Leader: Orange launches, 3G advances

So Orange has managed to launch 3G services aimed squarely at consumers ahead of Christmas. Plenty of staff on the shop floor might not know it yet ("Launches are a closely kept secret", we were told) but from Friday this week handsets from LG, Samsung, Sanyo and Sony Ericsson will be available.

Currently half of the UK's main operators (we're including 3 and Virgin Mobile in that category) are offering 3G. About time too and good luck to them - two obvious responses.

But where does this leave us? There will be teething problems with take-up. While there is a clear business proposition for data cards plugged into laptops, some integrating Wi-Fi, convincing millions of style-conscious consumers to take a big step to 3G multimedia services won't be easy.

And if convincing people cool games, rich content, video calls and a bunch of stuff no one has yet dreamt up are a good idea, imagine how much harder it is now that upstart operator 3 has basically established itself as a 'value' voice brand with some frills. Orange and Vodafone marketing teams must just love them.

Today we are glad to see Orange is also making it clear that 3G handsets - eventually those also from number one maker Nokia and number three Motorola - can be connected to laptops for the downloading of email, web surfing and more business-like functions. A Bluetooth or cable connection is all that's needed. Even infra-red will work, with a compromise in speed.

That's just the kind of thing that may get a few more 3G handsets onto corporate accounts.

Also notable today was an announcement by mmO2 that it will be launching services based on something called HSDPA next summer. Admittedly it will be doing so once again in that convenient test environment called the Isle of Man but - spoiler of a press release aside - there are questions as to whether this is now the big leap forward in mobile.

US-based giant Cingular - like mmO2 - is working with Lucent on HSDPA and clearly vendors like the idea of another upgrade cycle. Especially those that missed out on current 3G contracts.

The technology promises speeds to at least match today's average fixed line broadband. Bouygues Telecom in France is among a handful that is missing straight 3G altogether to head to this new nirvana. So are we at yet another false dawn?

We think not. Prices must come down and further glitches will need to be ironed out but anyone who has used 3G for business applications - this publication's main concern - will know the benefits it can bring.

For consumers, operators such as Vodafone and Orange will mostly be promising 'more of the same, only faster'. Video calls and video mail messages - a nice touch presented by Orange today, as they encompass 2G phones - are the exception. But only Vodafone, with Live!, has so far really captured the imagination with an all-in-one data and video mobile service. (And even then, we're none too happy with its latest marketing approach.)

O2, Orange and T-Mobile have all made similar stabs but despite some success must try harder. O2 is even hedging its bets with i-mode technology to run as an alternative to its WAP-based portal, O2 Active.

The jumps to 3G, 3.5G or beyond aren't in themselves the answers to operators' problems. A long and winding route that involves customer education and honest, reliable services is what's needed. Users will appreciate that.