Search with Yahoo!

Yahoo! launched its mobile-only internet search facility oneSearch on its UK website on May 3. />It was also launched in France Germany Italy Spain and Canada. It launched in the US in January. />Yahoo! believes its venture will reshape the mobile internet search market. Vice president for Yahoo! Connected Life Europe Geraldine Wilson said: We created oneSearch because first generation searches for mobiles were not working. We found customers wanted fast answers and different types of information. /> oneSearch is the only mobile internet search facility intuitive to users needs and which provides relevant fast localised results. Its built to recognise what youre searching for and to bring up better results. On current search offerings if you put in a query youll get a long list of links. For mobiles thats just not attractive as you dont know which link is going to give you answers. />Wilson explained that by entering a term like London users would receive categorised links like weather pictures news whats on and maps. By entering a restaurant users would receive its phone number a click to call option and user ratings. />Most often youll get the answer youre looking for on the first screen. The answers are condensed and categorised. Weve thought of all the different search concepts a user could put in Wilson added. />Yahoo! hopes to become present on more operator portals and publisher sites. It is the search tool for 3G Hutchison but is working on agreements with other operators. />There will be huge advertising opportunities in terms of display ads and sponsored links said Wilson. />According to Yahoo! internet on mobiles hadnt yet taken off as it was often a frustrating time-consuming costly and inconvenient experience. />Wilson said: There are more than two billion mobile phone subscribers globally yet only 577 million mobiles are used to search the internet. />An Informa Telecoms & Media report estimated this 577m users would almost triple by 2011. />

Register for your .mobi

More than 500000 companies have registered .mobi mobile internet domains since launch last year said the company in charge of registrations last week. />Mobile internet domains have been registered in 104 countries said dotMobi claiming most major brands have started to register .mobi names. />dotMobi chief executive Neil Edwards said: The consumer focus on mobile internet sites is bearing strong results in a short period. Consumers finally have easy-to-use and affordable made-for-mobile content.

T-Mobile introduces Heathrow Express Wi-Fi train service

T-Mobile launched its Wi-Fi internet service on the Heathrow Express last week. It is expected to bid to set up Wi-Fi on the Virgin West Coast route which runs from London Euston to Glasgow Central in the coming months. />Heathrow Express carries 15000 commuters on a daily basis it claimed. Its new HotSpot service provides broadband speeds of more than 2 Mb per second throughout the journey including a 6km tunnel section. Its the first time such technology has been deployed underground. />The Heathrow Wi-Fi service follows T-Mobiles launch of Wi-Fi on the London-to-Brighton train last year. Its partner for the roll-out is Nomad Digital. />T-Mobile head of internet on the move Richard Warmsley said: The service will help passengers make good use of their time which is what T-Mobile is all about giving customers access to the information that matters to them to manage both their business and personal lives wherever they are. />Nomad Digital chairman and co-founder Nigel Wallbridge said: This is a technology breakthrough. For the first time ever the Wi-Fi service offered to passengers on the Heathrow Express trains will utilise WiMAX technology underground thus creating an uninterrupted internet connection throughout the journey between Paddington and Heathrow Airport.

New modem for Web n Walk service

T-Mobile has launched a new USB modem for its Web n Walk service. It gives unlimited internet access to laptop users. />The Web n Walk USB modem uses T-Mobiles HSDPA technology and offers mobile broadband speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. The device is available for free on selected 18 and />24-month contracts and />costs £29.99 on a 12-month />contract. />It is also the first modem from T-Mobile to support Apple Macs as well as Microsoft Windows.

Mainline signs 50 in four weeks

Orange distributor Mainline said last week it had received 50 new dealer account applications in the past month. It put the rush of business down to its new website and dealer disillusionment its rivals. />It has run its latest dealer recruitment campaign on its revamped website which went live at the end of March. It said 400 dealers had registered on the site already and 50 had applied to connect through Mainline as a result of its website and supporting email campaign. />Head of marketing Gail Hollinshead added: Due to the overwhelming response we are actually holding back on releasing future dealer recruitment campaigns to allow us to get through the mass of leads we have already generated; so we expect this level to continue when we commence our next recruitment campaign. />The quality of the leads has been the biggest plus. We have targeted quality dealers and they have responded. The applications are from established dealers that have become disillusioned with the service levels some currently receive from other distributors. />The new site includes specific dealer pages. The Dealer Insight section contains updates about training and marketing campaigns. It also incorporates a phone specification tool called i-guide to help dealers compare handsets. />Hollinshead said: Were still investing in the website. We are looking at initiatives that add value so look out for an online tool to help dealers work out their commissions simply and effectively for example. Plus we think mobile internet has a key role to play in the future of marketing communications and so we expect further developments around WAP applications. />

Mirror apologises to Microline over article

The Daily Mirror made the allegations in an article in its Penman and Summerlad Investigate column on January 25.

The national tabloid said: It was never our intention to suggest that Microline was swindling its customers. We accept that this allegation is untrue and are happy to set the record straight.

Microline owners Jaspal and Inderjit Dhother settled out of court last week. Dhother said: We are very glad to resolve this matter amicably.

What was important to us was the protection of our good name.

Microline came eighth in The Sunday Times 2006 Fast Track awards.

Jack is back for Phones 4U

Phones 4U marketing director Jim Slater said: We set out to communicate the confusion felt by consumers when they are thinking about a new phone and the fact we go further than anyone else to understand a customers needs before offering the right deal.

Phones 4U has dropped certain secondary characters but Scary Mary remains.

ET set for administration as Alexander and Masson quit

ETs parent company Emblaze Group reduced its stake in the company from 51 per cent to just 10 per cent.

At the same time Emblaze said around £8 million in withheld VAT claims by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had driven the trading and distribution business of its subsidiary Emblaze Mobile into cash burn and growing losses. It said Emblaze Mobile will be scaled down.

Its chief executive Laurence Alexander handed in his resignation last week. Emblaze CEO Guy Bernstein said: We are not happy about the HMRC issues. The fact we are scaling down the business is not a reflection on Laurence or his team.

ET also advised Virgin Mobile to find a new handset and fulfilment partner for its Lobster ODM device last week. At the same time ET Business Solutions director Frank Masson quit.

Masson said: Emblazes decision to reduce its stake in ET has put enormous restraint on the business. Im a business developer not a business manager. My position was no longer tenable.

An administrator is expected to be appointed next week to manage the business and to sell off its component parts. Its business sales arm ET Business Solutions is considered its one going concern.

The Carphone Warehouse Data Select and Unique Distribution have all been approached about acquiring ETs distribution business. All have declined.

20:20 buys AxCom

AxCom has projected revenues of £250 million this year. It is the leading distributor in Sweden and takes a 32 per cent share of the Nordic market.

The acquisition expected to close next month is 20:20s first under new owners Doughty Hanson. 20:20 now has operations in nine different markets.

20:20 CEO Mark Ryan said: It is an important step in our growth strategy and expands our international footprint into a key territory and an opportunity.

Expansys revamps online buying

Expansys managing director Roger Butterworth says the clips will do a better job of showcasing products than store staff in high street retailers.

Butterworth said: The aim is for every device available for sale to have an accompanying video. We will soon be able to give a much better quality presentation than in a store where the quality of sales people varies every customer coming to our site will get the same video and the same key points highlighted.

He added: We already have online forums where people chat about the devices. Out of our 1.8 million historic customers about 300000 users have registered to use our online services.

The new tool enables customers to view devices from different angles and presentations talk them through different device features.

Butterworth also said last week Expansys will open a new sales office in Germany. It already has sales offices in Sweden Italy and Spain and a warehouse in France.

Following its debut on Londons AIM stock exchange it is also considering businesses for acquisition.