Staff Reporter

Goldie is believed to have been rewarded with several million pounds from the company.

Martin and I established a number of companies before BTCellnet made their investment in Martin Dawes Communications.

The one Ill be putting most of my time and effort into is Martin Dawes Business Communications based around the fixed wire industry. We have a couple of switches and an engineering team that is developing added value fixed wire telecoms.

Martin Dawes Telecommunications will derive very little benefit from Martin Dawes Business Communications in terms of convergence. The two companies are and will continue to be completely separate entities. Its an amicable parting.

My service contract with BTCellnet from the very beginning made it clear that I didn t see my role within Martin Dawes Telecommunications as being a long term one but that I was happy to help them for six months from acquisition.

The third-generation mobile phone system which is now in the process of standardisation aims to achieve data transmission speeds from 30 to 100 times higher than current rates.

Ultra-high voice clarity and mobile multimedia applications including video large-capacity data and internet access should be possible through this system. The W-CDMA system also utilises frequencies efficiently allowing more subscribers to share the system.

NECs prototype W-CDMA based mobile phone handset is a compact and lightweight (130g) foldable design. The viewer comprises a small camera microphone and 2-inch colour TFT-LCD screen.

The hands-free function enables users to converse whilst watching the screen. To enable wireless connection between the phone handset and the viewer screen.

NEC is using Bluetooth short-distance radio communications to separate the viewer from the mobile phone to make the phone highly portable and without connection cables or directional infra-red connection. The video phone will be demonstrated at Telecom 99 next week.

Ericsson has already launched its new T28 phone with a Lithium Polymer power source.

The credit card sized batteries give up to 3 hours talk time or up to six days standby time. Nokias first ultra-thin (7.8 millimetre) Lithium Polymer battery will be compatible with the Nokia 5100 Nokia 6100 and Nokia 7100 series digital phones. It weighs just 32 grams.

Li-Polymer has been around since the mid-1990s and has been of specific interest to mobile phone manufacturers as it allows for even smaller and lighter handsets.

The Li-Polymer battery cell doesnt need a hard metal casing. Instead the electrodes are covered with a flexible plastic or aluminum laminate foil. The battery contains no liquid as do traditional batteries.

The electrolyte is polymerised into a gel-like form. This allows for batteries to be designed in a variety of sizes and shapes that would be impossible using conventional battery cells.

Also there will be a need to replace handsets in many cases for full WAP services functionality. The introduction of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) means users will have to decide between buying a GPRS-enabled handset or the WAP-enabled handset.

The move to price calls from time used to the amount of data sent will slow the growth of WAP as many operators may need to upgrade to change their billing systems.

There is likely to be little content initially and the need for new services on the network may slow the uptake of WAP services as network providers may have technical issues when they implement the solutions on their network.

Some of these factors will also drive WAP use says IDC.

As more mobile phone owners use SMS services they are beginning to view their mobile handset and service more and more as a communication and information device as opposed to a simple voice telephone.

There is no doubting the benefits that wireless application protocol can bring to mobile phone users particularly business users but in many resp

The new store is at Drake House Retail Park in Sheffield.

The store opened on Saturday (October 2) with a champagne launch and opening offer giving customers a free Nokia 5110 free connection and free colour cover.

The Mobile Phone Store which is 40 per cent owned by BTCellnet is planning to open a further 14 Northern Electric concessions to add to its 98 stores.

Ericsson will provide branding across all areas to the site with links to view and win Ericsson products such as the MC218 palmtop and latest T28 phone.

Ericsson is no stranger to rugby sponsorship and is now one year into a three-year sponsorship of Premier League side Wasps the Tetleys Bitter Cup Champions.

Eircell chief Stephen Brewer said:

Our new services will move the mobile phone from being a simple auditory device to being the customers personal assistant with relevant data services from traffic reports to up to the minute news and sports.

WAP services will be offered free of any content charge for the initial period with only the data call to the server billed under the existing Eirtime rates. Received SMS messages will be charged on receipt at 10p plus VAT.

Whittle ex-Talkland financial director joined Hugh Symons last year after he became disillusioned at his role at accessories company Ora. Whittle had been part of a two-man management buy-in team that acquired Ora from founder Malcolm Hanson. But the buy-in went sour and Hanson is now back in charge at Ora.

Hugh Roper set up Hugh Symons Wireless Data Services division (WDS) in 1994 and has been managing director of this associate company. He will now become Chairman of WDS with managerial responsibilities being passed to David Ffoulkes-Jones.

Martin Pearson also joins the board responsible for Hugh Symons Mobile Data and Text and Data. He joined as business unit manager for Hugh Symons MobileData in 1998

Whittle told Mobile News:

Geoff Roper thought it appropriate to appoint his son Hugh as MD and this restructuring left no room for me. I enjoyed my time there and was glad to have been able to help. I have a tremendous respect for Geoff who is a man of immense vision and we have parted on very good terms. Hugh Symons is an excellent business in very good shape. I wish them well and have no doubt that they have a good future.

The BusinessPhone service works through software in an integrated PDA and phone. It uses individual or group mobile phone profiles to place call duration limits on handsets and limit calls to certain numbers. Daily or weekly call limits can be applied. Businesses can adjust any phone profile themselves.

BusinessPhone is currently available on the O2 network and the xda although Cognito says the service can be transferred to any PDA and phone combination.

The service is aimed at big businesses as well as fleet or delivery operations that stand to benefit from the free text messaging offer.

Cognito will sell the product direct but is also looking for service providers and dealers to provide distribution.

The quantities of kit to be ordered are expected to dwarf the inventories of the major distributors such as 20:20 Logistics and European Telecom.

The partnership will be effective from early April and is expected to account for 14 per cent of total market share of pre-pay mobile communication.

We are all constantly looking at ways we can put the customer first. As the mobile communications market develops and new technology and services become available it is essential that we retain our competitive edge in order to provide the best possible service said Carphone Warehouse managing director Charles Dunstone.

This agreement will allow us to continue to provide the (cont P2) best packages for our customers while accessing the latest developments in the industry especially in relation to pre-pay mobile phones.

Woolworths managing director Leo McKee said:

We will be exploring a number of options including accessing Carphone Warehouses expertise via concessions in selected Woolworths sites.