Press Releases

ONE: Successful market entry as "Mobile fixed-line network"

- ONE is Bringing Changes to the Austrian Mobile Telephony Market
- 30,000 Satisfied Customers Two Months After Launch

“We have succeeded in creating an optimum basis for ONE at record speed in all fields – technology, recognition, customer satisfaction,” JØrgen Bang-Jensen, CEO of ONE, shows his satisfaction about the first three months after the market entry of Austria’s most modern mobile network.
“For us, the pre-condition for a successful launch was to have a clear strategic positioning and apply it consistently.” The fact that we have achieved this on all levels is proven among other things by the following points:
- 83% of all Austrians know the brand ONE (Integral, see below)
- The superior quality of the one and only GSM-1800 network is unquestioned
- ONE’s tariffs have cut prices down to fixed-line levels
- 30,351 satisfied customers two months after launch
- Network rollout at record speed, as planned - 80% mark already exceeded
- 86 roaming partners in 58 countries
- Project financing was successful and received an international award
Thus, ONE created a successful basis for reaching the following main goals in 1999:

- to complete rollout of the GSM-1800 network
- to further strengthen our pioneer role in the mobile data offensive
- to reach a “fair market share”

ONE is setting standards

What makes Bang-Jensen especially happy is the fact that ONE has succeeded in setting new standards. From dual-band handsets to tariff models that are easy to understand, ONE has always been ahead of its competitors. And ONE is still the only operator with EFR technology implemented in the network and all handsets – “max and A1 still have crystal clear voice quality only in their brochures.”

Rollout 1999: Sprinting to 90% coverage

ONE has also set clear goals with regard to network coverage:
60% population coverage at launch was twice as much as max.mobil had at their market entry. Presently more than 80% of the Austrian population are being reached, by mid-1999 coverage will be above 90%.

ONE 1999: Five Steps to Mobile Data Offensive

Network coverage is one of several quality factors. What is decisive for fully being able to bring into play the advantages of the 1800-MHz technology, is precise network planning and the application of the most modern hard- and software. Says Bang-Jensen, “While UMTS is still in the stage of copyright debates, GSM 1800 is already today providing data-transmission rates of the future.”

ONE will offer the following features and services in 1999:

1. ONE NewsFlash: Simply Informative.

Starting February 22, ONE – in co-operation with APA and Der Standard – will offer customers up-to-date information on the subjects News, Leisure, Economy, Sports, Weather, and Events. The information is either called upon by specific request (pull service) or subscribed to (push service) and can be drawn directly via the menu.

2. WAP Brings What You Need.

Nokia will present the first handset supporting WAP in the first half of 1999. Thanks to WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) all Internet contents can actually be retrieved directly via a mobile phone.

WAP makes it possible that only the actual information is transmitted to the display of the handset. E.g.: If you need a stock-exchange rate, the relevant graph as shown on the Internet is not transmitted, because the Internet server understands that the request is for GSM and not for PC, and thus reduces the information accordingly.

3. HSCSD – High Speed Circuit Switched Data.

Bang-Jensen explains, “The GSM-1800 network is the ideal basis for high-speed data transmission. With HSCSD we will reach data-transmission speeds equal to ISDN.”

4. ONE to Offer WAP Applications.

In the second half of the year, the first terminals developed in the co-operation Symbian (with Ericsson, Nokia, and Motorola), including a new operating system on the basis of Psion, will enter the market. This means that the so-called Communicators such as the Nokia 9110 will be replaced by Symbian terminals. Thus, an actual integration of Internet, mobile phone, pocket PC, and personal assistant will be possible for the first time. So far Internet access has mainly been used to send e-mails. With WAP it will be possible to use all other Internet services as well.

5. GPRS for Optimum Use of Capacities.

ONE is planning to introduce GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) in late 1999/early 2000, which will mark the beginning of a new multimedia era in mobile telephony. GPRS optimises the capacities for Internet/Intranet access, since it enables transmission of messages in “packages”. With GPRS, the Internet connection can remain open all day long, costs will only arise whenever information is retrieved. This enables a better use of frequencies and capacities.

GSM 1800 Before UMTS

Bang-Jensen states, “GSM 1800 can do almost anything UMTS can do – however, sooner.” Therefore, regarding UMTS, ONE wants to first wait for a decision in the copyright issue. In case UMTS is actually recognised and the Regulator does not accept the 2-by-2 model as proposed by ONE regarding the award of frequencies, ONE will be able to implement UMTS shortly, since ONE’s GSM-1800 network is the only network in Austria already fit for UMTS.