[BBC and Vodafone to offer interactive WAP information service centering around news and current affairs.]

NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, By Steve Gold -- "Vodafone-Airtouch has announced an agreement to license broadcast and associated material from the BBC for transmission to users of its mobile phones.

"The BBC has already sunk several tens of millions of pounds into establishing its BBC Online service at http://www.bbc.co.uk , and offers a variety of interactive information, mainly centering around news and current affairs.

"It's this content that Vodafone is looking to repackage and send to users of its cellular handsets. Initially, the service will pipe short message service (SMS) text messages to users, but this will soon be expanded to support WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) users.

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"Plans call for Vodafone to start offering SMS text and WAP/microbrowser services to its mobile phone users from early in 2000.

"Users will be able to select and control the feeds from their mobiles, as well as via Vodafone's http://www.vodafone.net personal Web-based service.

"As the service evolves, the plan is to allow users to control their feeds of news and information, so creating the mobile phone equivalent of a personalized newspaper.

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