Staff Reporter

Customers are issued with a personalised easy TopUp swipe card that contains their mobile number stored in it. They take the TopUp card to a retailer offering the E-TopUp service select the value they require credited to their account and pay.

The retailer swipes the easy TopUp card through the on-line counter terminal linked to the Vodafone network. Credit is automatically applied to the mobile phone account

The TopUp card is currently being trialled by 17500 customers using 18 Vodafone Retail stores in the Midlands.

The service will gradually be extended to all registered Pay As You Talk customers and eventually be available from all high street specialist and multiple retailers who already offer Vodafone Pay As You Talk scratch-cards. Vodafone also anticipates the service will further expand the distribution of locations where TopUps are available.

Retailers will never run out of E-TopUps customers will be able to buy top-ups when and where they want – potentially 24 hours a day said Paul Donovan commercial and marketing director of Vodafone UK.

Customers with access to the internet can use vodafone.net to top- up their mobile phone using their credit or debit card.

We anticipate that the service will become the preferred choice for our customers to credit their account.

We introduced the service just before Christmas. Customers found the service not only convenient but also time-saving added Donovan.

They are dealers Derek Davey (West Talk) and Dr. Jason Leighton (The Telephone Store) Alan Hadden (GSM Suppliers Association) Bill Meiran (Telecommunications Users Association) Francesca Cura (EMC) James Malcolm (Federation of Communication Services) Ian Volans (ex-Vodafone and One 2 One press officer) Jill Stevens (Experian) Michael Stocks or Robert Conway (GSM Association) Tom Wills-Sandford (Federation of Electronics Industries) Val Jervis (ex-Oftel) and Colin Tucker (ex-Orange chief operating officer).

The sold-out Awards take place at the Hilton on Park Lane on March 23 and will be hosted by top comedian Jim Davidson.

The closing date for entries is February 9. Deliver to Mobile News 134 Petherton Rd London N5 2RT.

Called Gold Dot the connection system is said to provide better electrical performance where space is limited. It is claimed to improve reliability without the need to redesign the phone.

The Gold Dot connection system consists of bump-shaped contacts built into the circuit material between the main circuit board and LCD display.

The benefits of Gold Dot technology fit very well in telecommunications applications and a number of cellular phone manufacturers have expressed interest in the system said Bill Jensen president of Packard Hughes Connect whose Delphi Automotive Systems subsidiary has developed the Gold Dot method.

Ericssons use of the technology marks the first time it has been used in manufacturing of a consumer product. It is usually used in high specification applications in the military and aerospace markets.

This calls were made using prototype GPRS handsets from Mitsubishi and a Nortel Networks GPRS network

Nortel Networks has focused on developing a commercial grade GPRS system as rapidly as possible said Doug Lowther vice president (Wireless Data Solutions) at Nortel Networks.

Our GPRS offer uses open interfaces in compliance with the most recent GPRS standards and it will interoperate with a wide variety of mobile phones applications and infrastructure products.

GPRS can enable operators to offer full internet service provision capabilities supporting applications such as mobile e-commerce and secure mobile Virtual Private Networks. GPRS will be supported at speeds of up to 170 kilobits per second nearly 12 times faster than speeds typically available today.

Nortel Networks says it is working with more than 20 GSM and TDMA operators worldwide for early deployment

More than 100 Nortel Networks GPRS systems have already been shipped to customer sites and laboratories on four continents. Networks can try the system out without having to change any of their equipment.

The key to successfully deploying GPRS is network cost-effectiveness Lowther said.

Our overall plan is to drive down the cost of delivering wireless data from 37 cents a megabyte to four cents a megabyte by 2004.

The licence allows EuroCommerce to distribute PNC Tele.nets internet telephony products to Ireland.

Current internet usage in Ireland is estimated at 460000 people with a new user coming on line every three and a half minutes.

Ireland has high penetration levels of internet-aware coroprate and consumer customers. The distribution of our internet telephony product range in Ireland is a natural addition to our operations here in the United Kingdom said PNC Tele.com chief executive Geremy Thomas.

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AFPs WAP-based mobile news services will include the latest general news sports news and financial news in English Spanish French German and Portuguese. Stories are updated throughout the day seven days a week. The service is independent of phone and server manufacturer.

AFP is one of the three worldwide news agencies with 1200 reporters 200 photographers and 2000 stringers working in 165 countries. It is recognised as the premier supplier of information in Asia Europe the Middle East and Africa with services in English French German Spanish Portuguese and Arabic. AFP provides multimedia news services to more than 150 web sites in 20 countries. ImageForum

PAYT is now sold through 400 Sainsburys stores. The two organisations have been dealing with each other since September 1998.

The award was given for point-of-sale supply chain management delivery times service and incremental business delivered to Sansburys by card sales.

The two companies will exploit the technology available using the Vodafone Interactive service text messaging WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) enabled handsets which incorporate internet browser technology and when available the 3G (3rd Generation) mobile networks.

Vodafone envisages that in the future more people will be watching the news via their mobile phone than at home in front of their TV set explained Alan Harper managing director of Vodafone UK.

Vodafones agreement with the BBC marks the first step on the road of true mobile and multimedia convergence.

Our aim is to redefine the wireless future to further open up the endless services available to customers via their mobile phone using Vodafone Interactive WAP and eventually 3G and this agreement with the BBC is just one of the many services that our customers can look forward to.

Tony Hall Chief Executive of BBC News said:

We want to make our journalism available to people where ever they are and whenever they want it. This landmark deal with the biggest mobile phone operator will help achieve our strategic aim of becoming the leading provider of news in this exciting new market.

From early 2000 mobile customers using a digital Vodafone or WAP enabled handset will have content from the most extensive news service on the net BBC ONline.

Using the Vodafone Interactive service and the customers Personal Preference Page at vodafone.net they will be able to choose to receive the top breaking international and domestic news about business sport entertainment science health and education issues direct to their mobile as text messages.

The service will be extended during next year enabling customers to receive highly personalised news services pre-picking their schedule dependent on their interests or even concentrating on a particular news story as it unfolds. WAP capability on mobile handsets will also allow customers to see supporting graphics with text stories and hear audio reports. In the future customers will also be able to watch video clips by connecting their phone to a palm top computer.

BtCellnet says it wants to bring the supply of all accessories under a single managed contract comprising of original equipment handset manufacturers third party manufacturers and Ora-made accessories.

Under the terms of the contract Ora will provide a call centre and fulfilment services. packaging design warehousing and logistics as well as product training for BtCellnet call centre staff.

We appreciate the opportunity to be much more than simply an accessories clearance house and welcome the full supply partnership that BtCellnet expects said Ora managing director Ken Edmonds.

BtCellnet hardware supply manager Richard Watson commented:

We are looking to develop a long-term partnership with Ora to help us with our various customer acquisition and retention programmes. We expect Ora to provide the right accessories and the right time and the right price. There are also a number of new revenue streams that we intend to investigate and develop together.

We look forward to a long-lasting and mutually-rewarding partnership.

Ora recently moved to a new 60000 sq.ft head office a short distance from its old 30000 sq.ft site in Aylesbury.