Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FastMobile announces European launch

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 12:52:41 -0500

FastMobile announces European launch

03 April 2003 -- PMN -- FastMobile, provider of a platform for
push-to-talk (PTT) messaging has announced that its service will be
available to users in Europe from next week. The company had
previously said that it would also launch in the US on 1st May 2003.

FastMobile's FastChat is a presence-based system for exchanging PTT
messages over GPRS networks. The launch is operator-independent
and the service will be available to most users equipped with a Nokia
Series 60 device simply by downloading the client application and
signing-up with FastMobile.

The company intends to use the European launch as a
proof-of-concept to convince network operators of the benefits of
launching the service to their subscribers.

European managing director James Tagg commented: “When we
announce FastChat, the key points we’ll be conveying are that it’s more
fun than SMS, more flexible, easier to use, quicker, more convenient
and no more expensive. Usage is inevitable: customers are buying
new phones which are capable of just about anything, and they will
want to use the features. Quickly they will discover how easy, fun and
convenient it is, and it will take off like SMS did."

PMN Analysis: FastMobile is seeking to establish 'first mover'
advantage in the push-to-talk (PTT) market. As James Tagg of
FastMobile points out, it's not so much a question of 'if' but 'when'
PTT will be adopted and which technology operators will use. Nextel,
the operator with the highest ARPU in the US market, provides a
compelling casestudy for potential PTT deployments.

FastMobile's trial, which will be operator-independent, will help
demonstrate the ease with which carriers will be able to deploy this
system to their subscribers. The company has adopted an ASP
model, which means that most of the operator's investment will be in
marketing the service rather than purchasing additional infrastructure
or integrating with existing systems.

Marketing will certainly be the key to adoption. PTT is a technology
often associated with business and industrial applications; it remains
to be seen whether it will be eagerly embraced by the mass
consumer market. The pricing will also be crucial. FastMobile is
planning to charge a monthly subscription fee for unlimited use
during the trial period, but operators will most likely want to pursue
'SMS-style' per message rates.
http://www.pmn.co.uk/20030403fastmobile.shtml
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