STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 8, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Vodafone (NYSE:VOD) (Other OTC:VODPF): mobile users want to be able to communicate in pictures. This is one of the conclusions to be drawn from Vodafone Sweden's mobile telephone sales in March, dominated as they are by sales of phones with MMS capabilities. As many as seven out of March's ten best-selling mobile phones are capable of supporting communication in the form of pictures, text and sound messages, or so-called MMS, while five of the phones enable their users to take photos.
"We have noted a clear increase in the demand for mobile phones equipped for picture communication, and particularly for phones equipped to take photos. Both our current Vodafone live! handsets, the Panasonic GD87 and the Nokia 7650, have built-in cameras and are now on the top-ten list, along with the Sony Ericsson P800. In addition, the list includes the Sony Ericsson T68i and the Nokia 7210, which can both be equipped with a camera," said Tommy Sundstrom, Vice President of Vodafone Sverige and head of Vodafone's store chain in Sweden.
"We are expecting interest in camera telephones to grow even more now that we plan to offer the Nokia 3650 and the Sharp GX10i as part of our Vodafone live! concept this spring. In addition, the agreements concluded between Sweden's operators, making it possible to send MMS between the different networks, will lead to an increase in the number of mobile users who want to communicate with the help of pictures," said Tommy Sundstrom.
Top-ten sales list for mobile phones, March 2003, Vodafone Brand Model Function Price level* 1.Sony Ericsson T200 GPRS/EMS Low 2.Sony Ericsson T68i GPRS/MMS/Colour Medium 3.Nokia 3510 GPRS/MMS/Colour Low 4.Nokia 7210 GPRS/MMS/Colour High 5.Nokia 5210 WAP Low 6.Panasonic GD87 Vodafone live!/GPRS/MMS/Colour High 7.Nokia 3310 Low 8.Nokia 3510i GPRS/MMS/Colour Low 9.Nokia 7650 Vodafone live!/GPRS/MMS/Colour High 10.Sony Ericsson P800 GPRS/MMS/Colour High *Based on the cost price of the phones.
For more information, please contact: Tommy Sundstrom, Vice President, Vodafone Sweden Tel.: +46 708-33 15 10 e-mail: tommy.sundstrom@vodafone.se
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