Details of the concept stores are being kept under wraps until the first store is opened in Central London in November.

Orange head of retail Nick Moore says Orange is currently expanding its store portfolio with a new store opening every three days.

We are in the midst of a major expansion program. We have been working on a new concept that we want to release that on a handful of stores before Christmas. We have identified several locations that are suitable for the new concept out of 40 stores we plan to open before Christmas.

We are looking for sites within the countrys top 250 shopping locations minimum shopping populations of 50000 and what he describes as high abc1 shopping population.

The target is to cover 95 per cent of the ABC1 shopping population. To do that we need 275 to 280 stores. Hopefully we will be close to that by the end of this year.

Orange will relocate stores that are no longer in prime positions compared to when they were opened some years ago.

The network hopes the concept stores should be in busy enough locations to require more staff than an average store.

Oranges concept store design is expected to be rolled out to some of the operators other stores next year. Orange will refurbish stores that wont receive the concept treatment.

Moore says the new concept is reflecting changes in the industry.

Mobile retailing has to change. We saw Vodafone and The Carphone Warehouses new concept stores. People have realised that mobile phone retailing is no longer a box shifting exercise. The store format needs to changed to build relationships with customers.

We are bringing the theatre back into retail aiming to make stores a place that customers want to come back.

Unlike The Carphone Warehouse and Tomo Moore is not concerned with increasing store size but he agrees demonstration areas will be included.

The average size of our stores is 800 square feet. We are not looking to increase that. We want the space in stores to work harder for the customer. More space costs more money. The phone is a sexy bit of kit that drives customers in store. Our job is to demonstrate how to get the best out of it. You can only do that by demonstrating products in-store.

Moore says Orange Retail will become the best place for consumers to purchase Orange.

Customers have a choice to buy from Orange retail or buy Orange products elsewhere. There is a place for people like The Carphone Warehouse because people always want a choice.

They will always want advice from respected retailer. If you want to be on Orange we do it best. We offer the best service and the best advice on orange. Youll go in to the store and learn more about Orange than anywhere else.

Customers can go in and queue up at The Carphone Warehouse. Our in-store approach will appeal to a different kind of person concluded Moore.

We have been told by our supplier that there might be shortages and these are most likely to be in November said Unique Distribution director Angus Dawe.

There has been a rumour regarding shortages for some time now. I have heard its to do with component shortages.

Dawe is sanguine however. I dont think its going to be as desperate as people have been saying. We have normal stocks and havent been collecting speculative amounts. We are just going to take it as it comes. Everyone on the high street is expecting deliveries. For the moment we are still getting deliveries so it isnt a problem just yet.

At the time of going to press a Nokia spokesman was unavailable for comment.

They join Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U on the roster of 3 stockists

Hugh Symons and Avenir Telecom will themselves introduce customers to 3s services and will also select dealers and third parties to act as approved stockists for the network package and to stock equipment distributed by Hugh Symons and Avenir Telecom.

As dealers approved by 3 Avenir Telecom and Hugh Symons will be responsible for training supply chain management and logistical support.

John Barton sales director at 3 said: As we scale up our operations ahead of the roll-out of commercial services were very focused on ensuring that independent stockists are able to play a part in bringing the excitement of 3 to mass-market consumers. Hugh Symons and Avenir are both perfectly positioned to help us achieve that aim.

Geoff Walters managing director of Avenir Telecom UK said:

Avenir is delighted to be one of the two distributors chosen by 3. This is another part of our long-term strategy to support independent dealers and maximise their business opportunities in this exciting phase of the market.

Hugh Symons Communications business manager Bob Sweetlove added:

The success of 3G technology is a fundamental part of our long-term strategy. In choosing us 3 is endorsing our strategic aim of providing complete choice and support to the channel. We welcome enquiries from both existing and new resellers who are interested in driving 3s sales.

Meanwhile 3 has opened its first Italian store in Milan. The network will eventually have 1200 retail stores all over Italy.

(see analysis P16)

There was a 26 per cent growth on profit before tax to 12m a 10 per cent growth in like-for-like retail revenue and nearly five per cent in growth of lik- for-like gross profit.

There was also a 25 per cent growth in connections and a four per cent growth in subscription connections. Recurring revenue which accounts for 48 per cent of group contribution was also up by 20 per cent.

The company has set up a link to the networks blacklisting database so any phones stolen from their stores before will be blacklisted immediately.

Mobile phone crime will now start to decline as stolen handsets are rendered useless.

Today represents a breakthrough in the work of the Government police and mobile phone industry in the crack down on mobile phone theft said Carphone Warehouse chairman Charles Dunstone.

Eurocall Platinum follows Eurocall Vodafones single-rate European price plan which was launched in January 2001.

Under the new scheme customers pay k10 a month for a maximum flat roaming rate of 65 cents a minute.

The rate applies to Vodafone partner network customers who originate calls when roaming to any country within Western Europe.

The existing basic Eurocall tariff rate is currently charged at a maximum of 80 cents when the participating Vodafone partner network is used.

Vodafone customers in Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Portugal Spain and Sweden will today be able to register for Eurocall Platinum. The service will extend to SFR in France from tomorrow (October 15) and to Vodafone UK customers by next month.

The Eurocall Platinum option comes with a free upgrade to an assisted roaming SIM that automatically seeks to connect customers to the local Vodafone partner network.

The Eurocall Platinum price like Eurocall will be single rate and have no peak and off-peak periods.

The handheld wireless email which is offered by both 02 and Vodafone was praised for its leading edge technology that maxim-ises enterprises capabilities for mobile communications.

Called Fonegame it lets games addicts play while they talk (and presumably drive)

Games supplied include Super and Classic Tetris Car Racing

Called Charge-Me it is said to be the UKs first self-standing kiosk to allow mobile phone and PDA users to re-charge batteries in public locations. Users can talk on their phone while they are charging them.

Charge Me will next month run a pilot service at public locations in the Greater London area at venues such as Victoria and Waterloo stations. The Charge Me kiosk includes 12 charging bays to accommodate different models mobile phones and PDAs. Up to 12 people can charge their mobiles and PDAs at the same time.

The kiosk has been developed and manufactured in the UK. The re-charge points have been designed to stand in an open area thanks to their circular design.

The launch kiosks are compatible with Nokia Ericsson Motorola Siemens Sony Samsung and Palm devices.

Charge Me will initially provide two kiosk types coin-operated and corporate model.

Fast charging times usually range from five to 10 minutes. So five minutes costs 50p and 10 minutes costs 1. There are plans for the kiosks to take Euros in the rest of Europe.

The corporate kiosk provides charging free and are for hotels shops and restaurants who want to provide a service to customers.

Charge Me offers commercial opportunities for mobile operators service providers and retailers says Dr Janko Mrsic-Flogel Charge Me director of business development.

Mobile Voucher will appear as a simple text message on the customers mobile as soon as the purchase of any product or service has been completed.

Each Mobile Voucher carries a unique serial number for verification that reduces fraud stops the chances of copying vouchers for multiple use and provides a highly effective evaluation mechanism.

To receive something like a Free Weekend Break or Free Nightclubbing offer all the customer has to do is present the Mobile Voucher at the hotel or venue where it is verified by a unique number.

The Mobile Voucher Scheme has enabled TLC clients such as Carlsberg BAA Airports Asda Ryvita Royal Bank of Scotland Guinness Orange and Tiscali to deliver vouchers to customers via SMS or WAP.

Mobile marketing is a new industry that many brands are failing to take advantage of says TLC Promotions and Incentives managing director Nick True.

It is a mass medium with no mobile-specific rewards solution. Sending reward vouchers to your phone is the brand saying thank you/ to their customers.

The scheme was developed with Beenz.com founder Charles Cohen.

Beenz was an internet electronic currency system that ceased operation in August.

They were shown the T100 and HBH60. Also on display were the P800 T300 Chatpen and T600.