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.

Before joining Dolphin Henson was sales and marketing director of PMR company NB3.

One 2 One said his appointment reflects the importance that One 2 One is placing in the business market a priority for Deutsche Telekom the companys new owners.

Under the agreement with Psion European Telecom will become a distributor of the newest additions to the palmtop range the Revo and Series 7 products as well as the popular Series 5MX.

European Telecom has created a major launch plan to support dealers introducing the Psion product range.

The campaign includes extensive trade advertising and point of sale merchandising.

The agreement with Philips Consumer Communications for DECT phones further extends European Telecoms product portfolio and is a second major win for the company. Philips has just launched two new product ranges – Kala and Onis. European Telecom will distribute the complete range of handsets and base stations and supporting equipment for both products

Also European Telecom group operations director Colin Cartwright has joined the companys main board as an executive director.

Cartwright has been with European Telecom for more than four years.

He oversaw the move into the Groups high-tech distribution and logistics centre and also led the implementation of a new fully integrated computer-based finance and logistics system which included the introduction of an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) management system.

Before joining European Telecom he spent several years as managing director with Bose and KEF Audio.

Cellnet has been plagued by prepay fraudsters using the credit card numbers and expiry dates of non-BTCellnet customers to top up their prepay phones illegally.

Card Clear will provide payment card verification.

The company claims to be a market leader in fraud prevention services. It collates and distributes files of lost and stolen cards and offers an on-line service to retailers and card issuers.

The organisation said it last year stopped over 120000 fraudulent transactions preventing an estimated 30 million in fraud losses.

BTCellnet had been more susceptible to credit card fraud than the other networks because it did not require pre-pay users to register their personal details which could be checked when an attempt to top the phone up by credit card was made.

The new company which will focus on infrastructure will be called Mobisphere and will be headquartered in Reading. It will be 51 per cent owned by Siemens.

NEC and Siemens expect to start selling UMTS products in 2001 to reach 1.5 billion units in 2004 capturing 20 p

McCaw and a group of existing ICO investors will provide $225 million in debtor-in-possession financing as well as $275 million in a second financing round expected to be completed by the end of January 2000.

Debtor-in-possession financing is emergency financing that is converted into equity when ICO emerges from bankruptcy.

McCaw and his affiliates have also agreed to underwrite the remaining $700 million exit financing expected to be completed by second quarter 2000 upon consummation of the reorganisation plan.

He will invite existing and additional strategic and financial investors in ICO to participate in this remaining portion of financing.

McCaw chairman of Teledesic and Eagle River said:

It is our hope that by working with ICOs team and international partners we can bring the company back to good health and make a contribution to global communications particularly in the developing world. We recognise that this is a big job and that theres a lot of work ahead of us. Our investment in ICO marks the first step in our strategy to widen the technological tools at our disposal and serve a broader group of customers.

The McCaw-led investment will enable ICO to raise the $1.2 billion it needs to complete the build-out of its system and to provide working capital to the company up to the launch of its global mobile satellite services in the second quarter of 2001.

Richard Greco ICOs chief executive officer said:

ICOs future just got brighter. This financing agreement provides us with a clear path to exit from Chapter 11. Now we can move forward aggressively with our plans to complete our system and launch our global mobile voice and data services. We are particularly pleased to be partnering with Craig McCaws team and benefiting from their broad experience in wireless communications?

McCaws investment is subject to approval of the USA Bankruptcy Court the Bermuda and Cayman Island courts as well as certain other conditions.