Next phase of O2 Active launched with additional functionality provided by SurfKitchen’s SurfKit Mobile solution
SurfKitchen, the leading provider of access management technology for mobile data services, today announced its crucial role in extending O2 Active, made available to O2 Germany’s mobile subscribers from today. O2 Active includes an innovative, full-colour mobile offline client application. This offers mobile users simple access to key services like ringtones, games or even O2’s mms2postcard service. In combination with the new UMTS O2 Active online portal the client provides a much better user experience for online data and multimedia services directly from a mobile device.
The launch of these O2 Active features means that for the first time, users can view services on the handset itself without having to go online. Once the desired content is found, the customer can connect directly to the information with just one click. O2 UK’s successful launch of the next phase of O2 Active in February 2004 demonstrated that SurfKit Mobile significantly improves the customer experience, making the process of locating and accessing premium data services simpler, more intuitive and more cost-effective.
SurfKit Mobile is the first solution that enables an operator to remotely customise and control information on the user’s handset, as its user interface can be managed and updated over the air. This is done by a straightforward, cost-effective platform, which is always present on the subscriber’s phone. This provides the capability for O2 Germany to brand and customise the mobile desktop to extend and build its identity.
Lutz Schuler, Senior Vice President Product Management & Strategy, O2 Germany said: “The combination of the SurfKitchen offline client application in combination with our UMTS O2 Active online portal offers “best of both worlds” – offline and online – for mobile data usage. It is an important step in stimulating further adoption of data services in Germany by improving the subscriber’s ease of use – SurfKitchen’s innovative platform does this very effectively.”
Philip Letts, CEO of SurfKitchen, said: “The frustrating aspect of data services for many mobile operators is that they have the high-value content available, but it is not easy enough for the end-user to access and consume that content. Our technology bridges this gap by allowing operators to reach into a device and improve the user’s experience. I strongly believe this will drive greater usage of data services and ultimately higher average revenue per user for the operator. Loyalty can also be built and churn reduced through pro-active customer care and increased user personalisation.”