T-Mobile#Austria

Tele: ring is an Austrian mobile brand of Austria's second largest mobile operator T-Mobile Austria. The GSM mobile network tele.ring was integrated into the network of T -Mobile since the takeover, the UMTS network was shut down in late August 2006. Tele.ring customers use since here too the UMTS infrastructure Mother T -Mobile.

History

Tele.ring was founded in 1997 by the largest Austrian electricity company Verbund, the Austrian Federal Railways ( ÖBB) and Stadtwerke Holding Citykom Austria as landline and Internet service provider. 1998 Mannesmann mobile involved in the company. With the acquisition of the GSM license was Mannesmann Mobile offer their own ( German ) customers the possibilities of its own network in Austria. Mannesmann pursued the goal of a Central European provider ( Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary) to be. Later Mannesmann / Vodafone took over ( Mannesmann has now been taken over by hostile Vodafone) 100 % of tele.ring. Due to the strategic objective design of Vodafone - to be either the largest or second largest mobile operator in a country where the company was founded in 2001 for a token sum of ten Euros to the U.S. company Western Wireless International, a subsidiary of Western Wireless, sold, and tele-. complete ring while its debt. The UMTS license was later transferred to another symbolic euro. After Western Wireless was acquired by the U.S. mobile operator Alltel, early August 2005, the sale of tele.ring at T-Mobile Austria has been decided. The sale itself was carried out by effecting the approval of the European Commission on 28 April 2006 for 1.3 billion euros. Since then tele.ring is a trademark of T-Mobile Austria.

Marketing strategy

Tele.ring due to aggressive pricing policy ( with 1 cent per minute on-net calls with contract mobile phones were first favorable than the rate for fixed-line local calls, and the advertised with massive television advertising company slogan cut the flab even found in a budget speech of Finance Minister Grasser collection and has now been incorporated into the general Austrian parlance) to win more shares in the mobile phone market and thus create the basis for the survival of the company - with a share of postpaid customers over 75 % and a market share of 11.5 percent ( as of April 2005). While other network operators invested in their networks and infrastructure, tele.ring used his financial resources in more aggressive pricing policies and customer acquisition - what other companies due to their structure was not possible.

However, the price war was not without criticism: in particular by trade unions called for, not to strive for cost leadership as its primary objective, since this many jobs would be lost or would go lost. On the other hand, it is also argued that a price increase would likely lead to profit maximization of the telecommunications companies to be more responsible labor market policy. Also tele.ring was the only GSM network operator in Austria, his staff did not shrink after 2002, but grew.

In 2003, tele.ring first appreciable net profit, but a planned IPO had to be canceled due to U.S. tax rules - the parent Western Wireless or its shareholders would have had to pay tax on the proceeds. In early 2005 paid tele.ring all foreign debt back early. The company behind the market leader mobilkom austria the highest EBITDA margin and the highest brand awareness.

With new competitors ( about 3, YESSS!, Or bob ) tele.ring now has some competition in the low - fare segment. With a longer reaction time, the established mobile providers have brought more favorable rates for on-net telephony to the market.

Sales contract in 2005

Mid-2005, Western Wireless was acquired by the U.S. telecom company Alltel. Alltel wants all international Western Wireless daughters, including tele.ring sell. The political controversy surrounding the introduction of a levy on mobile phone transmitter masts in Lower Austria is said to have delayed the sale of non-binding bids are said to have reached 1.5 billion euros. In early August Alltel agreed with T -Mobile in the sale of tele.ring for about 1.3 billion euros ( $ 1.6 billion ).

Employees and employee representatives were initially against the sale. But after the tele.ring owner promised bonuses for tele.ring Leaders and T -Mobile had given a guarantee of employment until end of June 2006, took the staff of a strike distance.

On 4 August 2005 advocated T- Mobile International, officially the purchase of tele.ring, on 10 August 2005, the purchase contracts were signed. After approval by the EU competition authorities and the Austrian Regulatory merged T-Mobile Austria and tele.ring on 28 April 2006. Tele.ring The brand name is to be continued. T -Mobile can cost around 1,300 euros takeover per tele.ring mobile customers.

Mains disconnection

In February 2007, the tele.ring GSM network was partially shut down. In many places the former tele.ring network with the network code 232-07 is no longer to be received with the phone. Instead, the devices must now be partially manually booked into the T -Mobile network.

According to T -Mobile redundant transmitters tele.ring be reduced, other integrated gradually into the T -Mobile network. For tele.ring customers are after the work is about 40 %, about 16 % more transmitting stations are available for T- Mobile customers.

Market share

The table below shows the market share tele.rings on the Austrian retail mobile market from the beginning of the activity as a mobile operator to its acquisition by T-Mobile Austria.

* Since 2006, the market share only for the entire company T-Mobile Austria is determined. The estimated market share of T-Mobile Austria already includes since the tele.ring customers who no longer are explicitly indicated, which is why an accurate indication of the market share is not possible here.

See therefore market share of T-Mobile Austria.