O2’s newly launched home broadband service is offering O2 mobile customers an easier way to access e-mail and personal contact information while on the go. O2 incorporates Critical Path’s (News - Alert) Memova technology that enables customers with O2 Broadband to have e-mail messages delivered to their mobile phones.

O2 customers can also easily synchronize contacts, as well as diary and task information. This capability allows for a consistent set of information that is accessible from any application or device.

 

Powered by Memova Messaging and Memova Mobile, these value-added features provide a converged experience between O2’s fixed-line and mobile services. O2 Broadband was launched on the 15th of October and is available from the O2 Web site, telesales and O2 retail stores country-wide.

When O2 mobile customers register for O2 Broadband, the mobile email and synchronization features can be activated immediately.

O2 Broadband e-mail accounts can be ‘mobilized’ by subscribers without the need of configuration or installation that can be confusing to the e-mail client software on mobile phones. The mobile e-mail service provides a push experience and works with any MMS-capable phone – which is basically the majority of mobile phones on the market today.

In addition, as most customers do not necessarily want to receive all of their e-mail on the go, the service enables users to select “preferred” contacts, thereby controlling which e-mails are pushed forward to their mobile handsets.

Beyond the mobile e-mail option, O2 Broadband’s synchronization feature also makes it easier for users to communicate with friends and family anytime, anywhere. The feature keeps contacts consistent and up-to-date across all of the subscriber’s applications and devices, including PCs and mobile phones.

What’s more, as data is secured on the O2 network, subscribers never have to worry about losing data, even in the event of a lost or damaged device. Personal data stored on mobile phones can be backed up quickly and easily over the air, and automotive updates ensure that changes are routinely synchronized across all mobile and fixed-line services.

Vanson Bourne recently conducted a survey for Critical Path that found that 54 percent of UK mobile phone users spent hours inputting contacts into new devices. The O2 Broadband synchronization features reduce this time to a matter of minutes with its Web-based interface for managing personal information.

The survey also found that 68% of UK mobile email users are still using their phone’s Web browser or SMS to access email. The new O2 service provides a faster and easier to use mobile e-mail, offering a push delivery, as well as support for multimedia attachments, such as photos and music.

“The mobile email and synchronization features are just some of the first steps we’re taking to bring mobile and fixed-line communications services together for our subscribers,” said Nick Hill, Broadband Online Manager, O2, in a Tuesday statement.

“Our aim is to provide seamlessly integrated experiences across mobile and web. In this case, we have made it easy for our O2 Broadband users to access their email on the go via their mobile phone and access their contacts from anywhere.” He continued, “Our partnership with Critical Path has been crucial in helping O2 achieve these goals.”

“Mobile email is moving increasingly from the business to the consumer arena, and consumers want a converged experience with anytime, anywhere access to their contacts and communities. O2 has anticipated these demands by offering inherently consumer-friendly services that are easy for subscribers to begin using.” said Donald Dew, CTO, Critical Path, in Tuesday’s statement.

Consumers throughout the world are becoming increasingly mobile, demanding more from their mobile devices. O2 understands this demand, as well as what consumers need to make their devices user friendly. Such an approach can ensure widespread adoption and increased customer loyalty.

The reality of technology offerings is that no matter what functionality they offer, if it isn’t easy and quick for the customer, they are likely to look elsewhere for the same solution. O2 understands this important point and has released a solution that not only meets the mobile consumers’ demand for increased functionality, but also the increased demand for time-saving functions.