Russian Mobile Content News
Newsletter, February 1-12, 2006

MTS offers i-mode users a chance to win Ford Fusion car
Participants of MTS' Forward with i-mode! promotion will be awarded prizes, including the latest i-mode phones and a Ford Fusion car. Prizes will be awarded to participants who answer the most questions correctly during a set daily or weekly period. This promotion is available to MTS users in Moscow and the Moscow region. The per minute call fee is $0.75.
Source: http://www.mts.ru

PlayFon announced videotone distribution in Russia
PlayFon introduced videotones in cooperation with a Finnish VAS provider Sunset Wireless Ltd. Under the signed agreement PlayFon distributes videotones in Russia and Ukraine. Currently PlayFon's videotone line-up includes more that 20 applications grouped into genres. The applications developed on Symbian C++ are compatible with all Nokia Series 60 devices. "Videotone is one of those new products that will enjoy a great deal of popularity in 3G networks. The introduction of innovative services to the Russian market is one of our strategic goals," said Ilya Gorodesky, PlayFon's Head of Information. Another Moscow based content provider Nikita Mobile is also starting to sell videotones.
Source: http://comnews.ru/index.cfm?id=20615&tempo=445

PlayMobile's content catalog for film & sport fancy
PlayMobile continues to develop its Java catalogs of mobile content. Recently the catalog line was enriched with film, sport and erotic products. The cinema catalog lists mobile games based on block-basters like Terminator, King-Kong, Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor), slide-shows with favorite actors, etc. -- all together over 30 products. The sport catalog covers the most popular games grouped in sections like Tennis, Ice-Hockey, Football: Champion League, etc.
Source: http://sotovik.ru/news/news_20083.html

Next Media Entertainment released Java comics "Sasha+Masha"
Next Media Entertainment released Java comics based on a popular Russian serial "Sasha+Masha" running on TNT TV channel, distraction format. Currently the customers can enjoy seven comics, and the company is planning to develop more. A piece price is $2+VAT. The Java comics release is accomplished with a promo campaign on TNT channel. The comics production is based on a unique technology JAVA X-PRESSION. "That innovative technology developed by Shamrock Games (Next Media Holding) allows to produce unique applications for mobile phones with J2ME," said Grigory Kuzin, CEO, Next Media Entertainment.
http://www.mforum.ru/sub/content/news/018528.htm

Beeline brings mobile Internet to remote schools
VimpelCom announced the second phase of a social programme "New technologies for children." Within the programme phase framework 66 schools situated in remote rural locations over Russia will be connected to the Internet provided by Beeline network over GPRS/EDGE wireless access. The programme is entirely funded from the VimpelCom budget. The 2006 programme budget is $140,000. Thus, since the programme start in 2004, VimpelCom will invest $200,000 in the programme support.
Source: http://www.sotovik.ru

Antimonopoly agency controlling mobile content TV ads
In Chelyabinsk (a Russian city located in the Ural region) a local Antimonopoly Agency department has received numerous complains about quality of mobile content advertisement on local TV channels. Customers complained that mobile content TV ads contained deem information on the service price (price info was lacking or provided in too small unreadable fonts). Such advertisement is considered as misleading. The complains have came primarily from parents whose children (unconsciously?) ordered mobile ringtones without understanding the cost. The antimonopoly authorities has sent a letter of recommendation to Chelyabinsk TV channels to eliminate misleading advertisements. In reply the TV channels informed the authorities of taking the recommendation into consideration.
Source: http://www.sotovik.ru/news/news_20242.html

PlayFon introducing IVR platform
TelecomProduct company reported of putting into operation ProfitSwitch.IVR platform at a content provider PlayFon. The ProfitSwitch.IVR platform will allow PlayFon to launch a number of new voice services.
Source: http://mforum.ru/news/article/018493.htm

Ericsson & VimpelCom deploying new technology
Ericsson and VimpelCom are the first to demonstrate 3GPP standard-based compressed speech and signaling (SIGTRAN) over IP in a commercial GSM network. Speech compression over all-IP, introduced with Ericsson's Mobile Softswitch Solution, is the fundamental first step in the migration to an efficient IP network and it greatly reduces transmission requirements. The first call was made in December 2005 between Yekaterinburg and Nizhniy Tagil in a new VimpelCom coverage area. Zoran Lukovic, Ericsson's VP, Market Unit Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said: "We are proud to be selected by VimpelCom for the deployment of the softswitch solution and to support its evolution to all-IP. We are also grateful for their support to achieve yet another world first, confirming Ericsson's leadership." Sergey Avdeev, VimpelCom's Executive VP & CTO, added "Ericsson is a very reliable partner, which guarantees our investments to be future proof."
Source: http://www.ericsson.com

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