3G Licence

Vodafone AirTouch PLC
27 April 2000


               VODAFONE SUCCESS IN BID FOR 3G LICENCE

Vodafone Limited, a UK subsidiary of Vodafone AirTouch Plc, announces
today  that it has successfully bid £5.964 billion for Licence  B  in
the auction conducted by the UK Government for licences to operate 3G
('Third Generation') mobile telecommunications services.

Licence  B,  two  blocks of 15 MHz paired spectrum, was  the  largest
available  to the existing operators of cellular networks in  the  UK
and runs for a period of 20 years. Subject to the availability of  3G
network  infrastructure  and  handsets,  Vodafone  intends  to  offer
customers commercial service on its new 3G network in 2002.

Commenting,  Chris Gent, Chief Executive of Vodafone AirTouch,  said:
'In winning Licence B, we have secured the amount of spectrum that we
need  in  order  to deliver the highest capacity of any  UK  cellular
operator  and  to maintain our market leadership by offering  premium
value  added services to more customers than any other operator.  The
additional capacity will enable Vodafone Limited to play a full  part
in  the  new  technology, delivering customers a  new  generation  of
services  including full internet, video-conferencing and many  other
mobile multimedia services throughout the world.'

Vodafone  Limited has been conducting 3G network trials  since  early
1999, demonstrating successfully 3G multimedia services with partners
including  Ericsson,  Nortel Networks and Lucent Technologies.  These
trials have enabled Vodafone Limited to gain first hand and practical
experience in the deployment of 3G networks, ensuring that the  roll-
out  of  high  bandwidth  services offered by  this  next  generation
technology can be implemented efficiently.
                                  
                                  
For further information contact:
Terry Barwick, Director of Corporate Affairs
Tim Brown, Investor Relations Director
at Vodafone AirTouch Plc
Telephone: [phone]

Lulu Bridges
Tavistock Communications
Telephone: [phone]