Local promotion of Windows Phone has always been a bit of an issue for the platform. Sure, there was some initial launch (2010) advertising, and then some NoDo timed campaigns – most notably Telstra’s own HTC Mozart/Movie Tickets promo…but all-in-all it was a pretty lacklustre 12-18m before Nokia arrived Down Under. WPDownUnder wrote any number of articles on the lack of Microsoft and partner OEM advertising of Windows Phone with its 1st year “soft launch”.  Since then Nokia have made some admirable forays into TV, Print, Event and community advertising of Windows Phone. Telstra even displayed the Nokia Lumia 800 as a features device in many of their retail stores, until the release of the Samsung Galaxy SIII understandably bumped these back to the general display area only last week.

To Telstra’s credit however, along with the unique and interesting Lumia Quest competition of last month (of which we will be featuring a wrap on soon), it’s great for the platform to see the renewed focus that Telstra is now showing for the SMB/Enterprise and Government sectors for Windows Phone.

Each month Telstra releases a Consumer and/or Business catalogue featuring their product offerings and specials. The Consumer catalogue is “Let’s Connect” and the Business catalogue is “Let’s Work”. Windows Phone offers the perfect combination of both – and as we have been wanting to see for some time now - the push into business for the platform is really beginning to gain some momentum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This month, as well as securing top-billing on the cover of the latest Let’s Work catalogue with the exclusive Titan 4G (Australia’s only 4G Windows Phone) – Microsoft’s mobile smartphone OS features on a total of 4/5 page layouts where mobiles are shown! Great Job Telstra!

This catalogue follows on from the official YouTube videos which Telstra launched for the Titan 4G – both a partnered video with Microsoft targeted at the business user and an additional case study featuring Windows Phone, 4G and the Titan 4G device:

Launch:

Case Study:

And an Exchange Post at Telstra called “Bringing business up to speed with Australia’s first 4G Windows Phone“, where amongst other information they state:

“With its built-in Microsoft® Office Mobile software, the HTC Titan 4G is the first business-geared 4G smartphone to launch in Australia.

The jump to 4G technology in a business phone got me thinking about all the ways smartphones have made it easier to run a business.

They’ve certainly made small businesses more productive — letting them manage email, complete orders and get more things done while they’re out of the office. They’ve also helped fledgling operations respond to clients and new business opportunities when it suits them, rather than when they’re in front of an office PC. And, they’re making work more flexible – the workplace can now be wherever small businesses have mobile network coverage.”

Nokia too have been pushing the enterprise/SMB credentials of Windows Phone. At their recent Lumia 900 and Lumia 610 device launch to media in Australia, a case study was provided on Bridgestone, and their recent decision to switch to Windows Phone and Nokia devices at a corporate level:

So whilst Windows Phone continues to make slow grounds in the consumer space, starting from an exceptionally low base compared to Android and iOS, it is clear that the next major battlefront for Windows Phone in Australia is being fought on the SMB/Enterprise front. With Windows Mobile now almost 2 years dead-and-buried many companies are seeking to move out of their Blackberry ecosystem and embrace a new way of doing business. Windows Phone delivers this – without the risk of Android (security/fragmentation) and as a genuine alternative to the Apple ecosystem many corporations have been unwilling to embrace for their business outside of the boardroom or executive management teams.

Sheeds.