The trials will be conducted on a regional basis using business support systems that will be available at commercial launch and will be extended nation-wide in November.

The trials are being carried out in conjunction with Ericsson Vodafones partner in the development of its GPRS infrastructure.

This is an important step in our GPRS launch schedule. Not only does this present us with an ideal opportunity to test our GPRS offerings but also creates a forum for inter-working with key customers leading to closer working relationships that we hope will continue for many years to come Vodafone UK CEO Peter Bamford said.

ICL chief technology officer at ICL Andrew Boswell commented:

ICL feels it is important to get involved at this early stage in the development of Vodafones GPRS services as one of their major corporate customers. This will give our staff valuable first hand experience of the latest technology and ensure that we are well placed to advise our customers on how they can use the technology to their best advantage.

The trialists will be provided with a GPRS device which will allow them to make a direct comparison on the faster speeds and capabilities that GPRS brings over GSM. GPRS is always on so users dont have to re-connect each time they need to send data.

The business trials will test and validate the end-to-end service performance of the GPRS network and to verify the customer experience.

In addition to Wireless Office Applications such as e-mail scheduling task management and Intranet browsing (HTML); WAP based information and entertainment services and Service Management.

Applications will be used in order to test applications that have been developed specifically for corporate customers.

This is the latest stage of Vodafones GPRS trial programme in the run up to launch. Live network rollout commenced last month and is scheduled for completion at the end of October.

Vodafone claims it will be the first UK operator to incorporate the latest GPRS standards into its live GSM network.

Following Mobile News story on September 18 about the proposed sale JWE CEO Tony Farmer said:

Theres been no further movement Im afraid. Im hoping to be able to tell you something fairly soon.

We announced back in July that we were looking to dispose of the retail businesses and that we were hoping to do so fairly soon. That is still the case.

We are in discussions with the same parties as we have been in discussions with all along. These things take time and because we are a public company. Im afraid I cant be any more forthcoming until the deal is done. Im hopeful that we will have something more concrete to say in time for the next issue of Mobile News said Farmer.

GMC Holdings has not issued any denial of our report that it was in line to pick up the JWE shops.

The expansion into other distribution channels outside the Virgin Group is the second move outside Virgins usual channel. The first agreement was signed with JS Sainsbury last week aimed at getting Virgin Mobile to its sales target of one million customers by Spring next year.

Virgin Mobile currently has over 420000 customers and helped joint venture partner One 2 One pip Oranges network sales in Q3.

Shoppers in W.H. Smith stores will be able to pick up a Virgin Mobile Alcatel Max DB package ( 49.99) and a Nokia 3210 ( 99.99) – both including connection.

In a further 100 outlets the WAP-enabled M35i ( 129.99 incl. connection) will also be available. Agreements for wider distribution through other retailers is expected over the next few weeks.

Said Steven Day corporate affairs director at Virgin Mobile:

We have set our targets high for company growth but the wider distribution plans will mean we are well on target for one million customers by Spring 2001.

Virgin Mobile handsets are now available on the High Street at Virgin Megastores Our Price v.shops JS Sainsbury and W.H. Smith; or direct from www.virgin.com/mobile.

Virgin Mobile attracted 128393 new customers to the service in the last three months.The victual network says around half of the new sales in the quarter were first-time mobile phone buyers; the remainder were switchers from other networks.

The flagship sponsorship will reach an audience of two million every week and is initially for a 13 week period in the run up to the Christmas period with an option to renew.

The Carphone Warehouse will get top of the hour sponsor credits out of the news trails out of advertising breaks during the show and up to four promotional trails each day.

Jonathan Hook marketing director at The Carphone Warehouse said:

Were a great believer in the power of radio and thrilled to have signed a deal with the biggest breakfast show. Were always keen to join up with lively and creative partners and the Chris Evans Breakfast Show fitted the bill perfectly.

Also The Carphone Warehouse has launched three new independent information guides. They are You and Your Mobile Phone A Guide to the Mobile Internet and Mobile Phones & Health. All the guides are free and available in store and from the companys web site.

The Mint Telecom SIM card allows the user to bypass the home network and make roaming calls throughout the world at a cheaper rate of 85p a minute for outgoing calls and 42p for received calls in any one of 112 countries.

Users continue with their home network with the other SIM. In the UK the bundle will be distributed by European Telecom.

BTCellnet has also reduced the cost of the monthly subscription to Business First to 12.99 a month from 14.00.

The package also gives businesses further discounts in the costs of all their calls depending on the size of the bill and the length of commitment to BTCellnet Business First. The tariff does not include any bundled minutes. BTCellnet Business First is aimed at businesses up to 500 employees. Businesses with just one handset can now also use the BTCellnet Business First tariff.

Business First offers a range of billing and payment options including individual billing to all users with a summary bill to a central account if desired.

The service provides a dedicated account service centre.

Another possible candidate for the job is Orange group sales director Gareth Jones.

Brennan an Australian joined Orange in 1993 as group IT and operations director having spent the early part of his career with Hutchison Whampoa in Hong Kong overseeing the development and operation of the groups IT systems throughout south east Asia.

His responsibility at Orange included the development of a proprietary IT infrastructure and the evolution of IT systems which has helped establish Oranges reputation as a leading communications company.

Brennan was appointed UK group commercial director of Orange in March last year.

The award was given from feedback from a July survey by the CMA of UK communications technology industries.

The award was based on users ratings of their suppliers across 31 subject areas from service and technical innovation to clarity of billing complaints handling and geographical coverage.

The first network facility to be made available to students will be based on GPRS. Vodafone will incorporate the latest GPRS standards into its live GSM network and will begin full customer trials this month. The GPRS network will be followed by a third generation test network in the spring.

Once the infrastructure is in place Vodafone will work with the University and manufacturers to ensure that sufficient phones are available to carry out the trials which will initially be within the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory.

Vodafone is making a pioneering investment in advanced mobile network technologies in Cambridge said Vodafones UK Strategy director Tim Harrabin.

It offers a huge opportunity to develop innovative services and applications for the millions of mobile phone users in the UK.

We are delighted to supplement our own development activities by providing facilities to support the University and other organisations committed to turning ideas for future mobile applications into reality.