News 2000
Virgin Mobile partners Sendo, Britain's first mobile phone manufacturer
16/08/2000
Natural choice between fast, nimble companies
Virgin Mobile, the world's largest mobile virtual network operator, and Birmingham-based Sendo, Britain's first fully-fledged mobile phone manufacturer, today announced a global strategic partnership.
Virgin Mobile will be the first operator to offer Sendo's custom-designed phones to consumers later this year. Virgin Mobile plans initially to introduce two Sendo phones to its range this autumn. They will be marketed as Virgin Mobile own-brand phones, and carry features that have been especially incorporated to Virgin's specification. Other products and services are being developed for the future. The phones will also carry the Sendo logo.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group, said that the decision to link with Sendo - the mobile phone industry's newest brand - was based on synergies between the two companies. "The Sendo team is young, fast, innovative and dynamic, yet collectively has decades of experience in the mobile phone industry. In a business where speed to market and technological leadership define the success of a company, these are essential characteristics. Sendo's business philosophy, delivering products that are custom-designed, fits perfectly with Virgin Mobile's customer-focussed approach."
Sendo's Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Brogan, stated that Virgin Mobile was a natural choice. He added: "Virgin and Sir Richard are worldwide symbols of successful British entrepreneurship. Sir Richard has entered many businesses, always offering customers an attractive easy-to-understand alternative to existing products and services. Virgin's approach is completely based on customers' needs and their success in the mobile phone market is another example of Virgin's thorough understanding of the consumer."
Both Virgin Mobile and Sendo aim to expand across the globe. Virgin has already announced ventures in Australia with Cable & Wireless Optus and in Singapore with SingTel, which will enable it to launch services throughout Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, India, Taiwan and the Philippines. Virgin Mobile aims to be in most of the world's major mobile markets within three years.
Sendo has operations in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and The Netherlands, with manufacturing in China. The company will initially focus on GSM based products for Europe and Asia, with future expansion into the United States. Sendo's mobile phones are among the lightest and smallest phones available.
Andy Mallinson, Head of Product Marketing at Virgin Mobile, said Sendo's phones would help Virgin Mobile maintain its unique, refreshing position in the mobile market. "Both phones are leading in their respective classes and we are delighted to be including them in our range."
For more information:
Virgin Mobile: Steven Day 020 7484 4322 or 07931 777777
Sendo: Marijke van Hooren 0121 766 1937 or 07968 820 701
Notes to editors:
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile was established as the UK's first virtual operator in November 1999 as a 50:50 joint venture between Virgin and Deutsche Telekom's One 2 One. It is the fastest-growing mobile start-up ever seen in the UK, with in excess of 350,000 customers. Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600 on the web at www.virgin.com/mobile and also in over 300 Virgin Megastores and Our Price stores.
Sendo
Sendo is a new fully-fledged mobile phone company headquartered in Birmingham - the UK's first mobile manufacturer. The company, founded in August 1999, offers high-performance, competitively-priced, reliable products and services to the fast-growing cellular market. Sendo has been established with the needs of the operators in mind. The company offers a complete custom program, from exclusively branded phones, matched fulfillment programs and bespoke software with dedicated services. Sendo plans to roll out two mobile phone platforms, with several variations, in Europe and Asia in the course of this year.
Sendo was founded by mobile industry professionals with over 40 years of combined experience at the leading edge of mobile phone innovation in the leading mobile phone companies. The management team has been gathering talent to create a unique company, and will have 200 highly-skilled employees by the end of this year. The company employs British, French, American, Finnish, Spanish, German, Chinese and Dutch specialists.
Its headquarters are in Birmingham. Sendo's Asia Pacific Operations Centre is based in Hong Kong and its first phones will be manufactured in a new $35m manufacturing plant in Guangdong in China. The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, specified by Sendo, from Universal, Fujitsu and R&S. In the early part of next year, Sendo will start manufacturing in Europe and will set up a distribution centre for the European market.
