News Digest

Electronics Times, Feb 21, 2000

Tri-band mobile gets WAP

Motorola has added Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) support to its L7089 tri-band mobile phone to create an Internet-browsing handset that can work across all GSM networks as well as in the US. The phone has now been dubbed the Timeport P7389 (pictured). Cellnet is believed to be the first UK network to support the Motorola phone. Virgin Mobile, which sells the L7089 and which is offering Internet access in non-WAP phones through a browser embedded in the SIM cards, is not saying whether it plans to offer the Motorola handset.

Philips flies high in Amsterdam

Philips shares soared on the Amsterdam stock exchange on Thursday as the company reported better-than-expected 1999 profit, proposed a 4-for- 1 stock split and revealed plans to float its Origin IT services division. Net profit was e1.8bn, up from e541m in 1998. Sales were 3% up at e31.5bn. Semiconductors was the best performing sector, with sales up 18% to e3.8bn, but operating profit was hit by the acquisition of VLSI Technology.

BT and Halifax offer on-line bank

BT and BTCellnet have announced a partnership with finance group Halifax to provide on-line banking services which will allow customers to view balances, transfer funds and pay bills via mobile phones, laptops or other mobile devices. BTCellnet will supply its short messaging service and Wireless Application Protocol service by summer 2000 and will roll out its general packet radio service in the autumn. BT Internet is also developing multimedia and Internet banking services with Halifax based on its upcoming high-speed Internet access technology.

Say it with flowers in Ireland

Irish mobile comms operator Esat Digifone, a BT subsidiary, has launched a mobile shopping service in partnership with Dublin-based Network365. Using Network365's wireless application protocol (WAP) Commerce Server on Esat's dot Digifone-on-line service, customers will be able to buy flowers, chocolates and wine for delivery in the Republic of Ireland using WAP-enabled phones.

Racal warns of job losses

As Electronics Times went to press, the Archer consortium was due to award the #300m contract to supply 40,000 VHF radio sets to either Racal, recently acquired by Thomson-CSF, or a consortium led by US group ITT. Racal warns that if it does not win the contract, part of the much larger Bowman project, it may be forced to make 1100 people redundant at sites in the UK and lose the opportunity to export similar radios.