Wanadoo to Bundle Nokia 770 with ADSL Service

[newsbot]

CincoDiaz (http://www.cincodias.com/articulo.html?d_date=20051006&xref=20051006cdscdiemp_12&type=Tes&anchor=cdsarcart&anchor2=cdscdi ) reports that Wanadoo (http://www.wanadoo.es/ ), a popular broadband provider in Europe, has announced that it will bundle the Nokia 770 with its ADSL service in Spain. It is also interesting to note that the article...
Read the full article. (http://www.internettablettalk.com/content/view/121)

[Reggie]

The Nokia 770's low cost is quite an advantage since broadband providers can easily subsidize the cost of the device in exchange for say, a year's contract of broadband service. I think it's a good marketing strategy.

I would suggest however that cable broadband providers, who usually bundles cable tv with the service, create an app that displays the TV guide, as well as lets you program your DVR, if you are away from your home.

[RogerS]

The 770 is the "killer app" for broadband vendors, no doubt about it. I think when people have one, they'll realize it's changing their life, so they'll really talk it up (eg, viral marketing). It would make so much sense for a cable company to subsidize the device, the way telecoms subsidize cellphones, as a way of committing people to their service.

[Mike Cane]

I think US CATV providers will gripe about the lack of IR port to interface with their set-top boxes. This is a bad oversight/decision on Nokia's part.

OTOH, Time Warner *does* push "wireless networking," so maybe that will be the angle used.

Wanadoo is a huge net provider. This is great news -- at least on *that* side of the pond.

[ulpito]

Hi people,
Wanadoo Spain is due to change its name and become part of Orange, which will start offering services as a 'global' operator (ie providing internet, cell and land lines) in Spain at the end of this month/beginning of november after purchasing one of the current mobile operators (Amena) and merging Uni2 (fixed telephony) and Wanadoo. However Wanadoo on its own is not doing very well, so I believe this announcement and the agreement with nokia are part of a new commercial strategy.
In any case I don't think offering the 770 in a bundle will be a huge success (even at a low price), the Spanish market is not (yet) ready for such a device (low internet awareness/'literacy' among the population and still high rates -39€+16%VAT- for a 1mb down/320kb up dsl line, though things seem to start changing now). Still, it's just great to know that some ISPs will be offering the 770. I'll report more details (price, conditions...) as soon as it's out to the market.
Greetz from Madrid.
MSG TO NOKIA: Bring the 770 out NOW! I can't wait any longer! :D

[RogerS]

I was a little frustrated with the translating tools' rendition of this article, so I asked my sister to translate it for me.

Her version:
Wanadoo will be the first internet provider in Spain to offer a package deal of their ADSL services and the new pocket-size 770 Internet Tablet from Nokia, which Finland demonstrated yesterday in Madrid. This comes as the international broadband congress and the city have welcomed broadband into the area.

The 770 is the first mobile terminal 'that is not a telephone' explains Janne Jormalainen, Vice President of Mobile Enhancements at Nokia, who indicated that there are more negotiations in the works with other operators. The new device will be out the end of this month with a recommended price of 350 euros although the manufacturer is looking for a possible subsidy from broadband providers.

The communication terminal, which is designed to navigate the internet, manage electronic mail, view photos and videos, or stream music, will run on Linux and will incorporate a Wifi connection so as to allow for wireless services via the internet

Nokia is preparing a new version of this device, which works with a stylus pen and has a great screen with high resolution, that will include Internet telephony (VoIP) and Instant Messaging. In just a few days, Wanadoo promises to reveal all the details.
Since the broadband conference that took place in Madrid occurred in October, well after the end of 3Q, I wonder if the Nokia reps there were indicating "available at the end of the month" from their general perception of how delayed it is. Or did the reporter just not understand the date?