When the wait is over, customers will be able to see each other and send video footage via their phones as well as use their phones as organisers and games consoles capable of receiving a variety of multimedia news and entertainment services.
Last month, Hutchison 3G signed a deal with Reuters to deliver news and live stock market information to 3 subscribers.
Hutchinson could have waited, but with a network called 3 it really had to launch on March 3 if it was to launch this month at all.
The pre-launch advertising for Hutchison 3G debuted last month through TBWA\London. One 60-second spot, called "television", shows the statement: "You are not watching TV." This is followed by a series of video vignettes featuring everyday humorous events, ranging from comedy to football and family moments. As the camera pulls back, it becomes clear that everything the viewer has seen is presented as if it has been watched on a 3 videophone.
The 3G revolution in the UK was kicked off by Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, who made a call on 3 to show that it all works. Who better to call than Stephen Timms, the government's e-commerce minister.
"Today marks the arrival of 3G services in the UK. As the leading western market, the UK will be the pathfinder for this new technology. The possibilities are immense. It has the potential to revolutionise the way we communicate and I am delighted that UK businesses and consumers will be among the first to benefit from it," Hewitt said.
Hutchison has been taking pre-orders for 3 handsets for several weeks and from today, high street retailers including Dixons and Carphone Warehouse will begin taking orders for 3 handsets.
It is unclear what kind of demand there will be for 3, with phones costing around 拢399 then 拢59.99 or 拢99.99 monthly for a bundle of services. However, to kick things off 3 is offering 50% discounts if customers order before the end of March.
3G will find itself competing with the expanding services of ordinary mobile networks, which are now able to offer picture messaging with services such as Vodafone Live.
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