iMagic Infomedia Technology Ltd is to push its PowerPhone multimedia payphones in Europe, and is in the process of establishing a European office in London, UK. The Hong Kong-based company will begin looking for network operator partners at the Telecom 99 trade show in Geneva.
iMagic develops payphone devices that offer internet access and multimedia information services as well as traditional telephony. There are over 1,000 PowerPhones in the Pacific Rim and in the US, where AT&T Corp acts as network operator using the AT&T PAL brand. The machines are generally located in airports, train stations, malls and other public places, and are aimed at business travelers and tourists.
PowerPhones are customized according to the needs of the operator. The devices can accept coins, credit cards, smart cards, and can be fitted with fax and printing capabilities and digital cameras if required. The whole internet is usually available to browse, but some operators have chose to ban access to certain listed sites. Operators create revenues not only through the telephony and premium e-commerce services available via the phones, but also by selling on-screen advertising. They also set the price of the service.
The time is just about right to break into the UK market, with British Telecommunications Plc poised to deliver 1,000 ‘Multiphones’ – essentially the same as PowerPhones – to the same kind of sites iMagic targets. The Hong Kong firm needs to hurry if it wants to sign up a UK telco to run a PowerPhone network in time to win contracts for premium sites like Heathrow airport. BT already has a deal with Railtrack Plc, the company that runs every British train station, to install Multiphones at these sites.
The first Multiphone was unveiled at London’s Waterloo railway station in July, but was criticized by many for being far too expensive. If PowerPhone manages to secure a partner in the UK, it could bring prices down.
