Handsets have to be tailored so that they take into account the customers desires and the networks requirements. We have video on demand but there is no point in launching it if the networks arent ready said Samsung UK general manager Mark Mitchinson.

Samsung will only launch one phone this year. This will be the tri-band S100 which comes with GPRS Java colour screen and polyphonic sound. It will not be a camera phone to match those from Nokia Sharp and Sony Ericsson while MMS-capable phones will be launched next year.

Having created a wow effect with the colour screen and polyphonic sound of the T100 Samsung could have launched a new wave of handsets. But Mitchinson believes ensuring the products are tailored for the market is more important.

We dont want to rush out unreliable products like some of our competitors. It is more important to get the design right and ensure that when our product comes out it gives the best experience. Everyone is going to have colour screens polyphonic sound and MMS. Our goal is to ensure we have the best.

Everyone is trying to increase ARPU while at the same time moving away from a volume model. But sales staff still work on commissions. There is no point in manufacturers making great products and networks adding great packages if the retailer lets us down.

We need to be working with the retailers to ensure that they have all the help they need to sell the handsets.

To achieve this there will be more Samsung roadshows where dealers will learn about the products and liaise with Samsung merchandisers.

We have about 12 per cent of the UK handset market. In the independent channel this is seven per cent. So there is room to improve.

Mitchinson also said that the new handset lines would be high-end products.

It said it has yet to decide in which countries and in which sectors the redundancies will be in.

Alcatel spokesman Klaus Wustrack said:

The restructuring will take place after we have studied our various markets around the world. Once we have completed our studies we will negotiate with our individual social partners such as unions workers councils and the employees themselves.

Wustrack says the company is currently carrying out the evaluation phase.

The redundancies are part of Alcatels plan to have a total of 70000 staff by next year. Alcatel has four UK offices employing just under 1000 staff in Maidenhead Banbury Newport and Greenwich.

The survey by Guildford-based consultancy Detica reckons that more than four in 10 of the population have no interest in third-generation services which will bring the internet and multimedia to mobile phones and other portable devices.

Garmin originally announced it would launch in Q4 2001.

Garmin head of cellular sales Peter Hawkins says units could start shipping by the end of October.

Garmins NavTalk II phone has a 12-channel GPS receiver and mapping software. NavTalk users can send their GPS locations to each other and to location-based service companies which could be invaluable in emergencies.

We expect to launch the NavTalk II at the end of October subject to final testing with operators. We signed a deal to ship 10000 units to the Far East earlier this year. However there were some network issues regarding handover between cells. This delayed development of the phone by six months.

We have had to upgrade the specification add PC synchronisation and improve the navigation and route-planning software.

Garmin is in talks with three UK distributors but has not signed any distribution agreements yet. It also hopes to sell direct to the networks.

Garmin says it can succeed in selling GPS phones because it has made its products more consumer- focused.

Our phone will have lower power consumption than any other GPS phone in the market. We will also offer higher-quality maps and greater memory capacity. The phone offers route planning with turn-by-turn directions and voice prompts.

We also plan to launch a PDA with built-in GPS capabilities.

The Accessory Group was placed into administrative receivership earlier this month. But joint administrative receiver Steven Pearson said there is nothing left to buy.

When we were appointed administrative receivers TAG was already dormant. It had no employees. It didnt have a business. In terms of someone coming in to buy it there is nothing to buy; all it has is debt.

The majority of the stock has been sold to raise money for the creditors. There is nothing left said Pearson.

TAG was not placed into receivership with the rest of ET in May. This led to speculation that the company could continue.

TAG wasnt placed in receivership because there were no time-sensitive issues such as staff that required the receivers to move quickly.

The tape developed by De La Rue Tapes & Holographics contains the hologram which is secured to the outer case of the batteries.

Visible features help customers identify the real item from the fake and the addition of hidden elements helps investigations into counterfeiters.

Batteries and other mobile phone consumables are favourite targets of counterfeiters. With forecast growth in the wireless market helped by advances in 3G technology the problem is expected to increase.

According to the Anti-Counterfeiting Group across the EU companies are losing between 28 billion and 40 billion each year from counterfeit goods.

Because this problem costs the industry such vast sums and consumers are often confused by the range of low-quality cheaper counterfeit products on offer De La Rue recently teamed up with the Crimestoppers TV show the DTI and leading brand owners in a high-profile campaign to make the public more aware of the problems caused by counterfeit goods.

He is Chris Breslin who replaces interim sales and marketing director Sara Stilliard.

Breslin was most recently head of global marketing for Shell Gas.

He has also worked as a store manager at a number of Currys stores.

At Mainline Breslin will be responsible for all current sales and marketing activities as well as setting up and executing Mainlines future sales and marketing direction with particular focus on strengthening existing channels to market and developing new and alternative ones.

The appointment of Chris reflects Mainlines determination to retain its market-leading position within Orange distribution not least through the ongoing development of innovative and desirable solutions and services for the best of the UKs independent retailers said Mainline managing director Andrew Boden.

Orange has been working with Sony Ericsson and says it is close to overcoming the problem.

The T68 needs the software upgrade to be able to support the Communicam camera which snaps onto the case to turn the phone into a digital camera able to take pictures that can then be emailed.

Vodafone O2 and T-Mobile have been able to upgrade their T68 handsets for three months. The Orange delay has been because of extra features that the network includes in its services.

Sony Ericsson marketing director Peter Marsden said:

It isnt correct to say there is a delay at Orange. It is doing the right thing. Consumers might shout for the latest models. But if the handsets they get dont have the right settings there is no point.

The standard handset comes with few operator settings. The operators work closely with us to make sure that the end-user experience is as enjoyable as possible. Orange has to make sure that the new handsets can offer all the services that it offers.

In another development Orange has denied there is a loophole stopping it from blocking the IMEI numbers of non-Orange phones.

Consumers had complained that Orange helpline staff had told them it could block the Sim card of a lost or stolen handset but was unable to block the IMEI numbers of phones that were not Orange handsets.

This had sparked fears that Orange was penalising customers who had placed an Orange Sim card in a non-Orange phone instead of using an Orange upgrade.

But an Orange spokesman told Mobile News:

We have had the technology to block the IMEI numbers of non-Orange phones for some time now and we have been doing so.

I can only apologise to any customer who has been told that this isnt the case.

A Warrant for Execution of Judgment has been issued against World Star Traders which has offices at 12 Mosely Street in Newcastle.

A total of 1.36 billion Sims have been delivered globally since 1992. Gemplus says it has provided one in every three of the Sim cards in use.

Reaching this major milestone is evidence that the Sim has become a fundamental component of mobile telephony. There are few companies which can say that they have delivered 500 million products said Philippe Vallee president of Gemplus telecom business unit.

By consolidating our relationships with our clients and moving into the applications space we are ready to deliver the next 500 million he added.