Press Releases

As from 29 September, Telecel will be offering the most advanced version – SMG 31 – of the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technology. Since there are not expected to be any terminals available during October that can support the SMG 31 version of GPRS, Telecel is initiating the demonstration phase of the service using pre-release Motorola handsets.

During this phase, Telecel will be demonstrating GPRS applications to customers at its shops in the Torres de Lisboa in Lisboa, and in Rua da Ranha in Oporto. Telecel customers will be able to see a demonstration of various services including WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) on GPRS, Internet access via a PC, sending and receiving e-mails and chat services.

Telecel is also starting a number of pilot projects with some of its corporate customers in the field of data transmission for business, particularly in the area of the migration of existing services to this new technology.

As a result of a contract signed with Ericsson in December 1999, Telecel was one of the first European operators to receive GPRS test infrastructure and equipment. The Company has been carrying out tests since the beginning of this year. The first GPRS call was successfully made in May and the technology demonstrated to the Press and business partners in July of this year.

GPRS is a packet-switched data transmission system that allows users to be permanently on-line and offers data transmission speeds of up to 115 kbps.

The combined use of GPRS and WAP will permit almost instantaneous connection on the move to Internet content, e-commerce transactions and other services of interest to customers.