VTech makes childrens electronic learning toys and cordless phones and has been looking to enter the lucrative GSM market. Sensei co-founder Michael Camilleri said:

With the greater financial backing provided by VTech we can be more competitive and it gives us the backing to start offering the product in the fast-growing European markets. In terms of production we enjoy a much greater purchasing power and secondly we effectively have our own production line and dont have to worry about paying a middleman to produce phones for us he added.

Camilleri and the rest of his staff have been give shares in the new mobile phone company which is not yet listed on the stock exchange but is still a part of the VTech group.

He expects to be selling Sensei phones to both operators and direct to the distribution channels within the next few months.

Camilleri is actively recruiting a sales and support team to further these aims. In addition to offering the product to operators Camilleri wants to sell product directly to distributors and retailers.

Sensei-branded phones are expected in the UK within the next month if all goes according to plan. The company is now looking to talk to anyone that is interested in taking on the product.

Sensei is planning a new tablet type mobile data device that will offer the performance and features of a Nokia Communicator but weighing no more than its premium dual-band phone.

We have people keeping an eye on 3G and where it is going but we wont start producing a 3G handset until the market has reached a point where 3G handset sales will equal or better those of GSM. We know we can produce a handset within a period of one year so why spend millions developing and debugging 3G handsets when we can let the big boys do that he asks?

Press declined to identify his new employer but said it was a household name company which would be launching into the telecoms sector next year.

Ive had 10 fantastic years at NEC. It has been a roller coaster at times but always with a purpose.

Press with NEC director Tony Hutson fought to make NEC in Japan realise it was losing the race in the UK and European cellular market by its clinging to analogue and not developing a GSM product.

Said Hutson:

Andy has led the effort to give NEC the profile it deserves in this market. We all thank him for his tremendous enthusiasm.

Montes is director of European software development and third party publishing relations for Sony Computer Entertainment – Europe.

Montess move to Motorola indicates that Motorola is making a fundamental shift in strategy to break into the entertainment arena in all market segments. Motorola is expected to announce new partnerships to allow it to add entertainment solutions to its future products.

Management for the Southport-based mobile phone retailing chain called police in after notification from the credit company that six sales had been made on the same day at the Stourbridge branch using a stolen credit card. Police interviewed certain members of staff which resulted in the charges being made.

Police are still pursing enquiries with other Phone People staff and more charges are expected. Police are trying to trace a third female suspect.

The move is seen as a precursor to a possible flotation of the network from its BT parent to increase the market valuation of the network. BTWireless chief executive Peter Erskine acknowledged at a BT briefing last month that the network was saddled with too many poor-value pre-pay subscribers.

An informed trade source told

Mobile News:

BTCellnet realise they have missed out on lots of things by not having a proper strategy and losing contacts with dealers. They have allowed lots of dealers to have direct relationships with the other networks. They are struggling with a shrinking contract base. They need to address that. Especially if they are going to float. Any analyst will look at a networks business and put a higher value on a contract base.

If they are smart they will take advantage of the fact that Orange is now losing the loyalty of the independent dealer base and capitalise on that.

BTCellnet put on 670000 net new connections last quarter (April to June) but declined to give a break down on how much of this was contract business.

The disk which is designed to entertain and educate customers on latest offers and promotions is played repeatedly throughout the day and is currently in 25 stores with plans to fit the system in another 25 over the next six months.

A sequel is being produced which will focus on new technologies available now and future technologies.

The idea is to draw the attention of passers-by as well as people inside the store to various products.

Paula Butler (24) falsified refund vouchers which robbed The Carphone Warehouse of 2000 worth of phones and equipment.

She is likely to serve just six weeks with the remaining six weeks suspended.

Magistrate Roger Davies told Butler she had admitted a breach of trust and her crimes were so serious only a custodial sentence cold be justified.

First-time offender Butler was caught out after computer checks uncovered her trail of honesty the prosecutor said.

Butler of Eskdale Avenue Cheshum Bucks had been threatened with jail at an earlier hearing after pleading guilty to two charges of stealing a Panasonic mobile phone and an electronic diary both valued at 6499 in February and April.

She was described as hitherto being of excellent character and admitted and asked the court to take into consideration the theft of call vouchers handsets and accessories worth around 1300 taken between November last year and May when she was arrested.

Butler stole the property over a period of time at the Carphone Warehouses Covent Garden shop. To cover the losses she falsely recorded customer refund transactions.

But she was bound to be found out the court heard because the transactions are all computerised and the discrepancies eventually came to light with her name against the bogus dealings.

Butler admitted her guilt when interviewed by the police and said that the property had been given away by her as gifts for others.

They are Co-Star Electronics Dolphin Panorama The Accessory Zone Siemens Samsung Prime-mark NEC Motorola Intelliplus Hugh Symons Aspen and Alcatel.

Press who left NEC last Friday after 10 years Mobile News September 4 declined to comment on the tip that he was joining the motor giant But he did agree his new employer was a major multinational company not currently working in the telecoms industry.

His departure comes six months after Phone People sales director Paul Diffin and commercial director Scott Forbes left the company threatening to sue for constructive dismissal.

Meanwhile the Southport-based dealer chain said it is no longer looking for outside investment. Earlier this year joint managing director Amjad Baig confirmed that a deal was close to being announced. But Baig said last week the company was doing well from its 150 stores and no longer had any need to re-finance.