Deutsche Telekom drives open approach to apps and content stores

• Deutsche Telekom is collaborating with the leading mobile app store providers to offer a wider range of apps and content services to its customers

• A simplified billing experience will be supported on multiple app store platforms, allowing Deutsche Telekom customers to charge apps and other content onto their mobile phone bill – starting with a partnership with Nokia and the Ovi Store

• Roll-out of dedicated T-Mobile channel within key stores is planned for 2010

Deutsche Telekom today announces plans to further integrate with mobile apps and content stores. The integration with marketplaces across different platforms is a key part of Deutsche Telekom’s mobile internet strategy. It aims to deliver the widest choice of mobile apps and content and create an environment that is easy to use regardless of what brand of phone its customers are using. The partnerships represent Deutsche Telekom’s open approach to the mobile internet, looking to make the best resources available to its customers, regardless of the platform.

As part of this approach an operator billing option will be launched, allowing T-Mobile customers to download apps from the key stores and have them charged back onto their mobile phone bill, removing the need to pay with a credit card.

The first step towards this goal is a partnership between Deutsche Telekom and Nokia to roll-out a T-Mobile billing option for content and applications purchased in the Ovi Store. This development builds on the successful Ovi Store co-operation on Nokia Series 40 phones that was announced at Mobile World Congress last year and which will also be extended to Nokia Symbian based devices. This solution lets T-Mobile customers browse, download and experience apps for their Nokia mobile phones while enabling payment through their phone bill.

A dedicated T-Mobile channel within key app stores is also planned. The purpose of this channel is to highlight applications developed by Deutsche Telekom and selected partners. Deutsche Telekom will only recommend apps from the stores that are likely to be useful for T-Mobile customers based on customer interests and usage.

Additionally, a new T-Mobile recommendation app that makes finding useful applications easier is launching in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands in March. It will be available to all T-Mobile customers with an Android phone.

“Deutsche Telekom's open mobile internet strategy implies that customers ultimately get access to a wide choice of all available applications, regardless of their mobile phone brand. As a basis we provide easy log-in, registration, and payment processes, as well as Deutsche Telekom channels in existing stores and customer oriented recommendations," states Rainer Deutschmann, Senior Vice President Mobile Products.