TXT TE REO MAORI KI TELECOM

In a first for New Zealand, common te Reo Maori words will now be

recognised in the predictive text message function and auto voice dialling

on certain Telecom 3G handsets.

Customers using these handsets on Telecom’s soon-to-be-launched XT Mobile

Network will be able to type a word in Maori in a text message, and it

will be instantly recognised by the phone in the same way that English

words are.

“Introducing te reo Maori to some of our services is a move that reflects

Telecom’s’ Kiwi heritage, and the unique culture of Aotearoa New Zealand,”

says Telecom Retail CEO, Alan Gourdie.

Te Taura Whiri it te Reo Maori (the Maori Language Commission) was

consulted regarding the word selection, and the Commission’s Chief

Executive Huhana Rokx says they are delighted to have supported Telecom

with this service.

“This initiative ensures that te Reo Maori remains a valid form of texting

discourse. Our young people who are growing up as bilingual Maori

language speakers are also active mobile users and expect the same

immediate service that predictive texting offers in the English language,”

says Ms Rokx.

As well as common greetings, the words include days of the week, months of

the year, the numbers one to ten, and popular New Zealand place names.

The devices capable of te Reo Maori predictive text messaging will include

two Telecom-branded handsets and the Samsung S8300 Ultra Touch, with more

devices to be added with the feature after launch. The two Telecom

branded handsets also feature spoken voice dialling in Maori, Chinese and

English, - where the handset will say aloud the numbers from 0-9 when they

are pressed.

Customers who move to the new network won’t need to change their phone

number, and Telecom and Gen-i will have a range of offers to make it easy

for both new and existing customers to switch. Telecom’s current mobile

network continues to operate and will be supported as normal following the

XT Mobile Network launch in late May.