The research claims the explosive growth in the mobile communications market has also been accompanied by increased consumer frustration.

Apparently 41 per cent of UK mobile phone users are confused by the options on the market with 34 per cent not convinced that they have bought the right package.

A quarter of those surveyed felt that the running costs of their mobile phone were more than they thought they would be and 70 per cent agreed in hindsight that it would have been better to consult an independent specialist retailer before making the final decision.

The survey also showed that 58 per cent would value a second opinion on their choice of mobile phone.

We constantly deal with customers who have bought their handset from a non specialist retailer says The Carphone Warehouse MD Charles Dunstone.

They realise that they cant get the back up service. Imagine trying to take a handset that has gone wrong back to the supermarket checkout. Customers can end up wasting a significant amount of money if they make the wrong choice.

Growth in mobile phone and internet usage continues and there is interest in the new range of advanced telecoms services such as video on demand and fast internet access Oftel notes.

One in 10 residential consumers said that they intended to get a mobile phone or the internet in the next six months.

Internet use in the residential market has more than doubled from seven per cent to 18 per cent since 1997.

Up to three in 10 consumers would consider using video on demand TV internet and fast internet access when they become available.

Oftel reckons 70 per cent of all businesses and 37 per cent of residential consumers have mobile phones and that the demand is still growing.

Larger businesses are still more likely to use advanced telecoms services than smaller businesses. For example 80 per cent of large businesses use the internet compared to 34 per cent of small businesses.

But the research revealed that small businesses are starting to catch-up with one in five claiming that they will get the internet in the next six months. The research also revealed that take-up and awareness of some of the more specialist business services was still relatively low.

David Edmonds Director General of OFTEL said:

There has already been a huge growth in telecom services and the survey shows there is no sign of it running out of steam.

Consumers are also interested in new services that are just around the corner such as fast internet access and video on demand.

OFTEL believes that there is still scope for making all customers even more aware of the benefits of new services. This is particularly true of small businesses and elderly and low income households.

The WAP-based service is called dot digifone-on-line and will enable users to access news sport weather airline information betting odds stock prices and entertainment news either in Ireland or while the subscriber is abroad.

Esat Digifone says the service will be fully interactive within months enabling customers to book flights cinema tickets and place orders for merchandise.

The customer uses a WAP-enabled handset such as the latest phones from Nokia. The phone connects to the text-based homepage which lists the services available. The customer selects the service and is linked directly to the appropriate internet site.

The WAP programming has been handled by European IT services group CMG.

Esat Digifone is one of the first mobile operators in the world to make WAP technology available to its customers said Irish Minister for Public Enterprise Mary ORourke.

Added Esat Digifone chief executive Barry Maloney:

We are one of the first mobile operators world-wide and the first in Ireland to introduce this service to our customers and it is part of our commitment to providing leading edge technology.

Also Esat Digifone is celebrating the fact that it is to be granted GSM 1800 spectrum which will allow it to more than double its capacity from next year. The network has around 370000 customers.

The Time to Talk options are Power Hour (business customers) Lunch Hour (domestic customers) Happy Hour (domestic customers who want to make calls after leaving work).

The Time to Talk offer is only available through RSL COM dealers.

So says the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) which was formed last year to promote GSM in new and existing markets.

According to the GSA the number of GSM subscribers has doubled in the last 12 months a rate that is out performing all other mobile technologies.

We are not at all surprised that GSM is way ahead of other technologies. Its success is a reflection of the many benefits that GSM technology offers to operators end-users and investors said GSA president Alan Hadden.

We expect the number of subscribers to continue to accelerate as new services are introduced which provide faster data transmission speeds and even greater benefits for the business and private user said Hadden.

Members of the GSA include Ericsson Nokia Lucent Filtronic Comtek Siemens Logica Compaq Hewlett-Packard and Texas Instruments.

The Word Leisure tariff is being sold through The Word stores throughout the South and South West.

Business users get increased of up to 50 per cent in bundled free talk time. So Word 1000 now offers an additional 500 minutes of free talk time.

The constant top-ups pay-as-you-talk schemes require is in stark contrast to the ease and simplicity of a low monthly commitment. The financial argument for the customer is overwhelming when the 500 free minute talk time is considered said Mobile Telecom managing director Martin Smith.

This special offer will enable The Word stores to remain competitive in the High Street.

Mobile Telecom has 31 Word stores operated as a franchise between Mobile Telecom 10 independent dealers and Vodafone.

Called SecuraPAY EPD the system is said to be able to deliver mobile phone top up PINs to any business home or mobile with an Internet connection.

Access is possible via computer digital TV or Web-enabled device such as the latest generation of mobile phones cordless web pads house phones etc.

The PIN numbers are delivered on-line as mail or an SMS directly to the handset.

Talking Point has also come up with a system of kiosks that allow people to top-up their phones by using a touch-screen terminal similar to a PDQ credit card machine with a small keypad and a card reader. This removes the cost of holding stock and eliminates any possible loss or pilfering.

The technology is similar to the one announced by e-Pay two months ago whereby a terminal eliminates the need for the retailer to stock top-up cards.

Users of the e-kiosk system navigate through the Internet Web Site called pay-as-you-go.co.uk and purchase pre-pay mobile phone vouchers electronically in the same manner as on the Internet. Payment can be by cash or credit cards paid into the machine terminal.

Web content can be downloaded even when the kiosk is not in use so it can utilise low-cost standard telephone lines whilst still displaying content at fast speeds. When real-time information is required the kiosk automatically dials up the Internet to deliver the requested content.

In terms of revenue earning potential the e-kiosk makes very efficient use of sales floor space as well as providing a fast and efficient solution 24 hours a day that is both convenient and less staff-intensive said Talking Point.

Any product can be ordered at the touch of a button for delivery with the utmost precision and least possible delay. The kiosks can be sited anywhere demand is anticipated including shopping malls supermarkets train stations and petrol forecourts making the world of Web Surfing literally even more accessible to the man in the street.

The company says there are now around 1500000 people using its multi-function PC modem and GSM cards.

The company which was bought by Psion Group 10 years ago employs 300 people at its Milton Keynes headquarters.

Mobile and pager numbers are all changing to start 07. People whose mobiles or pagers do not already start 07 will be getting a new 07 number.

The need for change was announce by Oftel in 1997 because the boom in internet and telecoms usage meant the country was running out of numbers.