The GD30 has 50 phonebook memories 10 pre-defined SMS messages and 20 ringer tones. The GD50 is targeted at the business user and offers desktop handsfree speech and a multi-call function allowing up to five other callers to share a conversation.

The GD90 is Panasonics pitch at the smallest lightest claim and is certainly the companys smallest handset yet. It weighs 96gm (about a third of the weight of this copy of Mobile News). Phonebook numbers can be tagged to activate either a green or amber backlight when they are received as an incoming call.

Panasonic says it is working hard exploring W-CDMA applications to currently include photographic image transmission video images high speed data (music delivery video magazines) and automobile information.

Panasonic has been developing a Browser phone which uses the WAP protocol to allow users to send and retrieve emails access the internet directly as well as a host of additional applications.

Panasonic became a board member of the WAP Forum in June 1998 and has taken an active role in developing the new strategies and standards for web based communications of the future.

The store which opened last Saturday (June 19) is at the Freeport Outlet Mall and will offer phones and communications devices at a 30 per cent discount off recommended retail prices.

The first 100 customers were each given a free mobile phone as part of the opening day celebrations and promotions.

The store is the 83rd outlet to open since the launch of The Mobile Phone Stores in 1993. Another 60 stores are planned to be opened in the companys next financial year.

The Mobile Phone Store is 40 per cent owned by BTCellnet.

This follows a recent Welsh consumer council paper on mobile phones which indicates more phones would be sold in Wales if they were produced with a local language option.

As this research confirms 20 per cent of Welsh speakers own a mobile phone and many others would buy one if phones were available with a Welsh language option said Frank Einecke head of Boschs UK mobile phone division.

If as this research suggests there is a need for a Welsh language phone then we will definitely look very closely at incorporating the Welsh language into our handsets.

The first mobile phone base station to use wind power as an energy source is now operating at Cairnsaigh Hill in Kilmarnock.

A blade feathering device keeps the blades spinning at a constant speed regardless of wind strength.

One 2 One confirms it has plans to use the turbine technology in other remote locations in Scotland where the financial and environmental cost of installing mains power is prohibitive.

Under the right conditions a wind turbine can be considerably cheaper than using mains power said One 2 Ones health safety and environment advisor.

Added One 2 One managing director Tim Samples:

We know that our operations cause an impact on the environment and we are committed to reducing that impact wherever we can.

So says telecoms analysts group Ovum which is predicting a rebirth of the global telecoms business as it moves from the current situation where bandwidth is scarce and expensive to one where bandwidth is plentiful and extremely cheap.

Ovum says the big change will come when networks change to Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure rather than traditional circuit switched systems.

This will mean that data and voice networks will merge and voice traffic will just be treated as packets of data.

The technology will exist for networks to offer unlimited bandwidth at a fixed price with distance and geography becoming irrelevant in terms of cost.

The transport of traffic will become the least expensive component of transmitting services.

This will make bandwidth a commodity and the emphasis will move to the pricing packaging and management of services says Ovum analyst Stephen Young.

Ovum predicts all these changes will turn current telecom pricing on its head and will create new market structures with new types of players as well as transforming the way current network operators are run.

In highly competitive markets not everyone succeeds. We anticipate a degree of consolidation as some players who have overstretched their finances fail to meet thier targets Young warns.

The Phone People will sponsor the traffic and travel news as well as running a heavyweight ad campaign on the Galaxy stations.

Galaxy represented a great opportunity for us to target a younger audience in the areas that cover all of our stores said The Phone Peoples sales and marketing director Paul Diffin.

Cosmodus Bullicks new venture has become a licensee and partner of Montreal firm Future Strategy which claims to be world leaders in providing software-based management solutions.

Cosmodus says it will also provide sales and presentation training as well as undertaking market analysis for telecoms companies.

Bullick worked at Proctor & Gamble in a range of sales and marketing roles before joining Motorola eight years ago.

Customers dial 9747 (geddit?) to request an account balance which is sent as a short message.

The service is part of a 1.2 million investment by Air Miles to improve access to customers to a range of travel services over the internet and mobile media. The network will also flash messages about special Air Miles to phones.

Currently internet users and GSM users are growing at almost parallel exponential rates but content providers have not yet seen the business potential of mobile internet services Reinisch believes.

It is proper mobile internet content that will help the introduction of higher data transmission speeds in the mobile market.

GSM is already prepared to handle future radio access systems for UMTS and is ideally positioned to support the higher data rates and multimedia services that will be in demand from mobile users

To ensure UMTS is successful a phased introduction is needed. GSM is already moving towards non-voice services such as the short message service (SMS).

In some countries SMS is the fastest growing service. The introduction of higher speed data services for GSM later this year will be the key step in preparing operators for UMTS operations.

This phased approach will mean operators move up the technology chain to become familiar with non-voice applications as more and more services go wireless.

Applications will be the key to unlocking the potential of wireless non-voice services. There is no single killer application that will do this.

Success will depend on the culture of the country and the willingness of users to pay for value-added services said Reinisch.

The award which started in 1980 is given to companies that can show achievement in wealth creation employment generation and enterprise in design manufacture and marketing of products and services.

Orange chief executive Hans Snook was presented with the Award by trade and Industry secretary Stephen Byers at an awards lunch at the Savoy Hotel.