Go Mobile launches wireless GSM desktop phone

Go Mobile on Friday launched Malta's first ever wireless GSM desktop phone, a potential replacement of one's home landline.

The GSM desktop phone is a wireless device that communicates through Go Mobile's GSM network. It offers mobility as well as other advantages such as comfort, ease of use, a large display, and a full built-in QWERTY keyboard allowing easy SMS typing. The launch of this phone took place at Go Mobile's Trade Fair stand in Naxxar.

Professor Juanito Camilleri, Go Mobile CEO, said the Jablotron GDP-02 desktop phone, which costs around Lm50, can be used as a supplementary option to one's mobile phone.

The desktop phone contains a Go Mobile SIM card, and therefore can be taken from one home to a summer house, or office, without the need of paying for an extra line. Moreover, one can send and receive SMS through this phone. The GDP-02 has the added bonus of having a full QWERTY keyboard, as well as a 200-name phonebook and speakerphone.

Professor Camilleri said that with the launch of this phone, several mobile operators have attracted senior citizens and have also competed against fixed line operators on price. Moreover, through this device operators have entered areas of the market in hard to reach rural areas.

He added that for the time being existing mobile rates will apply when using the desktop phone, depending on whether the SIM inserted in it is a contract or pre-paid line. However, the company is currently assessing the market's interest in this device and is considering the launch of special tariffs tailored for telephony on this device. Moreover, during the Trade Fair period, Go Mobile will be taking pre-orders for this wireless desktop phone.

Meanwhile, Professor Camilleri announced that Go Mobile's subscriber base is fast approaching 155,000. As a way of thanking its customers and marking its Trade Fair offers, Go Mobile has awarded 20 free extra minutes to all its contract customers, and has launched Call me for all pre-paid customers giving the latter 50 cents of free talk-time with every one hour of incoming calls.

"Go Mobile has also launched special offers on Go Live! MMS handsets, which include discounted prices on Samsung, Nokia and Sagem MMS phones, inclusive of Lm5 free talk-time and 100 free MMS plus a Go Mobile neck strap. The prices start from Lm49. Moreover, Go Mobile launched a Lm20 top-up card which has Lm5 free extra talk-time," Professor Camilleri said.

At its Trade Fair stand, Go Mobile is offering optimal customer care services, entertainment and new hands-on technology services. Visitors can also get a free snapshot of themselves by means of Go Live! MMS phones and receive a digital printed photo that is developed right on the spot via a digital development machine. Moreover, customers get free gifts when topping up their mobile accounts from the My Go kiosks within the stand.

The game corner is another area of attraction within the Go Mobile stand. This year, Go Mobile has come up with a fun quiz game testing the participants' general knowledge. When playing "Double or Nothing", participants have to guess the right answer and send it via SMS. With every round, customers can earn double points and could end up winning a brand new Go Live! MMS phone.