Independent eyes mobile internet in UK, Australia

WELLINGTON - Wilson & Horton's owner, Ireland's Independent Newspapers, has set its sights on mobile internet through deals signed in Britain and Australia.

An agreement with VodafoneAirtouch in Britain to launch a new generation of internet-related content and transactional services has been quickly followed with the announcement that APN News and Media, an Australian sister company to Wilson & Horton, has taken a stake in Australia's mobile data and e-commerce market.

Initially, Independent Newspapers will introduce messaging services and voice-based products and services in Britain and South Africa, and will explore potential services in Australia and New Zealand.

And under a heads of agreement for an Australian joint venture, APN will take a 35 per cent stake of InTouch South Africa and 25 per cent in Soprano Design, an Australian developer of e-commerce software.

The two companies have expertise in mobile telephone technology, including wireless application protocol (WAP), a new standard developed for mobile internet.

APN executive Richard Newsone said the investment would put his company at the leading edge of interactive mobile messaging.

The venture was being discussed with the major mobile carriers in Australia, but there were no plans to extend it to New Zealand.

Mr Newsone said the mobile data business market was one where business plans were rewritten "every two weeks," but it would become very important.

Nokia has estimated that 60 per cent of one billion mobile phones by 2003 will be WAP-enabled. - STAFF REPORTER, BRIDGE NEWS