Vodafone delivers live broadcasts of all Bundesliga matches to UMTS phone users - Comprehensive video clips and information on the UEFA Champions League

Düsseldorf, 11. September 2006. Even though the UEFA Champions League hasn’t kicked off yet and the football Bundesliga 2006/07 has only just warmed up, there’s evidently a winning player on the field: Vodafone’s football service. The Düsseldorf-based mobile communications provider is delivering live and full-length broadcasts of all first and second Bundesliga matches to UMTS mobile phone users. The ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ only costs an extra EUR 7.50 a month and enables users to watch their favourite team play. If two matches have the same kick-off time, they can watch both of them using a conference function. The package also includes the ’Vodafone Freistoß’ (Vodafone Freekick) programme, showing Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League highlights. Even football fans without a UMTS phone don’t have to miss out on the fun, because they can book the ’Football Package’ for an additional EUR 5 a month. It includes a live ticker with images and many other football services. In short, both packages are full to the brim with football goodies and Vodafone live! customers have the opportunity to test them out free of charge and without obligation until 9 October 2006.

Thanks to UMTS, Vodafone has entered a new dimension of football TV broadcasting. Football fans with a UMTS phone and the ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ can simply switch on their handset and watch the Bundesliga matches from the kick-off to the final whistle. “Being able to watch the whole 90 minutes live on a UMTS phone was something of a sensation at the start of the season,” said Erik Friemuth, the man in charge of Vodafone live!. “This innovative service is winning over new fans on a daily basis.”

The ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ means 90 minutes of live football enjoyment
All UMTS phone users can book the ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ for only EUR 7.50 extra a month. The first four weeks are entirely free of charge so that users can test out the service. All Bundesliga matches are broadcast live and in full length at the weekend. Users can either watch one Bundesliga match or use the conference function to switch between two different matches. There’s also a live ticker with images so that customers can keep up to date on match progress or check the latest league table status. And the ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ also includes the ’Vodafone Freistoß’ TV programme every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. This compact-format, 25-minute TV show provides detailed reports with images of all matches, match summaries, player portraits and many other things. The content provider is Vodafone’s partner Arena TV. UEFA Champions League matches are also on the programme in conjunction with Premiere. On UEFA Champions League match days, customers get a preview of the matches, a summary at half-time and match highlights after the final whistle.

The alternative for customers without a UMTS phone is the ’Football Package’ with live ticker
Even football fans without an UMTS phone don’t have to sit in front of their TV set. Vodafone offers them the ’Football Package’ as an alternative to the UMTS version for EUR 5 a month. They simply book it in addition to their term contract. It includes a live ticker with images of all first and second Bundesliga matches, plus the UEFA Champions League matches, for information about the progress of every game. Customers also get to use the popular MMS information services. MMS messages are sent to their phones at half-time and after the final whistle providing information about goals, ball possession, corners, yellow and red cards and send-offs. As usual, the ’My Club live!’, ’Bundesliga Compact’ and ’UEFA CL Compact’ options are also available. Another interesting feature is the Video Clips on Demand service, which delivers video clips of the day’s matches.

Test the football services out for free until 9 October
Both offers - ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ and ’Football Package’ - can be tested free of charge until 9 October 2006. All Vodafone live! customers will receive an MMS in the next few days containing information about the offers and an invitation to try out the ’football experience’ on their mobile phones. The test phase is non-binding and customers don’t have to provide notice if they don’t want to continue using the service.

If they do decide not to miss one more minute of football, they can subscribe to the football services at the Vodafone shop or on the Vodafone live! portal. Another, even simpler subscription option is to send a text message with the text ’Ball’ to 55555. A response text message will be sent with a link to the portal where the football package can be booked. The ’Vodafone live Football Flatrate’ has a minimum term of twelve months, and there is no charge during the summer and winter breaks.

Contact Information

Maximilian Schöberl

Head of Corporate Communications

Vodafone Germany

Contact via E-mail