New services under the Group’s convergence strategy
Fixed-line to mobile video-calling and image transfer from December.
Combined fixed-line/mobile handset in 2006.
New fixed-line/mobile tariff packages made possible by integration
TIM re-launches all-in subscriptions
Films, news and other content on TV via the internet; digital quality TV on mobile phones
Telecom Italia and TIM bring the first integrated fixed-line/mobile platform products and services to the market. The new offers are also a result of the Group’s investment in innovation and the development of new technologies, which will amount to 10 billion euro in the period 2005-2007 or 70% of total investment. The Telecom Italia Group total investment represents 17% of turnover, the highest rate among the telephone operator in Europe.
Telecom and TIM: video calls and “fixed/mobile” packages
Starting this December, Telecom Italia fixed-line videophones and TIM UMTS phones can video call one another. Innovative network architecture enables pictures captured by fixed-line and mobile videophones to be displayed in real-time on both fixed-line and UMTS phones.
For the first time, Telecom Italia and TIM are combining their product offers to promote these next-generation services. The companies’ videophone plus UMTS phone package will be available at a very attractive price, starting from 199 euro. Telecom Italia and TIM’s first fixed/mobile tariff packages, to be introduced in November, will allow customers to make calls at advantageous prices between their home phone and three cellphone numbers of their choice and vice versa (Teleconomy Famiglia and TIM Famiglia).
TIM, the company that in 1996 was the first to offer prepaid cards, is re-launching the subscription formula with innovative “all-inclusive” UMTS tariff offerings. Thanks to these offers, customers can make calls and send and receive SMS and MMS messages to all fixed-line and mobile phones, as well as make video calls to TIM mobile phones and Telecom Italia videophones. Fixed-line to mobile video-calls will be available from December.
The “superphone”: a home phone and cellphone in one
Phase two of the Group’s innovation strategy focuses on the launch of a “superphone” that works both as a home phone and mobile phone in 2006. This new phone adopts new UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) technology to connect to home ADSL fixed-line networks over WiFi, and work as a GSM, GPRS or EDGE phone outside the home, just like a normal cellphone. Calls are charged either as fixed-line or mobile calls, depending on the environment where calls are made and the customer’s price plan. In this way, the customer will have the advantage of using a single telephone and will always benefit from the most convenient tariff, while maintaining the two separate bills (Telecom Italia and TIM).
TV (and more…) via Internet and on mobile phones
The Telecom Italia Group is also moving ahead with its third significant challenge: content distribution over fixed terminals (TVs and computers) and mobile terminals. By the end of December, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) will bring a vast range of innovative services to home TV sets. Customers TVs equipped with an infrared keyboard, an ADSL connection and a special Set-Top Box offer access to a vast range of high-definition content (films, news, sport, music, reality shows and live events), as well as allowing customers to surf the internet and send/receive e-mail.
Trials of IPTV are now almost complete and the service is scheduled for rollout in 21 Italian cities by the end of the year.
The Group is also developing technologies to distribute this content to mobile terminals. A recent non-exclusive agreement between TIM and Mediaset has paved the way for the commercial launch in Italy - the first in the world - of digital terrestrial TV service to mobile phones implementing DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcaster Handheld) technology. In 2006, it will be already possible to watch Mediaset programmes on TIM mobile phones at a level of quality on the move similar to that of the digital terrestrial standard.
Milan, 27 October 2005