.

Orange plans to bundle Google’s mobile app in its Signature phones, starting with those running Android. And in the UK and France, Google mobile search results will also include content from Orange’s own mobile portal.

In addition, Orange’s Android devices — including LG Eve, HTC Tatto and HTC Hero — will feature specially designed services like the Orange Email Wizard in one easy-to-manage place.

Once the “Android phase” is over, the two companies will bring Google Mobile App as well as other Google services to Symbian S60, BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) and Windows Mobile devices…

In a nutshell, Google is one step closer to ruling the world. Next in line are Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) and Telefonica (NYSE: TEF), after which we can say the search giant dominates the western hemisphere.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Orange to offer Nokia Messaging, too
• Orange France to Launch 6 Android Devices in 2009… Including HTC Hero
• It’s official – Apple and Orange launching iPhone in France on November 29
• BlackBerry Arrives in Kenya on Orange
• Orange UK to provide Toshiba TG01 exclusivity

Orange France is the latest carrier to jump on the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Messaging scheme. The France Telecom-owned operator will offer the service with its Origami Plus and Origami Jet monthly plans, as well as with the Orange email option. Following devices will be offered in the time of launch: Nokia 5230, Nokia E71, Nokia N97 and the Nokia N97 mini.

And as you know, using Nokia Messaging you can access thousands of webmail services from your mobile phone — including the most popular ones such as Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail.

[Via: Nokia PR]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Nokia Messaging coming to S60 touch; Adds Windows Live Hotmail support
• Nokia extends its mobile email offering
• Visto goes Android, too
• Telefónica to offer Nokia Messaging in its Latin American markets
• Nokia to acquire email and instant messaging provider OZ Communications

Unwiredview.com has a story about the fact that Orange are working on a VoIP option for its customers, which should launch sometime in Q1-2010. The info actually comes from a French site called “Mac4Ever” (link at the bottom), which checked with a number of the French Operators.

Now of course that doesn’t automatically mean that other France Telecom (the parent company of Orange) OpCos will offer a VoIP solution, but with the likes of 3 in the UK already offering branded VoIP (Skype, as it happens), it would make sense to port across the solution over here too!

Interestingly, Mac4Ever also found out that SFR and Bouygues Telecom are less bothered about VoIP, with Bouygues saying the voice quality isn’t there. Maybe it’s just my experience, but I don’t even think VoIP delivers using a headset and Laptop – but then again I am picking about my audio artefacts!

Anyhow, it will be interesting to see what develops here, especially with the plethora of smartphones that are now capable of running VoIP apps!

[Via: Unwiredview.com via: Mac4Ever.com (via Google Translate)]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• French Regulators Kill Orange’s Apple iPhone 3G Exclusivity
• Samsung Galaxy i7500 available in France through Bouygues Telecom for 99 EUR
• Dutch KPN to launch a MVNO in France through Bouygues Telecom
• China’s ZTE to sell its first own branded handset in France – X760
• Nokia N95 VoIP Feature Crippled By Orange And Vodafone

Following on recently available pre-orders, the fabled Sony Ericsson Idou has just landed on British shores as the Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) Satio! The touchscreen Sony Ericsson Satio is the Swedish-Japanese phone maker’s first Symbian S60 5th Edition smartphone and it oozes high-end sex appeal. We had a chance to put hands-on the Satio back when it was known as the Sony Ericsson Idou, and it’s one helluva device – especially since it runs the so-old-it-hurts Sybmain platform.

Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) UK is the only carrier to offer the Sony Ericsson Satio at the moment, but Orange has the Satio tagged as “coming soon.” Underneath that high-resolution 3.5-inch touchscreen lies all the high-end smartphone bits that we’d expect to see from a 12.1-megapixel cameraphone monster – DNLA-compatible WiFi, GPS, and 3G data. The glossy-black finish highlights the 12.1-megapixel camera (with Xenon flash) while the 3.5-inch touchscreen plays video with aplomb. Did we mention it sports a 12.1-megapixel camera? Yeah, it’s awesome.

Vodafone is offering the Satio for free when purchased with qualifying 2-year contract. Have at it!

If you’re not lucky enough to live on the British side of the pond, keep yourself busy with our Satio hands-on gallery.

[Via: TechRadar]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• FCC: Hello, Sony Ericsson Satio!
• Sony Ericsson booth tour from the Fira Barcelona
• Sony Ericsson unveils 12MP touchscreen “Idou” at Mobile World Congress!
• Sony Ericsson Idou – Hands-on video and pictures!
• 12 Megapixel Sony Ericsson Satio Gets Lengthy Video Review

Yep – only yesterday I was posting up on the PR of the launch of the Motorola DEXT with Orange and today Moto have gone straight for the jugular by emailing me direct!

Personally I am not sure if there is an air of desperation here – I mean, they do need the DEXT to do well, and I think it’s got every chance – so long as the O/S isn’t laggy, and is reasonably intuitive. Finally Motorola (NYSE: MOT) have broken the shackles of years of RAZR-based design, and gone for something a bit different – lets hope they haven’t left it too late in their potential customers’ eyes.

If you want to know more about the DEXT go here.

If you want to see about buying one on the Orange network, go here.

Look out also for the soon-to-be review of the Motorola DEXT on IntoMobile – we’ll be getting one of the first production units to review, since virtually all of the review units until now have been unfinished product – let’s hope ours is a goodie!

Related News from IntoMobile:

• UK: Motorola Dext with Motoblur – come get it!
• Motorola DEXT on sale in UK this week – exclusively on Orange
• UK: Orange: Motorola introduces DEXT™ with MOTOBLUR™
• Orange to offer upgrade deal on next-generation iPhone – discounted 3G iPhone on the way?
• British operator Orange dropping DRM from their music store

Motorola DEXT, the first Android powered device from Motorola and the first to feature the innovative MOTOBLUR solution, will be on sale in the UK from this week.

Ranged exclusively on the Orange network in the UK, Motorola DEXT will be on sale in Orange retail outlets from October 7th and in Phones 4u stores from October 8th. For those eager to experience the DEXT before anyone else, it will be on sale from 3pm at the opening of the Orange Multimedia Store in Milton Keynes on October 6th – Orange’s first Multimedia Store in the UK.

Launched globally in September, Motorola DEXT with MOTOBLUR manages and integrates communications — from work e-mail to social messaging activity — all to your home screen. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, LastFM and Yahoo and work and personal e-mail. MOTOBLUR automatically delivers these updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications to keep up with the latest content.

Orange is offering the DEXT free to customers who take out a £34.26 per month, 24 month contract. The package includes 900 any network call minutes, unlimited  texts, Orange Maps as well as inclusive anytime internet browsing so users can make the most of their mobile experience.

For more information, visit Orange stores, www.orange.co.uk/shop or Phones 4u stores, www.phones4u.co.uk. To check out more on the DEXT, visit www.motorola.com/motoblur.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• UK: Orange: Motorola introduces DEXT™ with MOTOBLUR™
• UK: Motorola Dext with Motoblur – come get it!
• It’s all official: come get your Motorola DEXT now!
• MOTOBLUR makes gives HTC G1 a taste of Motorola’s Android recipe
• Motorola CLIQ brings its A-game to Android!

O2 recently said it was the “home of smartphones” (see quote in here), but with the recent iPhone announcements (see here for example), it looks like other Operators are lining up some mobile powerhouses also – let’s compare O2 and Orange for example:

Orange

• BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Bold & Curve & Pearl
• HTC Hero
• Toshiba (OTCPK: TOSBF) TG01
• Samsung i8910 Omnia HD
• Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Dext (soon)
• iPhone 3GS (soon)
• Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N86

That’s a pretty reasonable spread isn’t it? Taking in BlackBerry O/S, Android, WinMo, Series60, and Apples O/S. Nice.
So What about O2?

O2

• O2 XDA Zest & Guide
• BlackBerry Bold & Curve & Emerald
• Nokia &3 & N86
• iPhone 3G & 3GS
• Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre (soon)
• HTC HD2 (Leo) – (rumoured soon)

So pretty much the same selection of Operating Systems there too, apart from adding Palms WebOS.
T-Mobile, Vodafone , and 3UK haven’t (to my mind) made any big seasonal announcements yet (OK, so VFUK did ‘announce’ iPhone 3GS today!), but when they do, you can assume it will be driven by, or include, smartphone device(s). In simple terms, the Operators are going to become very similar very quickly, in terms of the smartphone device portfolio offered – and whilst it might be good for tariff and device pricing, networks won’t be differentiating on hardware so much – shame, because there’s nothing better than a restrictive exclusivity deal to stir up news and opinion

Related News from IntoMobile:

• BlackBerry 9700 Bold (Onyx) Spotted in Vodafone System
• Telus BlackBerry Tour 9630 Shows its Smudgy Face
• OS 5.0.0.100 Available for the BlackBerry Bold and Curve 8900
• BlackBerry Curve 8900 Coming to AT&T This June
• Orange Suspends Sale of the BlackBerry Bold in the UK

Today the 24th suicide to occur over the past 18 months of a France Telecom employee has just happened. The unidentified man was a 51 year old father of two. He jumped from an over pass and left a note blaming “the atmosphere at work” for his decision to commit suicide. Video here. Our condolences go out to his family.

France Telecom is better known as Orange around the world.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Unlocked iPhones in Germany and France still locked, kind of
• French Regulators Kill Orange’s Apple iPhone 3G Exclusivity
• Telecom Italia’s employee sent 12,000 private text messages from his work phone
• It’s official – Apple and Orange launching iPhone in France on November 29
• Orange France to Launch 6 Android Devices in 2009… Including HTC Hero

Well it was going to happen sooner or later …

O2 (NYSE: TEF) don’t got no exclusive no more, no, no, no – it’s somewhat of a free-for-all now with the iPhone it seems, with Orange getting their cake and eating it first. When, did I hear you say? Ah, well, that’s not really clear – but if O2 had a 2-year exclusive, that would make it November this year, assuming my memory serves me right

For right now, you can register your interest here.

What I am more interested in right now though is what the tariff(s) are going to be, how much the device will cost, and a killer point – which other networks are going to get the iPhone. There have been rumours about T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) and the iPhone for some time now, and given the JV between Orange and T-Mobile, I think it’s pretty much a cert. So Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) and 3, where you at?

Related News from IntoMobile:

• UK: iPhone going to be cheaper on O2
• 3G iPhone headed to Vodafone in Q1 2008?
• iPhone hits on Orange UK on November 10th
• O2 still the “home of smartphones”?
• Unlocked and contract-less iPhone 3G available in France

You know a company is pushing a device when they start hitting you with rich media direct email marketing – in this instance it’s Moto, with their next Dext device – apparently it’s the first phone with social skills, which I assume means it says please and thank you each time you use it

Actually the thrust of the email is make you aware of the plethora of different features on board, and on the face of things, it looks pretty good – like with most things, the proof will be in the pudding – or rather in this case, the usage.

However, for now, you can revel in the useful links below:

Orange Store Locator (The Dext goes on sale exclusively with Orange in October)

Motorola’s UK website for the Dext

I really hope the Dext does well for Motorola (NYSE: MOT) – if everything is well put together, and the software isn’t buggy, we should have a good ‘un on our hands!

Related News from IntoMobile:

• It’s all official: come get your Motorola DEXT now!
• Motorola DEXT on sale in UK this week – exclusively on Orange
• UK: Motorola V8 Luxury now available at Phones4U
• UK: Orange: Motorola introduces DEXT™ with MOTOBLUR™
• UK: First 12MP phone arrives – the Samsung Pixon12

Looks like the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) is coming to Kenya. The other day, Orange, together with RIM officially announced the launch of BlackBerry in the country. When asked to comment on the development, a BlackBerry spokesperson commented:

“The BlackBerry solution brings together smartphones, software and services to allow easy wireless access to email, phone, calendar, web, multimedia and other business and lifestyle applications. Orange customers in Kenya will now be able to enjoy the freedom and productivity benefits of using BlackBerry smartphones to stay connected and have easy access to information on the go.”

To start, Orange will have the BlackBerry Bold up for offer, along with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Congrats to the good folks in Kenya. Have fun with your new BlackBerry Bold devices, will ya!?

[Via: FinChannel]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• BlackBerry Arrives in Tunisia via Tunisie Telecom
• BlackBerry Professional Software now available via Orange Spain
• Orange Suspends Sale of the BlackBerry Bold in the UK
• BlackBerry Bold Going GSM in India
• Orange to Give BlackBerry Bold the Boot?

Mobile News is all over a couple of stories relating to a reduction in the number of both high street stores, and base stations, resulting from the merger of Orange and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT).

If they have their numbers right (and I’d expect they do), then 120 T-Mob/Orange stores will be closing, meaning a saving of £85mn in terms of operational and distribution costs. The remaining combined real estate will amount to 613 stores. However this is small fry combined to the total combined savings for the networks – ready for this – clocking in at a massive £3.5bn! Holy monkeys!

Another part of the cost-cutting is the reduction in base stations – and you can imagine there are some major savings to be made here too, since each network would be covering many of the same areas – or in other words, duplication. Here things will take slightly longer to implement (cell planning is a delicate art in my experience), saving £145mn from 2014. Interestingly, it’s the mainly 2G base stations that are getting the chop, whilst 3G base stations will be built out. Not a surprise, but interesting, since I’d have imagined the 2G network is typically wider spread for most operators – so surely reducing coverage? Hmm, I’m sure they’ll plan it out

So overall that’s some serious money saving – that figure again – £3.5bn!

[Via: Mobile News & Mobile News]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• GSM Association getting greener cell towers
• T-Mobile trying out hydrogen-fuelled base stations
• In-Stat: Mobile operators turn to green energy for base stations in rural areas
• Orange’s CEO discusses UK strategy
• Turkish MNO launches wind-powered base station

Orange UK has announced their first Android device – the DEXT, from Motorola (NYSE: MOT)!

Just like it’s US counterpart, the Motorola CLIQ, the Motorola DEXT is the first phone with MOTOBLUR, the only solution to automatically organize and deliver your messages, your contacts and your favourite content – regardless of source – directly to your home screen in easy to manage streams.

Developed by Motorola and powered by Android, MOTOBLUR synchs contacts, posts, feeds, messages, e-mails, photos and much more—from sources like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, Yahoo, your work e-mail and LastFM – and serves it up just the way you like it.

A QWERTY slider, Motorola DEXT is packed full of features including:

• Touch screen capabilities
• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and connected to Facebook, Picassa, Photobucket or MySpace for easy uploading
• Video speed of 24 frames per second for easy capture & upload to share with friends, as well as playback capability for favorite YouTube videos
• A full HTML browser, 3G speed and Wi-Fi
• A 3.5 mm headset jack for your own headphones and easily connect to your music, create your own playlist or discover new music by seeing what your friends are listening to on LastFM
• Packed with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Mobile Services: Maps, Talk, Mail, Voice Search, Integrated GPS for turn by turn directions and a rich HMTL browser
• Access to thousands of apps through Android marketplace
• A removable 2GB Micro SD card
• Supports up to 32GB MicroSD for all of your photos, music and more

Orange is offering the DEXT free to customers who take out a £34.26 per month, 24 month contract. The package includes 900 any network call minutes, unlimited texts, Orange Maps as well as inclusive anytime internet browsing so users can make the most from their mobile experience.

The DEXT handset with MOTOBLUR will be available from Orange in early October.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Motorola DEXT on sale in UK this week – exclusively on Orange
• MOTOBLUR makes gives HTC G1 a taste of Motorola’s Android recipe
• Motorola CLIQ coming pre-loaded with tons of cool apps!
• Video: We take the Motorola CLIQ and MOTOBLUR for a spin
• Motorola CLIQ brings its A-game to Android!

T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) and Orange are going to merge their UK businesses and create a 50:50 joint venture. Both the T-Mobile and Orange brand names will remain, the only thing that actually changes is that their respective networks will be merged and then managed as a single entity. The joint venture will have 30 million customers, giving it 37% of the British market. The second largest player is now O2 (NYSE: TEF) with 27% and and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) with 25%. The first thing you’re probably going to notice as a customer is improved coverage, the second is you’re going to see faster upgrades to the network infrastructure. Questions will be raised about what is going to happen with 3, who is currently in a deal to share T-Mobile’s network.

[Via: Telegraph.co.uk]

Update: Video from the public relations people:

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Nokia and Potevio joint venture to start making 3G equipment in 1Q 2007
• MBNL selects NSN as 3G network integration partner
• India gives the Nokia Siemens merger the OK
• Orange’s CEO discusses UK strategy
• Sony rumored to be negotiating Sony Ericsson buy-out

So who IS going to buy T-Mobile UK?

Well according to Mobile News, it could be any of the following: Vodafone, France Telecom (Orange), or Telefonica (O2)!

Mobile News reports on a story that surfaced in The Financial Times, stating that three companies listed above have all shown interest in subsuming T-Mob. Of course, there could be some serious regulatory hurdles, as whoever inherited T-Mob’s subs would be in a commanding position in the UK market.

It is thought the sale could bring in around €4 billion, an not inconsequential sum for parent company Deutsche Telekom.

[Via: Mobile News]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Deutsche Telekom rides to “good” 3Q 2008 on back of T-Mobile success
• Deutsche Telekom gets shot down in Magenta-lawsuit
• T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom trademarks the color Magenta!
• T-Mobile UK parent pushing for merger deal
• Deutsche Telekom to expand T-Mobile USA network with acquisition of SunCom Wireless

The Orange France Telecom Group has announced that it has acquired 100% of Unanimis, the UK’s largest exclusive digital advertising network. Through the combination of Unanimis’s premium advertising network and Orange’s mobile and web assets, advertisers, buyers and media agencies will be able to reach over 71.5% of the UK’s online population and over 66% of the online population across UK, France, Spain and Poland.

Unanimis has exclusive online advertising relationships with key website brands such as the AA, Ticketmaster, ASOS, Gumtree and Shopping.com giving it the most extensive, exclusive-access, digital advertising portfolio in the UK. The acquisition will put Orange and Unanimis at the forefront of digital and mobile advertising in the UK with an unparalleled scale and reach across web, mobile and interactive media.

Together, Orange and Unanimis will have particular strength in the area of online advertising, which is the fastest growing advertising segment in UK and is expected to account for 27% of total advertising spend in the UK in 2011, up from 19% in 2007. The Western European online advertising market was worth an estimated 12 billion euros in 2008 and the UK represented Europe’s largest market (31%). Orange and Unanimis will also have strong positions in new growth areas such as mobile advertising.

Unanimis will continue to operate under its brand name and will become part of the Orange Group Advertising Network, which offers advertisers and publishers an opportunity to reach new audiences by leveraging Orange’s multi-screen assets across the PC, mobile and TV platforms.

[Via: Orange.co.uk]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Unlocked and contract-less iPhone 3G available in France
• LG Viewty – Now available on Orange in Purple
• Orange Sports TV Channel on Personal Mobile TV
• French Regulators Kill Orange’s Apple iPhone 3G Exclusivity
• Microsoft, Quattro Wireless team-up on mobile advertising

It’s certainly an impressive-sounding announcement, but with the potential complexity of some these services, the devil will be in the detail. Once I get to play with some demo devices with these services loaded, I’ll let you know how it (widget) plays out (pun intended!)

Orange has announced the launch of Social Life, a mobile social networking aggregator which brings together activity on Facebook, MySpace and Bebo in one central place. Accessible from Orange World, Orange’s mobile internet portal, Social Life allows customers to view and post updates and get in touch with friends and family across all three social networks at the same time through a single log-in.

Available to all Orange mobile customers, the Social Life home screen allows users to:

• upload photos
• update their status
• keep track of friends’ status updates from all three leading social networks
• view social network notifications, including messages, events, pokes and friend requests
• send and receive messages

Customers have full control over which information they provide to each of their social networks – they can update their status and upload photos to some or all of them through the Social Life home screen. Social Life also allows customers to keep on top of social network activity through SMS – with them able to set up free text alerts on specific social network activity and send updates via text message. Offering access to Facebook, Bebo and MySpace from launch, the service will also look to incorporate more social networks and Web 2.0 sites in 2009.

Orange was the first operator to offer pay-as-you-go customers free access to Facebook, MySpace and Bebo, while contract customers receive free mobile internet access on certain tariffs.

Orange also announced today that it has launched Orange Widget Player, a customisable interface which provides fast access to useful content and favourite applications from the Orange home screen on Orange Signature devices.  Using Widget Player, customers can instantly access news, weather and sport updates along with applications such as search, Wikipedia, world clock and others from a widgets catalogue that will grow throughout 2009. Currently available on the Nokia 6303, Widget Player will be rolled out on further devices through the course of 2009.

Mark Watts-Jones, Head of Product Management for Orange UK, said: “With Social Life and Widget Player we’re making it simple for customers to manage their favourite content, applications and social networks at the touch of a button. Over time we will be looking to add more sites to the service – helping users to stay in touch in touch with the people and content that matters most to them”.

It’s certainly an impressive-sounding announcement, but with the potential complexity of some these services, the devil will be in the detail. Once I get to play with some demo devices with these services loaded, I’ll let you know how it (widget) plays out (pun intended!)

Related News from IntoMobile:

• O2 Signs Deal with Twitter to Offer Text Alerts
• Social Networking = Orange World (at least for Orange users)
• Motorola DEXT on sale in UK this week – exclusively on Orange
• Mobile social address book Xumii launches iPhone app
• INQ1 – “The World’s Most Advanced Social Networking Phone”

Orange Jordan got the 15-year 3G license for Jordan, the country’s Telecommunication Regulatory Commission announced. The carrier paid JD 50 million ($70.5 million) for it, gaining exclusive rights to the frequency block for 12 months from the launch of the network, after which other operators will be allowed to bid for usage rights.

The France Telecom-owned company has already rolled out some of the required network infrastructure and is expected to launch 3G services within six months.

For the record, this is the second time the regulator has tried to issue the 3G licenses. The last attempt failed after none of the bidders met the regulator’s minimum terms.

According to the Mobile World subscriber tracker, there were just under 5.5 million mobile phone users in the country at the end of Q1 2009, representing a population penetration level of 87%.

[Via: CellularNews]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Indonesia and Chile to auction 3G licenses in the next few months
• Thai regulator approves draft procedure for 3G license auction
• Ukraine to auction off a 3G license on November 30th
• Azerbaijan to award 3G licenses by the end of this month
• Iliad group’s FREE Mobile is the single bidder for France’s fourth 3G license