Alas I hear from various sources in the industry that Everything Everywhere is not yet able to support this functionality fully (e.g. It’s completely unavailable on T-Mobile at the moment).

I think that’s a killer, at the moment: You can hardly consider “cross network” to mean everything except T-Mobile. MIG, it seems, jumped the gun!

When cross network voice shortcodes are finally here, though, it’s going to be brilliant. Brands will be able to offer their consumers the ability to call them on a free shortcode that won’t end up costing them £0.70 per minute.

But standby — hopefully we should see full cross network support sometime in this quarter!

Research In Motion (RIM) has today launched BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express as a free download from www.blackberry.co.uk/serverexpress. BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express is free new server software that wirelessly and securely synchronizes BlackBerry® smartphones with Microsoft® Exchange or Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server. Learn more about BlackBerry Enterprise Server by clicking here.

Organisations that wish to install the software are recommended to utilise the supporting materials for download, by first checking their system requirements and then following the user installation guidelines. The features of the software can be found here.

I think this may well be of interest to quite a few readers. You get the following features:

* Manage smartphones in your organisation, including resetting passwords, or remotely wiping lost or stolen smartphones. Choose from over 35 IT policies.
* Define policy settings using IT policy templates
* Delegate tasks with 6 preconfigured IT administration roles.
* Deploy and manage applications over-the-air
* Schedule device, application and IT policy updates
* Update BlackBerry® Device Software wirelessly without users having to bring the device to IT

The key point is that it can be installed and run on the same server that’s running your Exchange software so you don’t have to mess around with additional servers and licenses. Absolutely ideal if you’re an SME wanting to deploy BlackBerry without the huge traditional overhead.

There’s a test environment being setup for the media — I’ll try it out and let you know what I think.

And if you fancy the idea of a 16GB one, add on an extra tenner.

For anyone really keen to get stuck into the iPhone — and provided you’re ok committing to a whopping 2 year deal, this might be right up your street.

The offer is available at your local Carphone Warehouse from the 3rd of April.

I imagine if the new iPhone comes out a few months later, you’ll be able to upgrade — either by extending your contract (3 years, maybe?!) or by paying an upgrade fee.

More at www.carphonewarehouse.com.

Fresh from sticking WiFi on buses all over the place, they’ve now done a deal with The Green Bus company.

The Green Bus company are, as the press release states, ‘the emerging market leader in school transport thinking in the UK’.

Clearly. If they’re putting WiFi — for free — in their buses. That’s going to certainly make a LOT of friends from the students they’re transporting.

I never took the bus to school. Not once. I always lived just inside the walkable-area. So if I was late, tough. If I hadn’t done some homework, tough. You had to waste a ton of time walking to your doom.

But if you take the bus, it’s binary. You either GET ON the bus. Or you miss it. And if you miss it, then it’s game over for that day. Or you need to try and get a lift from your less-than-impressed-parents.

If you make the Green Bus company bus (who incidentally serve 23 routes across Birmingham), then you’ll still have 10, 20 or 30 minutes worth of time to sod about knocking a piece of rubbish together for your history homework. As every student worth his or her salt knows, DOING some sort of homework, however rubbish — and handing it in — is far better than NOT.

That’s 1,400 children now blessed with the power of internet communications before and after school. It’s, er, not all ‘education’ though.

Let’s hear from Ian Mack, MD at The Green Bus:

“With an increasing number of mobile phones and handhelds supporting Wi-Fi, our investment in Icomera’s Moovbox enables students to check email, surf the web, and play peer-to-peer games on devices like the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS – all free of charge. More importantly, the built-in GPS functionality of the Moovbox means we can see where our buses are at any time; this feature is being made available on our web site where parents and school staff can securely log in and follow the progress of any particular bus is during its journey via a familiar Google Maps display.”

That’s pretty neat — the GPS/Google Maps feature. Like that.

But WiFi on board will be rather useful for today’s connected young’uns.

Here’s what’s on-board:

The Moovbox mobile gateway is a ruggedized Wi-Fi access point and cellular router, offering multiple wide area network (WAN) radios for automatic failover between carriers, and featuring built-in GPS for real-time positioning. Moovbox products also offer secure Ethernet for IP-CCTV, DVR and telematics equipment with remote in-bound access for device control, and supports plug-and-play upgradability to future technologies such as WiMAX and LTE. The multi-user MoovManage service provides real-time device tracking, schedule adherence monitoring, remote device configuration, and Wi-Fi portal and usage statistics. More information is available online at www.icomera.com.

But set your expectations. You won’t be able to download the latest James Bond by torrent on the way to school. These things typically use something like a Vodafone 3G+ card for connectivity — good enough for web browsing and email but will come unstuck if you try and put 2.7GB through it.

I like the innovation though. Good work Icomera. Good thinking, The Green Bus company.

Although not really in the remit of NokiaWorldWatch, we thought we’d bring you this shot seeing as it’s still almost part of the press event.

Also not actually having seen an unlocked Apple handset before it piqued our interest, just as it would many others so we thought we’d share it with you guys.

Posted via email from MIR Live

I was browsing around my daily choice of news reads, when I came across an article where a simple SMS message is being used to highlighting the need to have HIV tests in Africa. I think it’s brilliant. It’s short, snappy, and highlighting a point, and trying to induce change with it.

So why then, doesn’t this happen here in the UK?

Now, I’ll tell you, I think it was around a week ago now I received a letter in the post informing me of the free Chlamydia tests I can have.  It’s a brilliant service, and I have to praise my local Primary Care Trust for providing it, and for the notice about it.  But do you know what would be better?

Tell me via the methods of communications I use most. And by that I mean E-mail and SMS.

I admit, I always check I have post, and I do write the odd letter (usually a complaint though), but I do use the “snail-mail” system. But, it’s not engaging, it’s not relevant, and it’s certainly not in touch with the speed of information transfer and communication I’m used to.

Whenever I speak to someone my age, it’s never “Oh, I got this is in the post this morning…” it’s “I got an e-mail a minute ago about…” and “Look at the text I just received!”. The old system of postal mail, I love it, it’s quaint and good to use occasionally, but it’s not good for informing me about a free Chlamydia test I can have.

What would have been brilliant would be a nicely worded (although not txt spk msg) with a link to a free WAP site. If that’s too much to ask for then maybe a service where I could text back my door number and post code to receive more information in the post, or maybe even a test pack.

This really isn’t rocket science, and nor is this asking too much. The most common methods of communication for young people (and probably, most people now), is via our phones. Not to mention, the effort required to get a reply is next to nothing, compared to the mini-form I would have to fill out, then the bother of finding an envelope.  And, with what is it, one in fifteen or ten people getting Chlamydia now, wouldn’t it only just make sense to target me, and all my peers using this method?

Obviously, there is an issue as to how, say my local Primary Care Trust would get hold of my mobile number, and then issues with data-storage and privacy – then again, I was slightly shocked at how information I’ve given to my GP has riddled its way into a mail-merging system.  But, if there was a way in which this system could work, then SMS could be used and become part of the greater-good.

But even say if Mobile Networks became obliged to send out such messages to all people aged nineteen or below, then this system would work brilliantly.

Food for though I think, and I would like to see something developed in the near future which maybe utilised the powers of SMS and even MMS more.

Any ideas, questions, thoughts or suggestions please e-mail them to me at Samantha@mobileindustryreview.com

You see, the other day I was sitting in the School Library working hard on a piece of History work, when a class came in and began working on the available computers. The class was a mixture of boys and girls who were thirteen/fourteen years young.
A group of these boys, who were sitting in front of me, immediately used the internet to find pictures of action-hero/game characters to photograph on their phones to use as wall-papers.

And you know what?
It made me realise… What is the point in having premium products when pretty much anything you could ask for is readily available on the internet for free?

Personally, I’ve NEVER bought a ringtone, wall-paper, game, application or anything of the sort. I know for one fact, it’s a con. I’ll end up being tied to an endless subscription of other crap I don’t want, and costing me the earth to fund too! But also I know I can get whatever I want, whenever I want it, completely free.

I’ve never completely understood why at least presently, why companies such as Jamster, or the dozens of others who offer such a costly services still manage to get customers. Then again, people will never cease to amaze me!

However, say my Mum for instance, a perfect example of someone who doesn’t quite comprehend how much of a rip-off the Ringtone/wallpaper business is.
About a year or so ago she went through this phase of buying ringtones from T-Mobile. Now a ringtone according to T-Mobile was a thirty second, low quality clip from a song. Now my Mum over a period of say half a year bought only around two or three, but it actually set her back £2.50 per tone.

That’s £2.50 for a poor sounding, thirty second sample of a song. iTunes (as much as I dislike the service) offers a full track for 79p. How on earth does this make any sense?

Of course, me being the money-tight, and scared of spending person that I am, told my Mum off several times for such lavish expenditure on such a poor quality product. However, it was a case of, “I want, I get”.

I think the same can be said to the other more “adult” services which are available to mobile users. Dare I reiterate the countless adverts that appear on several channels after ten o’clock – but the point is people pay (quite a lot) for something which they can get for free. I don’t understand it, but I’m not going to try and understand it.

Although saying that, I wonder how much of a future these companies have. I can only imagine (and hope really), that as we get more technologically in gear, and as new generations become more equipped to the world of mobiles and computers that maybe in the near future such rip-off schemes may not exist.
I can’t blame T-Mobile, Jamster, or any of the other companies mainly for this; as actually I think its part stupidity on our behalf too. It’s just amazing how thirteen year olds are already grasping the concept of getting what they want for no cost. As Bluetooth, and probably, better technologies come into existence, I can only imagine that sharing, and moving our media around devices will only get easier, and quicker.

I can also only hope for the sanity of myself, and quite possibly many others, as dodgy ringtone manufacturers will cease to exist. Stick a nice classical piece as your ringtone – it’s what I’ve done!

Send any e-mails, questions or anything else to samantha@mobileindustryreview.com

I guess that means I won’t be in with much of a chance to win one. But this does point to a lot of interest from the UK mobile community.

It most certainly won’t get the iPhone-style fan-fare — and if T-Mobile’s chaps are sensible, they will heavily test their online ordering systems to cope with demand and avoid screwing up like o2 and Carphone Warehouse did.

If I was T-Mobile UK PR and feeling a little bit spindoctorish, I’d send 2x G1 devices to every T-Mobile UK store and dribble the devices out to market over a few weeks to really annoy the geeks and ‘build demand’.

The one thing the iPhone 3G screw-up did was create an unnatural amount of demand from people ‘wanting one’ and not being able to satisfy the craving.

So, £40 a month and you’re good — the handset is free. At that monthly price, you’ve a choice of Combi 35 (800 minutes and unlimited texts) or Flext 40 (up to 1,250 minutes, 2,500 texts or any combination of the two).

Unlimited data comes thrown in on both price plans.

I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of pre-loaded applications the device comes with — and how the Android Market shapes up.

The critical stats:

* Available in two colours – black and white
* GPS and compass
* Rich HTML email client which seamlessly synchs email with POP3 or IMAP services
* 3.5G (HSDPA/HSUPA) and Wi-Fi connectivity
* 3 Mega pixel camera
* MP3 music player
* Pre-installed 2 GB Micro SD memory card (device supports up to an 8 GB card)
* Bluetooth-enabled
* Up to 130 hours standby and up to 5 hours talk time
* Dimensions: 117.7 x 55.7 x 26.5 mm
* Weight: 158g

Yes… I think I might get one.

Perhaps I was missing my calling.

I picked up this note from the Atlanta Journal about how text is being used to help connect church-goers and their minister/priest (and each other). Have a read:

High above the 700-seat sanctuary, Amie Haskins, 27, the director of worship, sat in the church’s control booth receiving their text messages on the church’s cell phone. She screened out some (most were about whether pets would be in heaven — a point she knew Schreiner would be addressing later in the sermon), and typed others into a computer that was connected to Schreiner’s laptop next to him. During Schreiner’s 30-minute sermon, Haskins received 35 questions.

Trust American Churches to have a ‘Director of Worship’. That, I find slightly amusing.

Anyway I really like the use of the medium.

eBay are running a promotion for SMS text alerts for September waiving the normal charge of 12p per message. You’ll be able to receive free alerts when watched items are about to end as well as place and raise bids on eBay auctions.

Good news!? Anyone ever used eBay text messaging alerts?

Operators, it seems, have been dragging their feet and causing delays, saying they need to do technical testing to make sure the new service won’t cause any interference with the mobile services already out there.

From the New York TImes:

Representatives Anna Eshoo and Edward Markey suggested the operators might have other motives. “We are concerned that incumbent wireless carriers are seeking unnecessary and unprecedented testing delays to prevent new innovative competitors from entering the market,” they wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin

How many times have we seen this sort of scenario? Operators see something coming that’s inexorable yet they reckon it will hurt their bottom line, so they drag their feet for as long as they can rather than thinking up new ways to make sure they stay ahead of the competition. Fingers crossed we see this free wireless service as soon as possible.

The St Pancras website carries this info:

Right on!

The back end is managed by CitySpace. Who, I suspect, aren’t on the Christmas card list of the existing WiFi providers such as The Cloud.

What next for The Cloud when folk are giving away WiFi?

The move by St Pancras makes perfect, perfect sense. The shops, in particular, will get a lot more business from the passing trade, I imagine. You need somewhere to sit, afterall, right? And, whilst you’re checking your mail, that double chocolate muffin does look pretty tempting.

Here at SMS Text News we are a big fan of things like this and it is great they are using SMS technology to promote such an important issue. The other thing is the lovely Leona Lewis is the Ambassador for the campaign and we all know how much some of the SMS Text News contributors (not naming any names) have a great admiration for her!

Sign Up was really simple, which can be seem from the screen shot below, and when signed up you are entered into a prize draw to win some prizes from the campaigns other partner Superdrug.

Fantastic Service I think, now only if there was a similar service for the millions of hay fever sufferers.

I was walking past the McDonalds in Oxford Street, at the Oxford Circus, when I saw a ‘Free WiFi’ sticker. I’ve walked by a few other restaurants recently and been surprised by the amount of folk sat in there munching away on a Big Mac with their laptops out, browsing the web, clearly using BT Openzone or similar.

This has taken my by surprise. The last time I was in a McDonalds trying to get WiFi, it was paid-for and didn’t work (the joys of a Hartlepool existence). So things have moved on, big time. It’s an excellent move and something I’ll need to add to my consciousness whenever I want fast data.

Check out the McDonalds site for the restaurant locator:

Allowing consumers to send text messages at no cost could lead to crashed mobile phone networks and a flood of unwanted promotional text messages, a lawmaker said on Monday.

Catanduanes Rep. Joseph Santiago, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information and Communications Technology, said removing the charges for SMS (short messaging service) would only swamp networks with junk messages that could eventually lead to recurring system crashes.

He warned that once texting is free the subscribers will “surely get unwelcome messages every minute, even during our sleep.”

Obviously the networks need to keep the lights on. I think the move to unlimited texting packages is perfectly fine. No cost? Well, … I wonder. I don’t think tha’ts the way to go.

Fund My Phone works slightly differently: it gives you free minutes if you encourage all your Facebook mates to endure some advertising spots. Free-minutes-seekers install the application, tell all their friends about it, and for every four mates that watches a one minute trailer of some sort and gives their feedback, free minutes get sent back to the original user.

In principle, it’s a canny idea but how many of people’s Facebook friends are more than vague acquaintances they added to boost their friends list and make themselves look popular? Asking them to watch some adverts for you should separate the wheat from the chaff and you might even get some free airtime out of it to boot.

MySpace users will get all the usual goodies – including being able to edit MySpace profiles, view and add friends, post blogs and bulletins and send and receive MySpace messages – by clicking through from Sprint’s web portal on their mobiles. It’s worth noting it’s only free to Sprint’s data subscribers though.

MySpace has been signing with all manner of operators as it faces tough competition from the likes of Facebook. It doesn’t seem to be doing too badly though – it’s had one million visitors a day to its MySpace mobile site even though it’s still been in beta til now.