[3GScottishUser]

From Tech Digest (26/09/2005):

O2's long awaited i-mode Internet service has finally been unveiled in the UK. offering users the chance to experience a fast and cost effective internet service. Already the world’s most widely-used mobile Internet service with more than 50 million users in 22 countries, i-mode is supposed to be an easy-to-use service, which runs significantly faster than most services. Available in the UK exclusively from O2 on 1st October, the service will launch on Pay as You Go and Pay Monthly and will be on both 3G and 2G services.

Around 100 international and local mobile Internet sites have been unveiled at the launch, with brands such as Egg, Interflora, lastminute.com, Rightmove.co.uk and Monster.com getting involved. As well as advanced internet services, with banking, shopping, email, ticket bookings and news all available, a push email service will also be included, allowing you to get your emails straight to your phone instantly.

Four unique i-mode handsets, with more to follow, have been unveiled: Samsung S500i (£249 Pre-pay, free Post Pay); NEC 411i (£99 Pre-pay, free on Post Pay); the NEC 343i (£79 for pre-pay, free on Post pay) and the Samsung Z320i 3G slider phone, which will cost £249 on pre-pay and from £79.99 on contract

Full Article (http://www.techdigest.tv/2005/09/o2s_imode_inter.html)

[Ben]

Getti just linked me to the press release, which can be found here: http://www.o2.com/media/pr_050926.asp

I really hope this lives up to the hype and can become a success over here. It could do great things for O2.

[getti]

I have just sent an email off to my contacts in O2 to hopefully get an I-Mode phone to review soon.

I would love to test I-mode to see what difference it was to normal WAP

[solo12002]

Hi lads

Question for those with the Tech know how!!

ig you have a 3g mobile or a GPRS type of mobile willl you be able to access I-Mode or do you require a mobile for this over and above the nomal type mobile?

Also is there any point in buying a I-mode mobile now if thats is required in light of O2 going to have 3g up and running shortly.

In short,I have a number of sim free mobiles ie Z500 and V800 will I be able to use a o2 sim card to get I-mode or do Ineed another sim card and or mobile?

[3GScottishUser]

i-mode is a proprietry system that can operate over both GSM and UMTS networks. It will obviously be faster over UMTS but it was developed specifically to address the needs for consumer security and transmission of graphic rich content using limited bandwidth. It's main benefit is ease of use and it has made browsing content more popular than other mobile based services.

i-mode is handset dependent with its own browser and other software to handle encryption etc. You cant use a standard handset to get i-mode services.

For more info on i-mode visit www.i-mode.com

[solo12002]

Thanks 3SGU for the information.

Just another two to clear things in my mind. I note i-mode has push E mail , I take it this will be almost like Blackberry type E mail then?

Are the four handsets 02 offering also 3G in other words will thay also be able to be used on the 02 3g network as well as I-mode, i think of the lasd in their postsing has stated that, just like to confirm.

Thanks

[3GScottishUser]

Nope only the Samsung SGH Z320i is 3G (UMTS) the rest are GSM/GPRS. Doubt if 02 are daft enough to take an NEC 3g handset on board having seen how they performed on 3's network.

i-mode has 'always-on' connectivity so e-mail and other alerts are received almost as soon as they are sent, there is no need to connect as you do for 3 mail etc.