HTCC's PanTel Unit To Launch Voice Over WiFi Services By 3Q

BUDAPEST -(Dow Jones)- Hungary's largest alternative fixed-line telecommunications services provider PanTel Tavkozlesi will launch voice over wireless local area network, or WiFi, Marketing Director Ferenc Vallo said Monday.

"The pilot starts with 1,000 free accounts with existing clients and we plan to launch the commercial service in May or by the third quarter at the latest," Vallo told the press.

PanTel is a unit of Hungarian Telephone and Cable.

Hungarian WiFi service provider Wiera will be PanTel's partner to provide the service, which has been tested for Nokia mobile handsets capable of working with Session Initiation Protocol. SIP is a technology that enables equipment connected to the Internet to exchange data without the help of a server.

The new service is a step toward developments in global trends. According to a study by technology research company Gartner, 75% of all voice traffic will be done globally via wireless technologies by 2009, Vallo noted.

PanTel projects that 30% of its clients will subscribe to the new services by the end of this year.

Vallo declined to reveal details of the pricing of the new service.

He said only that it will compete with Internet service providers' pricing of their services. PanTel and Wiera will agree on the way of sharing revenue from the new service in the coming months, Vallo said.

Privately owned Wiera, which Strategic Director Tamas Nemeth said commands 76% of Hungary's WiFi market by revenue, targets raising its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to 200 million forints ($1.1 million) by 2008, from this year's plan of HUF120 million.

Company Web site: http://www.pantel.hu

-By Margit Feher, Dow Jones Newswires; +361-267-0622; margit.feher@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 2nd April 2007