STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 20, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Vodafone Sweden now offers travel service directly on mobile phones London, Paris or Rome -- which trip is least expensive, where will you get most value for money, and which city has the best nightlife? Vodafone Sweden's customers will now be able to obtain travel information via their mobile phones by using the company's new consumer concept, Vodafone live!. Travel magazine Vagabond will be supplying travel guides, while part of the offering of the Resfeber.se travel agency will be going mobile. Both will be offering their services under their own brand.
Vodafone live!, which is scheduled for launch by Vodafone Sweden before Christmas, will make your mobile phone simpler and more fun to use. It offers the very latest mobile communication services in colour, sound and pictures, and the package includes the market's newest camera phones. The concept is sold as part of a package where mobile phones and all other services are ready to use directly on purchase.
"We are naturally delighted that Vagabond and Resfeber.se have chosen to work with us, since travel and mobile communication are closely connected. The idea of taking a trip can arise at any time, particularly in the company of good friends. And when you have a mobile phone in your hand and the opportunity to check prices and tourist sights directly on it, this increases the chances of actually making a spur-of-the-moment idea come true," said Goran Mannerstrale, Director of Consumer Affairs at Vodafone Sweden.
The Resfeber.se travel agency will initially be providing price information for its most popular destinations, as well as the latest weather forecasts for 16,000 destinations and foreign exchange information in collaboration with FOREX.
"This is just the beginning of our mobile service offering. In the future, we believe that customers will be able to book hotels and events via their mobile phones directly on location in the cities and countries they visit. Our customers travel more than the average, so this kind of service really provides added value for them," said Sofia Hagelin, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Marketing at Resfeber.se.
For Vagabond, the agreement with Vodafone Sweden will open up a new channel to its readers and new income opportunities for its service offering.
"The mobile phones included in Vodafone live! are equipped with colour displays and picture capabilities, which will enable us to make our mobile services highly attractive. Initially, we will be offering a number of travel guides, but if all turns out well, we hope to be able to provide additional services," said Alexandra Kindblom, Marketing Manager at Vagabond.
Pictures showing how the services will be presented in Vodafone live! are available for publication and can be downloaded at http://www.vodafone.se/images.
For more information, please contact: Vodafone Sweden Goran Mannerstrale, Director of Consumer Affairs Tel: +46 708 33 18 45 e-mail: goran.mannerstrale@vodafone.se David Erixon, Head of Marketing, Consumer Affairs Tel: +46 709 61 47 77 e-mail: david.erixon@vodafone.se Resfeber.se Sofia Hagelin, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Marketing Tel: +46 708 87 76 95 e-mail: sofia.hagelin@resfeber.se Vagabond Media AB Alexandra Kindblom, Head of Marketing Tel: +46 707 35 14 63 e-mail: alexandra.kindblom@vagabond.se
Europolitan Vodafone AB is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange O-list on Attract 40. The operations are conducted by Europolitan Vodafone AB and its subsidiaries, Vodafone Sverige AB and Vodafone Stores AB. The majority shareholder is Vodafone Group Plc (NYSE:VOD), with 74.7 per cent of the shares, while private shareholders, investment companies and pension funds own the remaining 25.3 per cent. The Vodafone Group is the world's largest mobile network and is represented in 28 countries on five continents. It has over 229 million mobile telecoms users. Our services enhance the efficiency of companies' operations and make it simpler and more fun for people to communicate. For more information, please visit our web site at www.vodafone.se and www.vodafone.com
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