Oh no. A story about Coolfinger.com (part of the Caudwell Groups Wizcom content division) making every ringtone available for only 1 is a solid news item and stands on its own merit. We would certainly have printed it even if the press release hadnt been accompanied by this relevant picture of celebrity stunna Nell McAndrew who fronts (their word) a promotion for cheap ringtones and games on Coolfinger.com.

Intec now has accreditations from 14 handset manufacturers according to Intec head Harry Ramis.

The addition of LG and VK Mobile has ensured that Intec still retains the largest accreditation portfolio he said.

LG Electronics claims to be the fifth largest global manufacturer. With the establishment of 3G it plans to increase its global status to third place by 2007.

The VK Mobile brand is distributed by Unique Distribution. It is handling testing configuration at its own facilities

The multi-million pound deal is The Carphone Warehouses first TV sponsorship and is calculated to drive awareness of the brand and the fact that all TalkTalk customers can talk to each other for free.

The sponsorship includes broadcast slots on Channel 4 and E4 as well as the Big Brother website and interactive TV service.

Also Carphone Warehouse is opening three new retail outlets bringing its total number of UK stores to 527.

The new openings will be in London Victoria St Andrews in Scotland and Skipton in Yorkshire.

Vodafone will supply all BTs own internal comms requirements and also thousands of corporate customers who will start to use Vodafone minutes through BT Mobile.

A key part of the initiative revolves around a technology called Bluephone. This will enable BT customers to switch between BTs fixed-line network and the Vodafone network with a single handset.

When the phone gets out of Bluetooth range of its base unit the call switches automatically to Vodafones GSM network.

O2 lost out to Vodafone in its bid to extend its tenure as BTs wireless network provider. O2 said it had tested the Bluephone technology already but was not convinced of its merits. O2s previous incarnation BTCellnet rolled out a similar technology under the Onephone brand but it was never successful.

We tested Bluephone recently and werent convinced that it provided a good customer service said an O2 spokesperson.

Its not yet a proven technology. It relies on Bluetooth which is designed to work over a short range. The reception doesnt carry well through walls. Its a new technology so problems are to be expected.

T-Mobile which also made a bid to provide network space to BT shares many of O2s views.

Good deals are where each side receives good value said a spokesman. We took the view that this wouldnt necessarily happen in this case.

BT Retail CEO Pierre Danon referred to it as the companys flagship new offering and a revolution that will change the face of communications.

Project Bluephone provides better reception and better data speeds claimed BT Mobile Products chief Ryan Jarvis.

BT selected Bluetooth technology because of its small form-factor and its existing presence in handsets. We have successfully tested this feature. We are using class 1 Bluetooth which extends reception to 25 metres within the home and gives good voice quality through walls and ceilings in a typical UK house.

BT will use Motorola V-series handsets the same size and form-factor as current GSM handsets to carry the service.

BT said that it chose Vodafone over O2 and T-Mobile because Vodafones vision of fixed/mobile convergence matched its own.

O2 said Bluephone was not a key factor in its own bid.

The tender BT made was more about wholesale network access than a commitment to a particular technology.

We set a price at which BT could have wholesale access to O2s network. We were not interested in business with BT at any cost said the O2 spokesperson.

Some have questioned the wisdom of Vodafones decision to partner fixed-line business BT.

We are puzzled by the new MVNO agreement with BT said investment bank Citigroup. We are concerned that if BTs product takes off Vodafone will have contributed to a convergence strategy at odds with its capabilities.

(See Business Watch P10 and feature P24)

An AOL spokesperson said: AOL currently features w@mobs Buyers Guide in its top mobile phones gallery and is looking forward to working with w@mob to give AOL members direct access to even more information about mobile phones from this leading industry source.

Film fans will be able to access ringtones wallpapers interviews reviews trailers competitions discussion boards and picture galleries.

Content includes an exclusive downloadable Day After Tomorrow game developed by India Games.

Orange customers will also be able to download free pictures of Troy stars Brad Pitt Eric Bana and Orlando Bloom.

The solution developed with partners ARINC will be offered to operators as a one-stop implementation package.

It uses the classic Inmarsat Satcom systems already deployed in 3000 aircraft worldwide to relay the GSM signal and treats airspace as a virtual GSM country facilitating mobile connectivity during the flight.

Airlines currently ban the use of mobiles on flights primarily because of fears that the radiation they emit may adversely affect navigational aids and aircraft systems. Older aircraft are particularly susceptible.

However it is estimated that whenever a 747 leaves Heathrow bound for JFK around 50 mobiles are left switched on in overhead lockers.

The girl who cannot be named was granted unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Redbridge Youth Court.

She was further charged with obtaining a Puma T-shirt and tracksuit by deception from a sports shop on the same day.

The cheap call rate is latest stage of the networks Relax tariff strategy. Voice calls text messages picture messages and downloads from the t-zones web portal all contribute to the 40 spend.

If a qualifying customer spends more than 40 the calls they make for the remainder of that month are halved to just 5p per minute.

We want to reward the loyalty of our high-usage customers many of whom prefer the flexibility and control of pay as you go said T-Mobile director of marketing Sandy Munro. With our new 5p per minute rate these customers really can feel relaxed about using their phones whenever they want to.

More than 2500 people in London make false reports about losing their mobile phones each year claims the Metropolitan Police.

The Met is currently running a campaign reminding the public that there is a penalty for reporting lost mobiles as stolen. The message is pressed home in an advertising campaign that was launched on July 12.

Commander Brian Moore from the Mets Territorial Policing Crime Directorate says the force is working closely with the mobile phone industry to stamp out false reporting and the massive costs involved in investigating these allegations.

Last summer Metropolitan Police research into false reporting culminated in an operation codenamed Pavilion that saw arrests made at 12 mobile phone retail outlets across the capital.

People who falsely report their mobile phone as stolen dont think they are committing a crime. The levels of false reporting we are seeing in London are unacceptable.

As well as diverting officers from dealing with genuine victims false reports can inflate the levels of robbery in London and make the public feel unsafe. My message is clear: falsely reporting anything to police is a crime and we will deal with you.

The campaign has been planned to communicate with the target audience at key times when they might lose their mobile phone or be reporting it as stolen.

Alongside London-wide press and radio advertising there will be leaflets and posters in mobile phone retailers beer mats in pubs and adverts on taxi seats and buses to reach people when they are having a drink and travelling around the city.

There will also be posters in police stations reminding people when they are at the point of reporting a crime. 23-year-old Matthew Shiu an IT student at Middlesex University was one of the first to fall foul of the tough new stance.

He admitted making 15 fraudulent claims against insurance over a two-year period. Shui went to police stations on four occasions where he made false reports and obtained crime numbers in order to make multiple claims to his insurance company.

Shiu was arrested in June and admitted three counts of deception and four counts of wasting police time. He was sentenced this week to 180 hours community punishment.

PC Mick Donaghy working within the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit said:

Shiu falsely reported that his property had been stolen on many occasions. He claimed mainly against mobile phones but also alleged digital cameras and Apple iPods had been stolen. The total value he received in false claims amounted to 2800.

His sentence sends a clear message to those that think they can get away with making false claims – It is a crime and we will deal with you.