BT Cellnet to launch UK GPRS

NEWS BT Cellnet will be the first company to launch GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) in the UK on 26 June. GPRS enables high-speed packet-based data transfer and is widely seen as the testing bed for services that will be made available on third-generation UMTS networks. The services will initially only be available to the corporate market but will be extended to consumers by the end of 2000. The mobile operator's first GPRS application will allow corporate organisations to give staff constant mobile access to the corporate intranet, and email. BT Cellnet has not detailed the pricing structure although it has said a single promotional tariff rate will be used to kick-start the service. It will then introduce a range of tariffs later in the summer.