Nokia To Become A Mvno In Japan

[@ksh@T 20]

Nokia to start Japan cell phone service in 2009

[vIa:http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...E4AL0UD20081122]

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nokia Corp plans to launch a mobile phone service in Japan next spring, a move expected to intensify competition among Japanese cell phone carriers, Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Saturday.

Finnish cell phone manufacturer Nokia is expected to use lines owned by Japan's biggest mobile phone carrier, NTT Docomo Inc, under an arrangement called mobile virtual network operator, the paper said.

Nokia will first offer the service with high-end models to establish a strong brand, Yomiuri said.

Nokia is the world's biggest handset maker but holds less than a 1 percent market share in Japan. Major Japanese cell phone makers, such as Sharp Corp, Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co Ltd and NEC Corp, dominate the world's most advanced handset market.

I guess it will be hard for Nokia to be really successful in this Japanese MVNO attempt, first of all because the Japan mobile market is almost saturated, as nearly everyone has at least one cell phone. Also, Nokia handsets account for less than 1% of the total handsets currently sold in the Asian county, which only shows that Japanese consumers are not exactly the biggest fans of Nokia phones.

Super-devices, like the ones made by NEC, Sharp or Panasonic, are hugely popular in Japan, so Nokia will have a hard time trying to lure Japanese users on its side.

[@ksh@T 20]

Vertu / NTT DoCoMo MVNO officially launches as Vertu Club

That Nokia & NTT DoCoMo virtual mobile network operator that was announced several weeks ago will actually be established between the Japanese carrier and Vertu, Nokia’s luxury handset division.

The new MVNO’s official name will be Vertu Club. A perfect moniker for an operator that plans to sell exclusivist handsets like the recently-appeared Vertu Boucheron 150, isn’t it? Vertu Club will function on a premium membership basis. The first Japanese Vertu store, called Ginza Flagship Store and located in Tokyo, will open its gates on February 19, 2009.

However, Vertu Club services will only be available starting the second quarter of 2009. Until then, customers who visit the Ginza Flagship Store will be able to buy unlocked handsets like Vertu Ascent Ti, Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari and Vertu Signature.

[vIa:Vertu]

[Honest 836]

Vertu Launches New Handset, Ties up With NTT Docomo

Vertu’s latest offering to the ultra exclusive mobile phone market is their homage to the renowned Parisan Jewellery house Boucheron in celebration of its 150th anniversary.

Frank Nuovo, Vertu Principal Designer said, "The essence of the single edition Vertu Boucheron 150 was to create something unique with signals of both brands. The constantly changing angled surfaces allow a cut stone appearance, inspired by the clearly faceted stones which are a significant part of Boucheron’s core craft. The recognizable Vertu V shape has seemingly morphed into random proportioned patterns and directions of the three sided surfaces creating a perfect blend of Vertu and Boucheron elements. The challenge was to gain visual sparkle not from precious stones but instead through pure form and line achieved with precious faceted metal.”

With the Vertu Boucheron 150, Vertu has once again taken the creation of high-end luxury mobile phones to a completely new level. With nothing else like it in the world, the Vertu Boucheron 150 makes a powerful statement with its original and refined design. The solid gold used to create the phone creates a very high monetary value object, but it is the level of design, build complexities and rarity of the Vertu Boucheron 150 that makes it so extremely valuable. Every one of the gold components on this mobile phone has been crafted from individual solid gold ingots taking over 1000 man hours to cut to shape, followed by over 700 man hours of hand polishing and a further 500 hours to hand build.

The design intricacy of the sapphire crystal keypad with its concave design and 400 points on its surface provided the toughest of challenges for the most skilled of craftsmen as it strays from the typical flat surface used with such a precious material.

The handset is housed in a hand made wooden case made from Noce Pedullo and produced by Reuge, the Swiss makers of artisan music boxes. Inside the box sits a custom-built brass music drum which plays the signature Vertu sandpiper ringtone upon its opening.

Combined with its obvious sophistication and 3G technology it delivers a defining experience of progressive luxury for the 21st century. The one-off Vertu Boucheron 150 will be on display for prospective buyers at the recently launched Vertu store at 38th Old Bond Street in London for a limited period of time only, before a showcase tour at Vertu stores in Paris, Milan and Tokyo.

There’s no official price attached to the handset yet.

In other news, Vertu has also announced that they've signed an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) deal with NTT docomo to provide communication services to Vertu customers. In the second quarter of 2009, Vertu will provide a premium membership called VERTU Club through their partnership with NTT docomo. Details of VERTU Club will be announced in the future.

On 19 February 2009, Vertu will open Ginza Flagship Store, its first store in Japan. At the store, pre-orders of handsets will be taken for delivery when VERTU Club is available. Impatient customers will be able to purchase SIM lock-free 3G handsets of Ascent Ti, Ascent Ti Ferrari or Signature models for voice calls. At the Ginza Flagship Store, customers will be able to see the whole Vertu collection and experience the difference.

Courtesy : Tech2