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mmO2 today announced the launch next month of its first 3G commercial service - a new, high-speed laptop PC card available through its subsidiary O2 Germany - as well as development plans for a unique mobile broadband product, called surf@home.

Pioneered by O2 Germany, surf@home is the first product of its kind in Europe to integrate 3G and wireless LAN technologies into a single, compact box for use in the home or office. Customers simply use their PC, PDA or notebook across a wireless LAN via the box and out over the 3G network to access the Internet at speeds of up to six times greater than ISDN. When combined with O2 Germany's unrivalled Genion 'Home Zone' voice service, surf@home becomes a viable alternative to a fixed line.

O2 Germany intends to offer surf@home from this Autumn and will target its 2.3 million plus existing Genion customers and the 11.5 million users of ISDN throughout the country. In addition, plans are well-advanced to conduct trials of surf@home in the UK ahead of the commercial launch of 3G in the second half of this year.

Rudolf Groeger, chief executive of O2 Germany, said: "The launch of our high-speed data card packages at competitive prices, our extensive 3G coverage and development work into the integration of wireless technologies further underlines our leadership in mobile data.

"Sales of mobile data services rose 4% in the last quarter to 19.8%, putting O2 Germany ahead of its nearest competitors. We will continue to expand our 3G portfolio of products with the launch this summer of a range of handsets from Nokia, Samsung and Motorola and build on the strengths of Genion, which attracts over 70 per cent of our high value, contract customers."

The combined 3G/GPRS laptop card costs ?285 (excl. VAT) and supports speeds of up to 384 kbit/s and makes use of O2 Germany's comprehensive 3G coverage - reaching around 40% of the German population through its own network and its network sharing and roaming agreement with T-Mobile. Customers of the service can choose from a range of monthly pricing plans and take advantage of 'Connection Manager', which enables them to automatically select the fastest transmission method whether it is 3G, GPRS or one of O2 Germany's 400 plus wireless LANs sites.