Being the smallest player in the UK market has forced 3UK to look for routes to market that might catcher the bigger, and slower moving, competition off-guard. Its latest effort is to use its success with mobile broadband -- it has attracted 500,000 subscribers so far -- to launch a tariff especially for unlimited email use.

In fact there are two data bundle tariffs -- one for 'simple' email (€3 per month for 10MB) and the other for using Exchange or Notes access (€6 per month for 1GB). However, the email access is completely unlimited and includes attachments, and those on the lower tariff will have unlimited POP3 and IMAP access, while those paying €6 will also get uncapped access to their own Exchange or Notes servers.

This packaging is more likely to appeal to handset users as against those with laptops equipped with a 3G dongle -- the latter being the majority of those that have signed for the 3UK mobile broadband deal.

For more on this story:
- go to The Register [1]

Related articles:
Forecast: Mobile messaging spending to $88B by 2012. Report [2]
Survey: Texting remains top consumer draw. Mobile email survey [3]