Telia launches new distribution channel for mobile telephony

Telia launches new distribution channel for mobile telephony Telia has started to co-operate with the company Retail and Brands to sell mobile telephony services in a newly opened clothing department called "NK B-Tween" at the NK department store building in downtown Stockholm. Telia is the first operator in Sweden, and probably in Europe, to sell mobile telephones and services together with fashion apparel. Retail and Brands has 121 retail outlets in Sweden and owns the store concepts SOLO, Champagne, Polarn O. Pyret, Blombergs and Saks. Retail and Brands is also one of the major companies selling apparel at the NK department store building in Stockholm. Alternative distribution channels are new strategy The first department combining fashion apparel and mobile telephony services, NK B-Tween, targets a young group of consumers. The department sells mobile telephones from Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Siemens - all with Telia subscriptions - and fashion clothing from the labels Nudie, Puma, We, Energie, Killah, Miss Sixty, Diesel, Fornarina and Svea. "Clothing and mobile telephones are on the wish-lists of many young people and the new department at NK gives us the opportunity to package these products in an attractive way," says Indra Åsander, head of the Consumer Segment at TeliaSonera Sweden. "Mobile and Nudie jeans at a special price" The business model allows new types of sales offers that will be marketed to consumers in campaigns featuring both mobile handsets and clothing. For example, NK B-Tween will be the only outlet selling Siemen?s new designer telephone Xelibri. "This is a new way to sell clothes and mobile phones. I am convinced it will contribute to enhancing the experience for our customers and also benefit both our industries," says Mikael Solberg, CEO, Retail and Brands. All store personnel at NK B-Tween have been trained in the mobile phones and services that are for sale at the department. Each employee is also equipped with a camera phone. If they receive permission, the phone can be used to photograph customers wearing different creations. The photos are then shown on plasma screens on site in the department and on the website www.stilikon.se, which is being launched at the same time as the department. With MMS messages, customers can also send photos of themselves in different fashion garments to friends and acquaintances in order to get their opinion about the clothes they are considering to buy. >>> Photo material is available at: www.stilikon.se/press For further information journalists can contact: Håkan Ström, Press Officer, TeliaSonera Sweden, Consumer Segment, +46 8 713 58 30, hakan.x.strom@teliasonera.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/20/20030820BIT00640/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/08/20/20030820BIT00640/wkr0002.pdf