Mobile internet 'made easy'

2008-06-26 09:21

Cape Town - Vodacom customers will be able to view all internet sites from their WAP-enabled cellphones, the cellular network said in a press release.

The new mobile internet service will ensure an accurate representation of the internet on a cellphone, through technology that adapts the computer-screen format of any website into a smaller, cellphone-friendly format.

"Vodacom's mobile internet will revolutionise the way South Africans use the internet," said Managing Director Shameel Joosub.

"Vodacom customers now have the freedom to explore a much wider world on an extensive range of cellphones, experiencing the familiarity of the internet they previously enjoyed via a computer.

"The new mobile internet service aims to make it easier to access websites from a cellphone. Most websites are not meant for display on cellphones; they may contain too much information for the cellphone to handle, require code that the cellphone does not understand, or offer services that the cellphone cannot access.

"It's important for customers to understand that technologically, this is a whole new ball game compared to the limited mobile internet access that has been available in South Africa up to now," Joosub added.

According to Joosub, it is not the same as "made-for-mobile" pages, which have been specifically designed to work on a cellphone and which are much smaller than standard web pages.

"A made-for-mobile site offers and will be limited to only services suitable for use on a cellphone, while Vodacom's new mobile internet service automatically reformats any web page so it fits the cellphone screen," said Joosub.

Vodacom said it will cost a customer between 19c and R2 to view 10-20 web pages.

For more information visit www.vodacom.co.za or dial Vodacom's data call centre on 155, free from a Vodacom cellphone, or 082 155 from any other phone.

- News24