Press Coverage

TelstraOne Experience delivers common look-and-feel on Motorola, Sony Ericsson mobiles

Telstra is using customised handset firmware to promote its online services to mobile customers.

Rather than simply providing the handset and connectivity and letting customers choose which services suit them best, the ‘TelstraOne Experience’ promotes content and services from Telstra and related companies (eg Foxtel and Sensis).

The interface has initially been implemented on the Motorola Motosurf A3100 and the Sony Ericsson W705.

Both versions were created in Australia. Pointui took care of the Windows Mobile implementation for the A3100 (which is also being showcased by Microsoft Australia), while SurfKitchen built the W705 version in conjunction with Sony Ericsson.

TelstraOne Experience will be seen on other Windows Mobile and Sony Ericsson phones as they are released.

Grace Kerrison, director of Microsoft’s ANZ mobile communications business, told iTWire that her company is working with Telstra on the development of TelstraOne Experience for non-touchscreen phones running Windows Mobile.

According to Ross Fielding, executive director, Telstra product management, the front end could appear in future on other phone platforms.

What else did he say?

“With TelstraOne Experience, it won’t matter what handset the customer uses, the experience will be similar and customisable to the customer’s individual requirements,” he said.

“And in the future when customers upgrade, they will be able to take the menu configurations they love with them by choosing a new TelstraOne Experience handset.”

At least the interface allows for some customisation.

“Customised icons take customers directly to the most popular applications and services like phonebook and calendar and social networking and search. Everything customers want on their mobile is now closer than ever and accessible in more places on Telstra’s Next G network,” said Glenice Maclellan, executive director, Telstra consumer.

“TelstraOne Experience delivers on our one-click vision, giving customers greater control over the services they want to use on their mobile phone. This means fast, easy access to advanced mobile content and applications including Facebook, Mobile FOXTEL from Telstra and Sensis search services,” she added.

However, it is not clear whether users will be able to substitute (say) MySpace for Facebook, or Google for Sensis.

And Kerrison was unable to explain how third-party Windows Mobile developers could easily create applications that match the TelstraOne Experience look and feel without explicitly following that user interface design.