6th Nov 2006 09:00
Vodafone Group Plc06 November 2006 6 November 2006 VODAFONE SIGNS NEW TERMINAL PLATFORM AGREEMENT WITH MICROSOFT Microsoft forms a key part of Vodafone's three-platform strategy to reduceoperational costs while improving services to customers Vodafone has signed an agreement with Microsoft to develop software to enablethe speedy and cost-effective roll out of new services on mobile phones. Under the terms of the agreement, Vodafone and Microsoft will work in closeco-operation aiming to ensure that Vodafone applications and services aretightly integrated with a Windows Mobile experience, resulting in improvedmobile phone functionality as well as an enhanced mobile experience forcustomers. The Microsoft platform will complement Vodafone's existing terminalplatform* portfolio. As the platform proposal with Windows Mobile embraces the wider Microsoftdeveloper community, Vodafone anticipates an increase in the breadth ofapplications and content created for mobile phones. The partnership will alsoenable Vodafone to access Microsoft's considerable expertise to help speed upconvergence between mobile devices and computers. Additionally, it is expectedto reduce time to market for new products and encourage customers to newservices. "We believe that the collaboration between Microsoft Windows Mobile and Vodafonelive! will deliver a compelling and unique new alternative in the consumermobile market," said Jens Schulte-Bockum, Vodafone's Global Director ofTerminals. "We are very pleased with Vodafone's decision to adopt Windows Mobile as apreferred software platform for its mobile business," said Suzan DelBene,Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division,Microsoft. "Together we will deliver services which we expect will help Vodafoneachieve cost-efficiencies, while delivering new propositions to its customers,thus making Windows Mobile an even more compelling platform." The deal forms part of Vodafone's wider strategy of streamlining its currentplatform portfolio to deliver greater cost efficiencies across the Group. Overthe next five years, Vodafone expects to focus on supporting three standardterminal platforms across its portfolio of mobile phones: Microsoft WindowsMobile, Symbian/S60 and Linux. The first device to use the software producedunder the agreement is planned to be with Samsung and is expected to launch inthe first half of 2007. "Samsung has been proactively cooperating with Vodafone and Microsoft to enrichcustomers' mobile experience," said Chulhwan Lee, Senior Vice President ofSamsung's Mobile R&D Team. "Through this cooperation, we hope to providecustomers with strong PC connectivity and rich multimedia features that are easyto use, and cost-competitive." "By focusing on these three core terminal platforms, Vodafone expects to be ableto reap the benefits of a range of efficiencies such as reduced handsetdevelopment costs, as well as the quicker and more cost effective roll out ofnew services," added Schulte-Bockum. "This initiative aims to ensure that we donot have to create a different set of software to provide services on a widerange of platforms, so that our customers benefit from enhanced yetsimple-to-use services and lower costs." - ends - For further information: Vodafone Group Investor Relations Media RelationsTel: +44 (0) 1635 664447 Tel: +44 (0) 1635 664444 * EDITOR'S NOTE: A terminal platform is a package of software for phones that supports key functionality such as the user interface, core applications and other services. The terminal platforms govern the look and feel of the phones through the user interface, the core applications as well as the middleware and operating system. (c) Vodafone Group 2006. VODAFONE, the Vodafone logos and Vodafone live! aretrade marks of the Vodafone Group. Other product and company names mentionedherein may be the trade marks of their respective owners. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
Vodafone