London, UK — 21 June 2001 Return to press releases

MViva and Mobileway launch first Pan European service for automatic configuration of WAP phones via SMS. MViva's mobile portal, owned by The Carphone Warehouse and AOL Europe, has delivered the first pan-European service for the automatic configuration of WAP phones via SMS.  MViva has selected Mobileway, the global SMS infrastructure provider, to deliver this service to users in France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Instead of having to configure WAP phones manually, the new service enables WAP phones to be configured via a text message, improving efficiency and saving time.  It will also drive online registration, as customers can access the new service through www.mviva.com.  The service supports all Nokia and Ericsson WAP phones. Max Alexander, Managing Director MViva said: "It's a win-win situation because the service makes it easier for our customers and easier for us.  Network operators in France and Spain have already closed their networks to incoming SMS from other countries, but Mobileway have an unmatched number of direct connections to European operators - which means they are best placed to offer the coverage MViva requires." Charles Damen, UK Managing Director for Mobileway, adds: "We are pleased to be working with MViva to deliver this type of service, which is now becoming standard for mobile portals.  Customers expect fast, convenient access to wireless services and SMS is rapidly becoming established as an essential channel for fast delivery of new mobile applications." Until recently, any company wanting to send SMS to customers on different networks faced the daunting obstacles of contract negotiation and technical integration with each network operators in each country.  To resolve this, Mobileway's strategy from day one has been to establish direct connections with as many major network operators as possible. Currently Mobileway has agreements with more than sixty-five network operators, covering eighty-five percent of worldwide GSM users.  Many operators are now closing their networks to SMS traffic sent from outside their boundaries, or adding a significant supplementary charge on these messages.  Mobileway's direct connections into operator's SMS Centres effectively bypass both these barriers, allowing comprehensive coverage and reducing the cost of high-volume SMS traffic. MViva's portal is free, network-independent and designed to connect WAP phone users to the most useful mobile services such as email, price search and location- based applications, and the best available mobile content including news, sports, travel, directories, and financial information.  Its partners include Sky, CNN, ebookers, Blockbuster and Abbey National. About MViva's internet portal The Carphone Warehouse Group PLC is the only pan-European retailer of mobile telephony products and services.  It is the leading independent mobile phone retailer in the UK, France, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, The Netherlands and Ireland, in each case in terms of market share.  The Group has over 1,000 stores in 12 European markets and employs over 5,000 people. Miva's multi-access portal powered by AOL, is accessible via mobile and fixed line devices such as mobile phones, PDAs or personal computers, lap-top computers and interactive television.  It is available via the website www.mviva.com, or via The Carphone Warehouse retail network. MViva's portal has more than 100 content providers offering a wide range of information, e-commerce and other services including: m shopping: music, DVDs, videos, games, gifts, auctions and classifieds m entertainment: TV, cinema, theatre and gig listings, restaurant and bar guides, events, meeting people and entertainment news m travel: flight, hotels and holiday bookings, timetables, traffic information, city guides and translator m fun: games, jokes, icons and more m finance: stock quotes, share trading, share alerts, market reports and financial news m sports: top stories and results, from football to F1, rugby to golf and cricket m banking (Abbey National): interactive mortgages, loan calculators, useful contact numbers m search: business and residential directories and classifieds m organiser: m mail, m diary, calendar, contacts and reminders m news: up to the minute news headlines and weather m woman: horoscopes, recipes, beauty and cooking About Mobileway Mobileway, Inc. is a leading provider of global data access over wireless networks for businesses and mobile operators. Mobileway manages the deployment of wireless data applications and enables associated payments. The company's global network and value-added wireless services are designed to enable network operators, content providers, enterprises and financial institutions to bring customized, user-authorized, and secure data services to mobile users. Mobileway offers wireless data services that include text messages, ring tones, m-commerce solutions, and service data such as copyright reports, click-rate reports, phone software updates, and user validation cryptograms. A North American company, Mobileway has offices located throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. Additional news and information about the company is available at www.Mobileway.com.