MP3 is a technology that allows CD quality music to be compressed into a file which is small enough to download easily from the internet to a PC. It can then be played on a computer with special software or a dedicated MP3 player.

The Virgin-branded Samsung SGH M100 combined mobile and MP3 player will retail at around 300 when it launches to the public later this summer.

It will be sold with the usual Virgin Mobile tariff package.

In-bound calls automatically pause the music until the user hangs-up at the end of their conversation. The MP3 mobile will be available from Virgin Mobile direct Virgin Megastores or over the internet

This mobile marks the beginning of a new period in music retailing and distribution and it is the epitome of modern mobile technology said Virgin Group head Sir Richard Branson.

Virgin has been at the forefront of the music industry. In the new media world we aim to continue that tradition. With the record companies and artists making moves to sell their music over the internet we see a great future for digital music download technology.

We have plans to let people buy music and have it downloaded straight to their phone in our stores. And in the future it will be possible to buy and download music over the air using the mobile network itself.

Virgin customers will be able to download up to an albums worth of music from the internet or from a CD onto their Virgin Mobile Samsung MP3 phone via their computer.

The Samsung phone comes with 32Mb of memory and software allowing customers to digitally store and file their private CD collection or web-sourced MP3 music then download it onto their MP3 phone. It takes approximately 30 seconds to transfer a three-minute track from PC to the phone.

The launch will be backed by a heavy advertising campaign targeting a core audience of 18-35 year olds.

The Licence for 3G services in Ireland will be offered by the end of February 2001. A decision has not yet been made on the competition format or the number of licences to be awarded. A total of 155 MHz of radio spectrum is available for 3G mobile services in Ireland.

Addressing the workshop the Irish telecoms regulator Etain Doyle said:

3G mobile brings together the two fastest growing market sectors mobile and the internet. It represents a major evolution in mobile communications bringing together the full power of the internet with high quality audio video and graphics to people on the move.

Rage the developer and publisher of computer games is to provide Orange with a range of interactive games which can be accessed and played through WAP-enabled mobile phones.

The first game to be made available to Oranges WAP subscribers will be a graphic and text based adventure.

Paul Finnegan who is the chief executive officer of Rage commented:

The explosive growth in internet gaming through fixed and wireless devices provides us with a huge number of opportunities on which we intend to capitalise.

To have the Rage brand associated with a company of Oranges stature is a great endorsement of our products and capabilities and we are looking forward to working with them to provide increasingly innovative and value added services to their subscribers.

Its a concept phone. But not as we know it. The good news is that demand from millions of school kids and fashion victims will surely drive it into production soon. Its single band (thats GSM900 … not the means of attachment to your wrist). But future models will be multi-band. It uses an earpiece or built-in microphone and speaker when watch is fully extended (ie held up to your ear). Future models will use a wireless Bluetooth headset. Theres also voice- activated dialling ring and vibrate and it can link to voice activated website for complete voice dialling The queue starts here.

This follows publication of the long-awaited Stewart Report into mobile phone safety which has cleared mobile phones of causing harm to health.

The key finding in the report is that the balance of evidence does not suggest mobile phone technologies put the health of the general population of the UK at risk

One 2 One and Orange rushed out statements welcoming the Stewart report.

Bill Best One 2 One network services director said:

The report is comprehensive and hard hitting. Yet we believe it to be fair and balanced. It was set up to address public concern and in our view it has done that very effectively. The report contains many recommendations for us Government and local government and we will play our part in addressing them continuing to take policy forward in response to public concern.

One 2 One marketing director Tim Yates added:

The health and safety of children is of paramount importance. In the spirit of a precautionary approach we will review the implications of the report in respect of our marketing strategies and information literature.

We recognise the need to find a balance between appropriate precautionary measures and the clear personal safety benefits for children referred to in the report which many parents find reassuring.

Orange stated:

There is no substantiated evidence to suggest a link between the use of mobile phones and long term public health risks but we acknowledge public concern on this issue.

Orange has always operated well within the stringent national guidelines set for radio networks in the UK by the NRPB.

We welcome the recommendation that transmitter sites should comply with guidelines for public exposure and we believe this will increase public confidence in the safety of transmitter sites.

Orange will press all its handset manufacturers and suppliers to comply with the recommendations made by the Expert Group.

We support the Expert Groups recommendation for clearer handset information in mobile phone retail outlets product literature and other marketing material.

The Federation of Communication Services also noted the recommendations regarding the prolonged use of mobile phones by children.

Due to major media focus on public apprehension regarding EMF and mobile phone usage the FCS believes that the IEGMP report will make a major contribution to allaying peoples fears regarding mobile phone usage clearly stating as it does that the overwhelming body of evidence indicates that low levels of EMF pose no threat to human health said Jacqui Brookes FCS Trade Association Manager.

The Federation of Electronics Industries: which represents the mobile phone industry on health issues said:

The health and safety of the public our customers and employees is and always will be of prime importance to the industry. We believe the report is comprehensive and balanced and we welcome it. The IEGMP was set up to address public concern and in our view it has done that very effectively. As such we believe its report stands as a significant document.

The industry recognises that the massive growth in the use of mobile phones and the associated increase in the number of base stations has been accompanied by public concern about their possible effect on human health. The industry will continue to address this public concern in a transparent and factual way.

The industry will continue to support scientific research internationally monitor developments in research around the world to ensure its activities take account of the latest scientific findings and continue to test its products for compliance with relevant standards and guidelines.

Specifically the industry in consultation with Government will financially support the research programme recommended by the report. The UKs network operators will locate as far as possible new base stations on sites that minimise their social impact on the local community whilst ensuring the publics expectation of good quality of service is met.

They will also support the development of new technology to help improve base station design and continue to share sites and masts where practicable. co-operate with Government.

The full text of the report is on http://www.iegmp.org.uk.

Founder Malcolm Bartlett has hired FoneRange marketing director Mickey Priman as Kondors new managing director.

Levi Cranston (18) was remanded in custody until May 18 on eight charges of robbery with violence over a period of a month. He is accused of robbing a woman of a Sagem phone on March 25 stealing a Nokia from a man three days later and taking an Ericsson 718 off another passenger on a train between Beckenham Hill and Elephant and Castle London. Four other charges allege that he used force to rob victims Caroline Parry and Jason Bicknell of respectively an NEC DB500 and a Nokia. In another case New Zealander David Taylor has been charged with burgling the Rymans stationery shop in The Strand in London during the May 1 riots stealing a mobile phone case and two phone batteries.

Taylor was one of 13 rioters remanded in custody at Horseferry Road Court of looting the shop for mobile phone equipment during the anti-capitalist demonstrations that took place in the Capital on May Day.

The study was based on interviews with 2028 households to assess the impact of the pre-pay option.

Interestingly 20 percent of users surveyed by J.D.Power selected Virgin Mobile as their first or second choice network.

Among those contemplating switching Orange is cited most often as the potential future provider.

The study found that consumer satisfaction in the pre-pay and contract segments is driven by three identical factors but with varying impacts.

In the pre-pay segment consumers felt the top three features of importance are tariff options customer service and call quality/coverage. In the contract segment greater emphasis was placed on customer service followed by call quality/coverage and tariff options.

In the contract segment Orange led the industry in virtually every driver of customer satisfaction said J.D.Power. The study concludes that household penetration is starting to level off.

The company says its customers will be able to check how much they are spending on calls settle accounts and order new phones and accessories.

RSL Com is also doing deals with web content partners to make more information available.

Content on offer will include the Manchester United and Formula One web sites news information services and mortgage lenders.

Our sales of WAP phones are really starting to take off/ The technology has caught the interest of businesses and consumers alike. This is the first of a string of new services and information we will be offering to our WAP user base said RSL Com group business director Gary Sheppard.

RSLCom has spent 16.2 million on the installation of the UK fibre optic network able to carry more than 30000 voice data and internet calls at the same time.

Value Telecom was set up last year by The Carphone Warehouse as a balance between pre-pay and contract. After an initial charge for the handset the monthly rental is redeemable in call allowance with no fixed term contract credit checking or connection charge.