European operators announce new brand Starmap Mobile Alliance and seamless services

The Mobile Alliance, launched in October 2003,today announced its new brand -Starmap Mobile Alliance. The brand demonstrates the close cooperation between nine leading independentoperators, which have already started to provide seamless mobile voice and data services across the alliance footprint.The members will progressively introduce the Starmap Mobile Alliance brand and logo, making it easy for customers and suppliers to identify with, and make use of the increased scale and pan-alliance services which complement members local offers and subscriptions. Following the previous successful completion of technical and commercial agreements between the operators, customers now benefit from GPRS and MMS roaming, as well as access to familiar services such as voice-mail and short-codes whilst traveling in other alliance countries. Flat rate roaming tariffs aimed at corporate subscribers have been introduced already in a number of countries. The operators will also support common quality of service metrics for business customers. In addition, members are co-operating on the definition and development of 3G handsets, and a common distribution agreement has been established providing availability of the Xda II Pocket PC across alliance networks. The Xda II allows customers on the move to access services such as video, colour images and corporate internet applications. The Starmap Mobile Alliance currently has nine members: Amena (Spain), O2 (Germany, the UK and Ireland), One (Austria), Pannon GS (Hungary), sunrise (Switzerland), Telenor Mobil (Norway) and Wind (Italy), covering a subscriber base of more than 41 million. Under the stewardship of a management board comprising representatives of each operator, the Starmap Mobile Alliance cooperates to provide an environment for innovative, attractive and easy to use services, granting a home-away-from-home experience for its customers, encompassing the simplicity, convenience and service quality to which customers are accustomed to at home. The Starmap Mobile Alliance is collaborating in areas of sourcing, technology and sales to large corporate customers.