Vodafone sees 1 mln Europe pix-phone sales by Mar
Reuters, Aug 3 2002
LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Mobile telecoms giant Vodafone Group Plc <VOD.L> hopes to sell a million camera phones across Europe by next March, the Guardian reported on Saturday.
The newspaper quoted Chief Executive Chris Gent as saying in an interview Vodafone hoped to sell a million of the phones, which can send digital snaps with text, by its March 31 financial year-end, and many more after that.
"That is when the uptick in revenues will start to bite," Gent said.
Gent told reporters when announcing first quarter trading figures last Monday that Vodafone would make a strong picture camera sales push in the run-up to Christmas and in the last quarter of the financial year.
He expects picture messaging, launching in Europe this autumn, to be a key driver for consumer data. Japan already has it and data makes up 20 percent of Vodafone revenue there.
Gent also told the Guardian he expected Vodafone's high- speed third generation (3G) mobile services to start generating sales in the second half of next year. Vodafone's 3G network opens in parts of Europe this October, but would take some time to be offered to subscribers.
"My genuine feeling is that by about midway through next year we will be able to turn on the services for real customers, assuming the handsets have been properly debugged, and then start ramping up sales in the second half of next year -- but they will not come in huge volume."
Gent said it would take some time for new services to boost Vodafone's shares, which have lost about 40 percent of their value in the last 12 months.
"I think it will be late this year before you start to see the good financial performance and the combination of new products and services really getting into investors' consciousness," he said. "It could be that by the time we get to next year's (annual general meeting) the shares will be travelling north again."
This year's shareholder meeting was held last Wednesday.
Vodafone reported a 13.5 billion pound pre-tax loss in the year to March 31, 2002.
industryclick.com
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"..Vodafone.. hopes to sell a million camera phones across Europe by next March.."
Only 1M - across all of Europe - by March? What's the problem now?
"My genuine feeling is that by about midway through next year we will be able to turn on the (UMTS) services for real customers, assuming the handsets have been properly debugged, and then start ramping up sales in the second half of next year -- but they will not come in huge volume."
<ggg>
Oooh! Real customers? Assuming, of course, that handsets have been "properly debugged"... (versus improperly?)
What's the hallmark of 3GSM evolution?
Chronic slippage... chronic deceptions.
It's nearly time to watch 3GSM vendors' GSMwCDMA handset deadlines fall like so many dominos. NOK has already telegraphed failure... MOT doesn't even talk about it at its quarterly CC... Hutchison let the cat out of the bag on NEC and MOT bugs.
It's funny. NOK's fig leaf is that networks won't be ready. Gent's fig leaf is that handsets are buggy.
And they're both right.
Is 3GSM implosion imminent?
Perhaps.
There's Fall fun to be had, waiting for the next Euro carrier collapse. |
