Introduction of GPRS - Next Generation Technology

Vodafone AirTouch PLC
7 December 1999


                 VODAFONE AIRTOUCH TO INTRODUCE GPRS
   FOR NEXT GENERATION MOBILE INTERNET AND HIGH SPEED DATA SERVICES

Vodafone AirTouch Plc today announces that it has chosen Ericsson for
the   supply  of  infrastructure  for  its  next  generation  network
technology,  GPRS  (General Packet Radio  Service)  in  the  UK,  the
Netherlands  and  Greece.   Set to bring  customers  high-speed  data
services and enhanced internet capabilities over existing digital GSM
mobile networks, Vodafone AirTouch will begin to introduce GPRS  from
January 2000.

Giving mobile customers the ability to access services such as  train
timetables,  receive detailed directions and local maps, and  realise
true  home shopping on the move simply using their handheld  devices,
GPRS, which is particularly suited to WAP (Wireless Access Protocol),
will  introduce high-speed data to Web-based services, including  the
Vodafone Interactive services.

Vodafone UK, Libertel (The Netherlands) and Panafon (Greece) will  be
the  first Vodafone AirTouch mobile networks to integrate GPRS in  to
their  GSM  networks,  deploying the latest  standard  GPRS  (General
Packet Radio Service) technology from Ericsson.  Benefiting from  the
synergy   and  close  co-operation  between  the  Vodafone   AirTouch
networks,  the GSM-GPRS systems will be field trialled simultaneously
in  all  three countries in early 2000 and are due to be commercially
introduced in the autumn of next year.

'GPRS  is  very  much a wireless internet building block  which  will
support  a  wide  range  of  information services  and  applications,
including  our  Vodafone Interactive services,  e-commerce,  wireless
office  and  lifestyle services at much faster rates  than  currently
available,' explained Peter Bamford, Chief Executive of Vodafone  UK.
'The  simultaneous introduction of GPRS technology to  the  Vodafone
AirTouch networks of Vodafone UK, Libertel and Panafon will not  only
offer  our customers true wireless internet capability for the  first
time, but also GPRS roaming, enabling them to benefit from continuous
high speed data services when they travel.'

Enhancing  the  existing  GSM  networks  and  WAP  (Wireless   Access
Protocol)  services, GPRS is a data transmission technology operating
at  rates  significantly faster than the current GSM rate of  9.6kbps
and approaching the fastest fixed dial up speeds available, including
ISDN.  Applying  packet  switched,  instead  of  traditional  circuit
switched  techniques  used  in voice telephony  networks,  GPRS  will
revolutionise  e-mail  and information access for  mobile  customers,
enabling  them to be constantly connected to Vodafone Interactive  or
their office.

The  introduction  of  GPRS to the Vodafone  AirTouch  networks  will
support  a  new  breed of GPRS capable GSM mobile  devices  with  WAP
microbrowsers,  making high speed mobile data  applications  like  e-
mail, intranet and content access a reality for customers.  'The ease
of use and high data speeds possible with GPRS mean that customers on
the  move will be able to access information that would normally only
be available to them in the office or via their home PC,' added Peter
Bamford.  'GPRS  will bridge the gap between the  future  3G  network
capabilities and current GSM mobile networks.'

In  addition, the Vodafone AirTouch companies, Vodafone UK,  Libertel
and  Panafon  are also working with Ericsson on new applications  and
services  for  consumers  as  well  as  corporate  customers   taking
advantage  of  the  unique capabilities of this  new  and  innovative
wireless data service.
                                  
For further information contact:

Tim Brown, Investor Relations Director
Melissa Stimpson, Senior Investor Relations Manager
Vodafone AirTouch Plc
Tel: [phone]


Lulu Bridges/William Cooper
Tavistock Communications
Tel: [phone]

Paula Wagstaff
Media Relations Director
Ericsson
Telephone:[phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1    About GPRS
     GPRS   is  a  data  transmission  technology  designed   as   an
     enhancement  for  GSM  mobile phone  networks  and  particularly
     suited to WAP based services.  Like the Internet, it uses packet-
     switched  techniques rather than the circuit-switched techniques
     traditionally used in voice telephony networks.

     Vodafone  will be deploying a network based on the  most  recent
     version  of  the  GPRS standards in order to provide  completely
     open interfaces with full ETSI standard compliance as these  are
     an  absolute  necessity for volume ramp up of GPRS  applications
     and  terminals.  A wide choice of GPRS mobiles meeting this open
     standard are expected to become available and most manufacturers
     have  announced  plans for an early release  of  such  products,
     including WAP enabled and small form factor versions.

     GPRS uniquely provides the benefit of an 'always connected' user
     which  means that information can be exchanged very  quickly  at
     any  time  without incurring the cost of a permanent connection.
     It  is particularly suited to handling data traffic such as that
     resulting  from  Internet-based services; and  also  makes  very
     efficient  use  of  the  available radio spectrum,  since  radio
     channels are only occupied when data is being transmitted.

2.   GPRS v's HSCSD
     A  much  wider choice of mobile product is expected  to  support
     GPRS  standards  than HSCSD (High Speed Circuit  Switched  Data)
     which  uses less sophisticated techniques to achieve  high  data
     throughput.  HSCSD requires a significant increase  in  transmit
     power  which  in  turn has an adverse impact on talktime.  Since
     GPRS  implementation principally involves a software enhancement
     to  existing GSM radio networks, national rollout of the service
     will be rapid once service testing has been completed.
     
3.   Ericsson GPRS
     The  Ericsson GPRS solution uses a packet-data backbone and GPRS
     nodes  in  the core GSM network, using the same ATM/IP (Internet
     Protocol)  backbone  technology that  drives  the  Internet,  to
     support mobile internet services at and high speed access.

4.   Vodafone Data
     Vodafone  has  led the UK market in the introduction  of  mobile
     data services and is the only UK GSM Operator already to have  a
     Packet  Radio  Service for data. This network  has  over  75,000
     radio terminals connected and carries over 3 million packet data
     calls  per  day. The implementation of a 2nd generation  nation-
     wide  GPRS  service  will further extend the choice,  range  and
     speed  of data, internet and text messaging services offered  by
     Vodafone