Research and Markets: In 2008 It Is Predicted That Over 2 Trillion Text Messages Will Be Sent Worldwide and This Number Continues To Grow

Business Wire - Research and Markets has announced the addition of 2008 Global Mobile -- Data and Content Markets to their offering.

Key highlights:

-- In the wake of the popularity of HSDPA, currently over 25 HSUPA networks have been commercially launched in 20 countries around the world.

-- Today more than 40 mobile operators worldwide are developing mobile IM services for personal use and in late 2007 personal mobile IM became available in Asia.

-- In 2008 it is predicted over 2 trillion text messages will be sent worldwide and this number continues to grow.

-- The USA is planning the most significant upgrade to its GPS system since its launch. GPS III satellites are expected to have 500 times the transmitter power of the current system.

-- In 2008 mobile TV/video is commercially available in some markets and there will be further launches and trials taking place in all regions of the world.

-- The introduction of smaller and more flexible chipset modules will reduce the size of the RFID readers and bring overall costs down.

-- Operators around the world are contemplating and deploying IMS; a mobile platform that makes seamless communications possible between fixed and mobile networks. Initially attitudes towards IMS were overly positive, but the hype is now settling with operators taking a more realistic and cautious approach.

-- In 2008 around 70% of GPRS operators have committed to deploying EDGE in their networks worldwide.

-- The US mobile data sector continued to enjoy strong growth (at around 60%) in 2007.

-- Mobile operators in Eastern Europe are slowly focusing on mobile data, particularly in countries where prospects for revenue growth from saturated voice markets are slim and the number of deployed WCDMA/HSDPA networks is on the rise, a tribute to the technology's maturity and its dominance of the 3G technology market.

New Mobile Services from Clear Channel Interact Will Transform Outdoor Advertising

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clear Channel Outdoor UK is launching a suite of ground-breaking mobile services which will enable clients and agencies to interact directly with consumers through the outdoor medium. The new services, branded Clear Channel Interact, will allow consumers to opt-in to find out more information about an advertiser, download mobile vouchers for special offers, access mobile websites or find the nearest store, gym, cinema or other desired location.

The number of adult mobile phone owners in the UK has reached 88%, according to the Mobile Data Association, while Clear Channel Outdoor’s 70,000 outdoor advertising opportunities reach 84% of the population every week*. Advertisers will now be able to book outdoor advertising campaigns that include a call to action for consumers to use their mobiles and text a Clear Channel operated shortcode number which provides access to a world of bespoke mobile information, selected by the advertiser.

These services will include: Find out more, Mobile voucher, Mobile website, Find my nearest, Consumer feedback, Voting service, Text messaging, Voice messaging, Picture messaging and Directory listings.

The Mobile voucher service, for example, will allow an advertiser to send vouchers direct to a mobile handset which can be redeemed directly in-store or by entering a unique code online.

The Find my nearest service can be used to drive footfall and facilitate the call to action of a particular campaign. Clear Channel Interact will be able to triangulate a consumer’s location and search its database for the nearest locations according to keyword. The matching destinations, for example retail outlets, gyms or cinemas, can then be sent to the user’s handset including addresses, telephone numbers and maps.

All of these services will be supported by a back-end system that will provide tracking and data profiling facilities for advertisers, in accordance with the Data Protection Act, further enhancing the accountability of specific campaigns, and the outdoor medium as a whole.

Clear Channel Outdoor UK CEO, Barry Sayer, said: “We see the launch of Clear Channel Interact as the perfect marriage between the world’s oldest and newest media. While outdoor advertising provides clients with penetration at the heart of relevant environments and communities across the country, mobile technology closes the marketing loop by directly linking the consumer to the advertiser, initialising two-way communication.”

Priceline.com Launches New Mobile Services For Travelers

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Priceline.com® (Nasdaq: PCLN) announced today the launch of a suite of mobile services that enable travelers with Web-enabled wireless devices to search hotel inventories, pricing and availability in real-time, book rooms, check the status of their flights, and see recommended restaurants and local attraction reviews from Zagat Survey, LLC.

“We believe these enhancements make priceline.com one of the leading wireless services providers in the online travel space,” said priceline.com’s Chief Marketing Officer Brett Keller. “Many priceline.com customers are last-minute travelers who need the ability to check live hotel inventories, book their rooms in real-time and check their flight status while on the road. In addition, Zagat Survey’s restaurant and attractions reviews provide unique, valuable content that can’t be found on any other major online travel service.”

Travelers can access priceline.com’s mobile services in two ways. When accessed through a Web-enabled wireless device, www.priceline.com will automatically route visitors to the special wireless home page. Travelers can also access priceline.com’s mobile services, by wireless device or computer, by visiting www.priceline.mobi.

Priceline’s mobile features include:

• Search Hotels. Allows customers to search live, real-time hotel inventories and pricing by city and date. Once the desired hotel is located, customers can click on a link to be connected to Priceline’s telephone booking service for hotels.
• Book Travel. Provides an easy connection to Priceline’s telephone booking services for hotel rooms, air & hotel vacation packages and cruises.
• Flight Status. Automatically connects to the mobile flight status pages for American, Northwest, United and US Airways. Provides links that customers can use to dial flight status phone numbers for most major domestic and international airlines.
• Zagat-Rated Restaurants. Allows visitors to view highlights of Zagat-Rated restaurants by city. Each restaurant is accompanied by address, phone number, average price and Zagat’s signature numerical rating of its Food, Décor and Service.
• Zagat-Rated Attractions. Allows visitors to view highlights of Zagat-Rated attractions by city. Each attraction is accompanied by address, telephone number, cost (if any), and Zagat’s signature numerical rating of its Appeal, Facilities and Service.
• Customer Help. Provides e-mail and telephone links to Priceline customer service for hotels, vacation packages and cruises.
• Download Goodies. Offers downloadable ringtones and wireless device wallpaper from priceline.com’s current Negotiator TV commercials, starring William Shatner.