Staff Reporter

On the same day Paul Donovan Vodafone UK managing director (Commercial) takes over as Eircells chief executive.

Brewer joined ircell in October 1995 from Cellnet where he launched the first consumer tariffs in 1991 called Lifetime. Before that he was marketing head of Apple Computer in the UK. Coincidentally Donovan is also an Apple old boy.

Brewer has been credited with steering Eircell from a lacklustre monopoly wireless carrier to one that was well-prepared for the onslaught of competition.

During his tenure he oversaw the creation of ircell as an independent subsidiary of Telecom ireann from its earlier incarnation as the mobile department of the Irish telco. Staff increased from 200 servicing a contract-only customer base of 100000. Prior to its acquisition by Vodafone earlier this year Eircell was one of Irelands top 10 indigenous companies. ircell currently has a 60 per cent market share.

Said Brewer: As ircell enters a new phase in its growth and development it is appropriate that I now seek new challenges. I will still be in a position to continue playing a large role in ircells development in my continuing participation as a board director.

Ironically another ex-Vodafone man David Sims is in charge of Eircells rival network Meteor. Sims was managing director of the joint Vodafone and Ericsson-owned manufacturer Orbitel (see P38).

A report by receivers Kroll Buchler Phillips reveals that Orange is a substantial unsecured creditor of the company.

Although the (sales) ledger reflected a book value of 4 million at the date of receivership 3.8 million of this relates to Orange. Oranges counter-claim has been admitted in excess of the amount due from them.

The receivers say there is little chance of collecting the rest of the money owed to Dabcom. Most of this is due from dealers owed commission from Dabcom for the sale of handsets.

Orange has a retention title to more than 75 per cent of the phones held in stock by Dabcom at the date of receivership. Dabcoms bank is owed around 539000.

The receivers say there is little chance of preferential creditors getting any of there money back and highly unlikely that there will be anything left for unsecured creditors. Orange declined to comment.

Managing director Peter Oliver said Ora would continue to cut costs. It has been scouting for a new site in Aylesbury because the overheads at its current warehouse are too high.

Oliver added that Ora had also rethought its strategy and is embarking on a plan to increase sales to the dealer channel.

The company is recruiting sales and marketing staff to this end.

Ora traditionally focused on the larger retailers and the networks but Oliver says the time is right for Ora to work with the dealer channel now that some accessory companies have left the market.

We are refocusing on the dealer channel. There are fewer companies selling accessories to dealers. We think people would prefer to deal with us than some of the lesser known companies he said.

Oliver added that cost-cutting has enabled it to offer lower prices.

The old Ora focused on the larger retailers to the detriment of dealers. We want to increase business with independent dealers which currently accounts for only 15 to 20 per cent of our business. We want to build that up considerably. We have stopped the losses and turned the accounts around.

The service is sold only through Carphone Warehouses 411 stores website and direct call centre. The Carphone Warehouse can also offer Fresh users data fax and SMS.

So says the Taxi Newspaper (part of the licensed Taxi Drivers Association Group) and wireless security company Pointsec Mobile Technologies.

The survey of 131 taxis found that five per cent of cab drivers had also found a PDA in their cabs.

Just half of the lost mobile phones were actually reclaimed.

Fitzgerald will run Intec Distributions launch of new SIM-free phones to its UK dealer base of over 1000 outlets and oversee Intecs 14-day handset sales.

Steve Fitzgeralds impressive industry background including senior positions with NECs paging and subsequently its cellular sales operations made him an attractive candidate. As a former NEC man myself I know him well said Intec boss Harry Ramis.

David Nichols (48) was found guilty in a London court on August 21 of sending a 13-year-old boy passenger text messages of a sexual nature.

Nichols a station supervisor at Chorleywood in Hertfordshire escaped a jail sentence and was freed under a two-year probation order after the court considered psychiatric reports which referred to a medical condition that Nichols blamed for his actions.

The court heard Nichols had used his position of authority at the station to obtain the boys mobile number by pretending he would send him text messages of train delays.

But the messages were of descriptions of a sexual nature involving disabled people.

Nichols had admitted three counts of sending the obscene text messages in July (Mobile News July 6).

When interviewed by the police Nichols had expressed his horror at what he had done.

He is to face a disciplinary hearing and is certain to be sacked after 25 years in his job.

David Nichols (48) was found guilty in a London court on August 21 of sending a 13-year-old boy passenger text messages of a sexual nature.

Nichols a station supervisor at Chorleywood in Hertfordshire escaped a jail sentence and was freed under a two-year probation order after the court considered psychiatric reports which referred to a medical condition that Nichols blamed for his actions.

The court heard Nichols had used his position of authority at the station to obtain the boys mobile number by pretending he would send him text messages of train delays.

But the messages were of descriptions of a sexual nature involving disabled people.

Nichols had admitted three counts of sending the obscene text messages in July (Mobile News July 6).

When interviewed by the police Nichols had expressed his horror at what he had done.

He is to face a disciplinary hearing and is certain to be sacked after 25 years in his job.

So says a report called: The Moment of Truth: a portrait of the UK market for mobile phones from Strand Consult.

Strand is an independent consultancy which specialises in analysing and evaluating sales concepts and sales processes within the mobile communication business.

Of the 132 shops and sales persons tested only 28 salesmen demonstrated better than average competence said Strand head John Strand.

Only about half the salesmen recommended a solution without being asked. Only 41 salesmen did better than poorly at asking sufficient questions to discover our needs.

Only 16 shops offered us brochures which included additional services. Only five salesmen asked about our existing knowledge of mobile telephony.

Only eight salesmen asked if we had tried WAP. Only seven shops asked if we would like to be able to read daily news on the mobile.

Functions of the terminals were demonstrated in only nine shops Accessories were mentioned in only 10 shops.

Price was by far the most frequently-used argument for choice of operator. In 103 shops no WAP-enabled terminals were demonstrated the report said.

Strand says the problem is focusing too much on attracting new customers and too little on providing them with the service they deserve.

Market makers were also unimpressed with the news that financial director Paul Hinder is to leave in November.

Chief executive officer Darren Ridge said results for the year ending next March would be substantially below market expectations.

The trading statement said:

The board believes that this performance is due to two generic factors affecting the companys principal businesses: a revised view of the market in which the companys businesses operate; and unrealistic internal forecasts based on the companys previous strategy.

The core business of mobile retail and wholesale distribution has had some success in securing and retaining high-value customers. However sales in recently opened stores have been slower than anticipated which has meant that some new stores are taking longer than the company had expected to break even.

Sales of mobile handsets have also been hit by the well publicised shift in commercial policies of the major network operators.

This has had an adverse impact on the companys wholesale distribution activities.

Ridge said PNC has launched a cost-cutting drive starting with the closures of its offices at Leeds and St. Albans estimated to save 400000 a year.

It is also likely that some senior managers and staff will go to achieve a further saving of 350000 a year.

Ridge said renegotiation of main supply contracts could add another 500000 a year to the bottom line.

PNC said it will also spend more customer care and marketing to retain and gain high-value customers.

Despite the downgrade I remain very positive about the companys future said Ridge.

Head office costs have been reduced by approximately 35 per cent. per annum. We now have a strong management team that has a wealth of experience in the companys key markets..

Ridge was managing director of KJC Mobile Phones and was made chief operating officer of PNC Tele.com in January six months after PNC acquired KJC.