Expansys MD Roger Butterworth said the purchase of North Yorkshire-based website Global Positioning Systems had been completed at the beginning of August.

Butterworth said: There will be an increasing number of phones coming out equipped with GPS software.

People who bought a TomTom two years ago will be looking to replace that with something like a Nokia 6110. Were keen to expand that sort of customer base.

He said the company would be looking to purchase further websites to expand its portfolio.

Anglia Telecom has confirmed the departure of its chief executive Andy Smith.

Anglia said Smith had left the business following a period of extended compassionate leave. Anglia sales director Dave McGinn has been appointed acting managing director of Redstone Mobile which incorporates Anglia.

Redstone CEO Martin Balaam said: Andrew gave us a clear insight of the industry having had vast experience with Vodafone as well as the independent and service provision channels. He has helped Redstone develop a complete communications package under one roof.
Smith was unavailable for comment.

Smith joined Anglia in 2004. He has overseen two Anglia buy-outs first by Symphony Telecom and more recently by Redstone. Smith spent 19 years at Vodafone latterly as sales director before joining Anglia.

EU commissioner Viviane Reding said: We can either take the lead globally or allow other regions to take the lions share of the promised TV market. Wait-and-see is not an option. The time has come for Europes industry and governments to switch on to mobile TV.

As it stands mobile TV is in its infancy. Vodafone Orange and 3 are streaming TV over 3G in the UK already but usage remains low. In the long run video-on-demand services or niche streamed content can be served by 3G and its enhancements such as HSDPA and MBMS. But for broadcast TV on mobiles to take off a dedicated broadcast network is required.

The problem is the spectrum needed for mobile broadcast networks will not be available until existing television broadcast networks are converted from analogue to digital a process taking place over the next few years. In the UK the process is not expected to complete until 2012.

Switching to digital

The spectrum liberated by the greater efficiency of digital TV transmission will then be re-allocated most likely through auction. While the BBC ITV Channel 4 and Five want to retain spectrum to offer high definition over Freeview the auction will attract bids from a variety of parties that wish to take advantage of good UHF propagation.

Through the GSM Association the mobile network operators have staked their claim to a share of the digital dividend by proposing in response to an EU consultation that part of the UHF band in Europe be reserved for telecommunications.

Since radio waves refuse to observe national borders spectrum management requires international cooperation and coordination. Consequently changing the use of individual bands is a drawn-out process. But the benefits can be enormous GSM grew out of Europes decision in 1986 to reserve part of the 900 MHz band for mobile.

With digital switch-over under way and agreement yet to be reached as to how if at all the released spectrum will be divided into harmonised sub-bands it came as a surprise to many when EU commissioner Reding accused member states operators broadcasters and equipment suppliers in March of dragging their feet on the introduction of mobile TV.

Her call last week for member states to roll out DVB-H services as quickly as possible with a view to possibly mandating its use in 2008 caused consternation. It contradicted the EUs policy of technology neutrality. Her intervention is viewed as needless meddling from Brussels and in some quarters as a threat to competition and natural selection of TV standards.

Since the early part of the decade a number of competing formats has arisen including DVB-H DAB-IP DMB and MediaFLO. Each has significant backers.

Chris Khouri media and data analyst at Datamonitor said: The move is a blow to an industry-led competitive marketplace. The other standards have all been trialled across Europe and the market was expected to harmonise through technological innovation and chipset interoperability in the near term.

The Italian example

While DVB-H has been commercially launched in Italy and Finland other technologies such as T-DMB in Germany and DAB-IP in the UK are already integral to European mobile TV.

Reding is yet to explain how support for DVB-H might impact companies that have already invested and launched services on alternative technologies. Mobile Fernsehen Deutschland (MFD) is likely to be one of those interested in her response.

MFD launched its Watcha service over T-DMB in May 2006. Bertold Heil of T-Systems Media & Broadcast the company that deployed MFDs network said: For the first time in Germany a network deployment was market-driven rather than a political initiative.

Although MFD has licences for a nationwide service due to Germanys federal approach to spectrum allocation MFD is currently only available to 16 million people.

Another wholesale offering Watcha is currently retailed through three MVNOs: Debitel Mobilcom and Simply. Handsets have been released by Samsung LG and Nokia.

BT Movio is another that doesnt fit neatly into commissioner Redings vision. Movios wholesale television and radio proposition including five TV channels and 30-50 DAB radio stations was brought to market last September by Virgin Mobile.

BT Movio marketing director Dominic Strowbridge said: People love mobile TV but use radio more: there are more opportunities to use radio in the average day.

With a UK strategy centred on delivering all its services over IP irrespective of the physical bearer BT is comfortable with the idea of migrating Movio to DVB-H. However as Strowbridge points out DAB-IP offers an economic opportunity to offer a mobile TV service now.

While pointing to research from Strategy Analytics that shows consumers rated the Movio proposition well ahead of the streamed services from Orange and Vodafone he conceded the Lobster handset was not so well received.

He declined to divulge subscriber numbers but does expect four or five new devices to reach the market before Christmas.

Commissioner Redings support for a single standard is in part founded on the potential benefits of economies of scale and export opportunities for European companies.

Paradoxically Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG appear to currently dominate mobile TV handset supply. It is entirely likely however that developments elsewhere will generate scale quickly.

The mobile TV opportunity is attracting the interest of many and Redings intervention has again got peoples backs up. As MFD head of content Martin Liss put it: Were two minutes after the birth. Its unfair to ask for a driving licence.

ROK CEO Laurence Alexander said: More than 100 million iPods have been sold worldwide which shows the demand for music on the move. But there are three billion mobile phones in use so there is far more scale in mobile.

Its about time someone offered an alternative to iTunes in the mobile music space.

ROK Media Store is a web-based application that enables the user to upload their music collection to their PC and to sideload it to the memory card on their mobile phone. It is a free service supported by a combination of online advertising and content sales.

ROK claimed the service is an iPod killer on the grounds it will turn most handsets into music devices. ROK will make video and music tracks available for purchase in due course.

Waters has been appointed to develop the companys brand in the B2B sector. Waters has 10 years experience in the IT and telecoms industries. She has worked at BT Orange and most recently T-Mobile.

Avenir managing director Tanny Price said: Fionas appointment comes at an exciting time for Avenir as we continue to progress in the B2B market.

The survival kit is made up of various fun and practical mobile downloads that fans can use at the event. These include a virtual lighter that festival-goers can wave during slow songs flashing screensavers that act as mobile locators and mobile spotlights to make it easier for revelers to make their way home in the dark

Virgin Mobile head of PR Simon Dornan said: Were delighted with Mobstars contribution to our V Festival sponsorship. With a mix of great original ideas and fantastic execution Mobstar has really added value to our mobile offering giving festival goers mobile content that is genuinely fun relevant and practical!

Mobstars mobile content is available from the Virgin V Festival microsite. To receive a link to the microsite text VFEST to 82330

Frape joins from Data Select where she was dealer account manager. She is reporting to marketing director Julien Parven at present.

She will be responsible for the day-to-day running of stockists accounts and for developing new business opportunities as well as managing converged and data sales.

Parven said: Ninas appointment is the first part of a big recruitment drive. In the coming weeks well be adding to our team to strengthen our position in the market.

This week Iain Graham and the team talk to Martin Flick of Azzurri Communications about T-Mobile cutting off a number of business partners.

Theres also an interview with a real mystery shopper and reviews on the Samsung G600 and Pocket Informant 2007.

To listen to the latest edition of the Mobile News podcast click here

Its share of the market slipped from 17.5 per cent to just 13.5 per cent after it recorded operating losses for Q2 of £129 million. Its net loss of £13.6 million on the back of a 19 per cent slump in sales to £4.2 billion.

Motorola chief executive Ed Zander blamed weakness in the European market and said Motorola would not return to profitability this year.

But industry commentators claimed its performance was a result of a poor handset range and its slashing of wholesale prices to bump up sales.

Martin Garner director of wireless intelligence at analysts Ovum said that Motorolas woes were down to its weak range.

The biggest single problem is the product portfolio which is under siege across all segments. One aspect of that is that Motorola has had a rather US-centric view of what its portfolio should look like fine for selling in the US but not fine elsewhere and at the moment its putting the business in real trouble.

Garner said Motorolas loss of 46 per cent of the global handset market share in the previous six months was very sudden and brutal treatment. He suggested Sony Ericsson would also pass it in the global rankings this year.

There is no sign of any big ideas coming from Motorola and I cant really see any improvement materialising in the next six to nine months he said.

Samsung on the other hand reported a 50 per cent rise in shipments on the same period last year. Its overall revenues were up just four per cent however at £7.8 billion on last year.

Samsung head of retail and distribution Simon Walsh said: Moving into second position globally is a massive boost for us because in a decreasing market we are our increasing market share.

Some emphasis will be placed on the upcoming G600 in August but were not going to rest on our laurels and are continuously asking ourselves what we can do better. Theres definitely more to come.

Sony Ericsson remains in fourth behind Nokia Samsung and Motorola but reported strong results for the quarter. It shipped 24.9 million handsets up 59 per cent on Q2 2006. Its net profit rose 54 per cent to £148 million from £96 million year-on-year with sales reaching £2.1 billion a 37 per cent increase. It also pushed its global market share three-percentage points to more than nine per cent.

Garner said: Unlike Samsung Sony Ericsson didnt receive a big boost from Motorolas failings so its all the more impressive. The release of about 10 new models between May and June has helped broaden its product portfolio.

Sony Ericsson CEO Miles Flint said it captured three per cent of the market with low-tier phones like the W300 and W200. He predicted that Sony Ericsson would exceed previous estimates of 1.1 billion units for 2007.

LG also announced better-than-expected results shipping 19.1 million handsets in the quarter. Handset sales reached £1.4 billion an improvement of 26.9 per cent. LG Mobile UK sales director John Barton said: When you look at Motorola you realise that the market can get out of control if youre not careful. Were pleased weve remained in a stable position.

Strong products like the Chocolate Shine and Prada have helped us gain an increase of 14 per cent over the two quarters in mobile sales.

Barton said GfK reports indicated LG had overtaken Motorola in contract sales. But he said LG still had work to do in the prepay market.

At the time of going to press Nokia had still not announced its results for the quarter but Garner predicted that its shipment figure could top 100 million. The figure will be around the 97 million mark but if it has managed to pick up any market share from Motorola then that figure could exceed 100 million he said.

AwayPhone offers a SIM-only contract solution which claims to reduce roaming costs by up to 90 per cent in 78 countries. It also provides users with a local number in the region
visited.

As part of the distribution contract Hugh Symons and AwayPhone will award dealers a proportion of the end users call costs on top of a fixed commission for the initial sale.

Hugh Symons sales manager Carlos Pestana said: AwayPhones service provides dealers with an additional touch point for their customers which helps them maintain dialogue with them regardless of where they are in the contract life-cycle.

In a mature market where the opportunities to provide end users with genuinely new and useful offerings are limited this is invaluable.

Pestana added that offering resellers a percentage of end users call costs gave them an ongoing revenue stream rather than a one-off commission often awarded by other operators. He said the deal with AwayPhone was part of the distributors widening of both its retail and business product portfolios.

AwayPhone CEO Sherry Madera said: Hugh Symons has come on board much quicker than we expected. It sees the benefit as it gives them an interesting new product. When you bring a new product to the channel its important to get your strategy right. For us its about using the best route to market and weve been talking to a number of distributors about this.

AwayPhones agreement with Hugh Symons follows its deal with Dextra in June.