Sonera finally launches UMTS network in twenty locations around Finland

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At long last, and some 18 months after a similar service was first offered in the United Kingdom, TeliaSonera opened up 3G or UMTS mobile phone services on Tuesday morning in 20 locations around Finland.
      The arrival of third-generation mobile telephony on these shores has been awaited with much anticipation, but the actual launch took place without any great fanfares.
      Finland was among the very first countries worldwide to grant 3G licences to operators, but there was a lengthy delay between the permits and the opening of networks.
     
One factor hampering the roll-out has been the shortage of suitable hardware - even now the range of handsets for what is generally regarded as "mobile broadband" is very limited. Nokia has promised to put its new UMTS model, the 6630, into the shops before Christmas. If people can get past the likely EUR 600 price-tag, it could become a hit item in a market where Nokia products dominate.
      The appreciably faster data transfer speeds in 3G technology, relative to GSM, will make videotelephony a possibility. Interestingly, in the UK it has been things like video replays of the weekend’s football highlights that have attracted users, rather than actual videophone calls.
      The world’s first 3G networks were opened in Japan in the fall of 2001. In Finland TeliaSonera expects to have tens of thousands of 3G customers by this time next year.


Links:
  TeliaSonera Press Release, 22.9.2004

Helsingin Sanomat