The ICT Council is one of the top level FEI committees responsible for identifying and addressing key issues affecting FEI members within the information and communications sectors.

The current debate over alleged dangers to health caused by mobile phones is sure to be one of the major areas of discussion.

Short has been in the electronics and telecoms business for 25 years including 12 years in cellular. He was chairman of the GSM Association between 1996 and 1997 and is chairman of the UK Mobile Data Association.

The debut of WiMax wireless communications next year could therefore pose a threat to the revenues of mobile phone giants.
Rob Bamforth principal analyst at Quocirca commented: "It´s certainly a move mobile operators need to take seriously. But I think the real challenge will be in how companies communicate their differences how 3G is different from WiMax and WiFi."
WiMax will enable users to log on at hotspot´ areas and make voice calls over the Internet using VoIP software from providers such as Skype without using a standard phone network.
Bamforth adds: "It´s not necessarily a bad thing for phone operators in the long term. I believe wireless operators will eventually move towards a subscription-based model of payment rather than paying by the second or the megabyte. The key for phone operators will be keeping up with these rapid changes in the wireless sector."
Pipex intends to roll out its wireless network to six or more cities by 2008 and aims to be present in 50 urban areas. Intel Capital the chip-maker´s venture capital investment arm is investing £14.5 million in the new company which will be called Pipex Wireless.
The announcement comes just days after Pipex acquired Homecall the fixed-line business of telecoms tycoon John Caudwell for £43million.
Pipex chairman Peter Dubens claimed the company would now have more than a million customers in the UK across broadband voice and hosting.

They include Little Britain The Office League of Gentlemen South Park Premier League Greatest Moments and Music Video Anthems.
ROK chairman Jonathan Kendrick said: "These six new titles will be available exclusively online before we release them into selected mobile phone shops over the next few weeks."
The titles cost £16.99 each. ROK Player memory cards are compatible with 18 handsets.

His unexpected departure is believed to be the result of a personal clash with boss Kyle Whitehill Vodafones director of enterprise business unit.
Vodafone refused to be drawn in to the details of his departure but a spokesman revealed: "He is leaving to pursue other career opportunities."
Sources familiar with the company admitted Huggett did not attend a 400-strong internal Vodafone sales conference that he was due to participate in at the Newbury head office a couple of weeks ago.
Huggetts exit follows a number of high-profile executive departures at Vodafone over the last year. A rift in the company is reported to have grown between the so-called "Newbury Boys" a group of executives led by Sir Christopher Gent who oversaw the firms rapid expansion in the 1980s and 1990s and other senior management figures including chief executive Arun Sarin.
In March this year Gent further fuelled rumours of boardroom politics by stepping down from his position as life president further severing ties with the company.
The loss of other key figures includes the ousting of marketing director Peter Bamford in March and the imminent retirement of deputy chief executive Sir Julian Horn-Smith in July both thought to be part of a wider boardroom strategy by CEO Arun Sarin.
Other notable departures include former finance director Ken Hydon senior manager for business partnerships Jason Rigby and head of dealer sales Iain Graham.
This latest departure is likely to cause further concern for the company which has undergone significant changes over the past year including the sale of Vodafone Japan for £8.3 billion in March and the return of Bill Morrow from Japan to head the networks operations in Europe.

This follows the news that Gnarls Barkley hit Crazy reached number one this month on the strength of digital downloads.
Planet Funk´s single Stop Me will be sold exclusively via downloads on 3 from May 8.
Band member Alex Neri said: "It makes perfect sense for us. People´s musical habits are changing and millions of people now effectively have a record shop in their pocket 24 hours a day."
Mobile downloads already account for four per cent of the singles chart and mobile networks claim more than 16 million music video sales or song downloads in the past two years.

Virgin Mobile users simply send a blank text to 22SOS (22767) and Virgin founder Richard Branson calls back within five minutes with a range of light-hearted messages you can use as your excuse to get you out of a bad date or meeting. If you already know you´ve got a tough situation coming up you can organise a specific time for him to call you.
The service is predicated on research by the network that found 76 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men wish their mobile would ring during a bad date or work meeting to let them escape.
Messages include a personal welcome to the mile-high club which notes that cameras have been fitted in aircraft toilets.

The handset also includes MP3 ring tones a voice recorder and handsfree speaker. The phone comes with mobile Internet access via a WAP browser. The handset will cost around £55 and be available in-store this summer.

Williams helped design the phone which offers a live recording of the opening song along with a video clip and six wallpapers of the singer´s world tour.
Robbie Williams commented: "Working with T Mobile is a great way to get my music and videos out there and the Walkman phone is our latest collaboration. It´s great."
Fans will be able to install unreleased live´ mobile music content including backstage experience of the world tour.
T-Mobile International chief marketing officer Ulli Gritzuhn added: "With the special edition W300 we are once again providing fans with a chance to personalise their mobiles with exclusive live mobile music content a never-before seen video clip and photos all on one device that was creatively influenced by Robbie Williams."
The W300 is a quad-band MP3 player with storage for 70 tracks and power for 30 hours´ music play. It also comes with a 4x digital zoom camera and built-in FM radio.
Sony Ericsson head of sales and marketing Jan W¤reby added: "The special edition W300 will provide fans with a unique memento of the tour. This level of personalisation is a first for Sony Ericsson and we are delighted not only to be a tour sponsor but to be able to bring T-Mobile this very individual phone with designs influenced by Robbie himself."

Monstermob chief executive Martin Higginson said: "W-Infinity complements our existing Chinese operations. Our enlarged business will have a strong position in the world´s largest mobile market."
W-Infinity is based in Beijing and sells most of its ringtones wallpapers and games directly to consumers via SMS.
China is the world´s largest mobile telecommunications market and is forecast to grow by 225 million users by 2008.
Monstermob China managing director Yongqiang Qian said: " I believe this will drive strong medium-term organic growth."

The 24-hour streamed news channel will deliver worldwide and local news every 15 minutes.
The weather channel produced alongside the Met Office will provide weather updates across nine UK regions as well as five-day forecasts.
This service builds on ITN´s existing arrangement with Vodafone that already provides bulletins entertainment news and soap updates.