Hortal.com

In 2008 the world went mobile. The minute Nokia stopped trying, it finally happened. Where billions of investment in WAP, GPRS, the N and Communicator series failed, it took just a marketing campaign by Apple to bring about the most-anticipated technologycal breakthrough in the history of the world. And after years of hype, when it happened it still took most of the world by surprise.

The mobile Internet that erupted in 2008 is not the parallel universe favoured by phone manufacturers and networks. It is the same internet we’re all used to from our PCs, packed into a convenient device and always aware of its owner’s name and location. iPhone and netbooks like the eee PC on flat-rate access plans rather than metered mobile phones are the devices of choice.

Interestingly, the companies that brought it about have no roots on traditional Mobile markets. Apple -a company that understands innovation is all about what users experience- and Asus -brilliant at packing a 7-inch digital frame, a cheap laptop chip and linux into a revolutionary new PC format, the netbook.

Just the other day, as we waited at Gatwick for an easyJet flight to start boarding, I bought another ticket on Clickair’s main website using just my iPhone. After that, I had a look at the latest iPlayer content and called my mates for free to confirm landing time using my Skype unlimited subscription via Fringe. Try and do that on a Nokia with no Javascript and paying per each Megabyte…

Roberto Hortal

Head of Digital - EDF Energy --- I am an eBusiness Director with many years of experience in great businesses across the world. Born and bred in Benidorm, Spain, I started my eBusiness career in the 90s with Nokia in Helsinki, heading Nokia’s Global Web organisation for a number of years. In 2004 I moved to the UK to join easyJet. I led easyJet.com into its current form at a frantic startup pace. In 2006 I joined RSA as MORE TH>N Head of eBusiness. From 2009 I led the effort of replicating MORE TH>N’s online success across Central and Eastern Europe. In August 2011 I became Head of Digital at EDF Energy, where I lead EDF Energy's ambitious Digital B2C Strategy.

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