HOTELGUIDE.COM NOW AVAILABLE IN I-MODE FORMAT IN GERMANY
One of the largest accommodation brokers on the Internet, hotelguide.com, has announced the launch of its international hotel reservation system via i-modeTM service in Germany. Partnering with E-Plus, Germany's third largest mobile phone network, hotelguide.com will feature as a key international hotel search and booking service provider. i-modeTM is NTT DoCoMo Japan's multimillion user Mobile Internet service now being introduced to Europe throughout 2002.
"We are delighted that the opportunity to provide our services via an i-modeTM platform has come about so quickly" says Rolf Marti, VP of Business Development at hotelguide.com, "and we are looking forward to working closely with E-Plus to develop and deliver the best online hotel service for the Mobile Internet market."
With the inclusion of visual elements, the E-Plus i-modeTM service will offer an entirely new Mobile Internet experience for the user. "More than ever before, therefore, the success of our service is reliant on quality content," says Carsten Becker, Director Content & Partnering at E-Plus. "With the aim of supplying valuable content to our users, we have actively sought strategic partnerships with providers such as hotelguide.com. Their application is a vital component and will ensure our users have access to a comprehensive and visually appealing hotel information & booking service".
An early player in Mobile Internet travel development, hotelguide.com has an integrated i-modeTM solution which will present hotel pictures as well as its standard Mobile Internet features. hotelguide.com's award winning Mobile Internet service allows "on the road" users to access user account details, search hotels and check availability before making online bookings direct from their Internet enabled mobile phone or PDA. "Also our unified user account provides access to one main account containing all booking information," explains Mr Marti. "Regardless of the medium used, whether it be Mobile Internet or our website, the user can access their confirmation details wherever they may be."
"We are proud to be part of this exciting Mobile Internet development in Europe," comments Mr Marti. "Our collaboration with E-Plus is indeed key in our strategy, but it also meets the aims of our end-users and hotel partners who want to be active in the Mobile Internet environment."
About hotelguide.com
hotelguide.com is one of the world's most comprehensive and powerful accommodation brokers within the electronic and mobile commerce environments. The hotel database consists of more than 65?000 hotels in 200 countries worldwide. In addition to extensive US, Asian and South American listings, hotelguide.com's European listings are unmatched on the web.
The website offers business and leisure travelers, travel agents and corporate travel planners secure online reservations, detailed hotel information, geo-mapping, currency converter, and more. A wide range of partner websites including shellgeostar.com, Tiscali, bluewin.com, Avis and ebookers.ch, uses their well-respected affiliate program.
hotelguide.com's services are recognized worldwide and as a pioneer in the Mobile Internet arena, the company has quickly forged relationships with the major system providers and operators including Ericsson and Nokia.
hotelguide.com was established in 1991 (formerly The Hotel Guide) and is based in Sursee/Lucerne, Switzerland.
For more information, contact:
Rolf Marti
ph: +41 / 41 925 15 30
Ruth Hyde
ph: +41 / 41 925 15 68
About e-Plus Germany
With 7.5 million customers (in 01/2002) E-Plus is the third-largest mobile phone provider in Germany. E-Plus business is based on profitable growth and its activities are guided strictly by operating results. Therefore E-Plus focuses on business and private target groups with a high turnover.
E-Plus is one of the pioneers in mobile multimedia in Germany and with i-modeTM E-Plus offers access to mobile services at a quality previously unheard of in Europe. i-modeTM is fast and colourful and offers a comprehensive range of information, services and entertainment. Thanks to i-modeTM mail multimedia messaging with E-Plus has already become a reality.
The choice of E-Plus services will become even greater with the start of UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). E-Plus is one of the six companies that will roll out and run a modern UMTS network in Germany in the next few years. E-Plus? shareholders are KPN Mobile N.V. with 77.49 per cent and the BellSouth Corp. with 22.51 per cent.
For more information, contact:
Christiane Kohlmann
ph: +49 211 448 4383 , christiane.kohlmann@eplus.de
i-mode and the i-mode logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
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