Vodafone expands Wap service but admits delay to phones

Vodafone announced a number of additional partners to its wireless application protocol (Wap) service today.But the phone giant admits that its Wap-enabled mobile phones will not be readily available until March.

The Vodafone Wap handsets, which are being manufactured by Nokia and Ericsson, will cost £129.99 and Wap services will be charged at the standard tariff rates, said a Vodafone spokesman.

"There are a few handsets around now, but they won't go mass market until March when we expect Wap to really take off," he said.

Vodafone confirmed that it is creating a Wap Directory that will contain a list of the websites accessible to customers with Wap-compatible mobile devices.

The directory will provide a direct click through from Wap mobile devices to any of the sites listed. The sites are listed by category and include independent sites as well as Vodafone and its partner sites.

Additional partners for the Wap service include WH Smith for buying books and CDs online, and Affinity Internet for computer games.

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