VOD Vodafone Group Plc

RNS Number:1668H
Vodafone Group PLC
19 July 2001

19 July 2001

              VODAFONE INTRODUCES INSTANT MESSAGING TO ITS NETWORKS

Vodafone Group Plc ("Vodafone") announces today that is has signed a global
agreement with Followap, the leading provider of Instant Messaging services
for mobile operators, whereby Followap will be the sole provider of Vodafone's
Instant Messaging global platform.

Followap has already begun to roll out its iFollow family of products to
Vodafone's operators, including Omnitel-Vodafone in Italy and Eircell in
Ireland.  iFollow will be rolled out on a Vodafone specific platform across
the remaining major networks during the second half of the year.  Vodafone
customers will be able to form wireless communities, participate in chats,
locate and communicate with their friends by using mobile phones, PCs, PDAs
and other wireless and internet-based devices.

Instant Messaging is a faster and more efficient way to communicate using text
messages via SMS or WAP with different wireless communities.  iFollow enables
customers to authorise their presence on the network as well as their location
to their "buddy" lists.  This enables efficient person-to-person and
person-to-group communication.

Fritz Joussen, Global Product Management Director for Vodafone, said:

"This is a significant step in our ability to offer our customers advanced
mobile services on a global basis. SMS already contributes a significant
amount of revenue to Vodafone.  Instant Messaging will help drive a new wave
of SMS communication across our networks generating further revenues in this
important messaging sector."

For further information:

Vodafone Group Plc

Tim Brown, Group Corporate Affairs Director

Melissa Stimpson, Head of Group Investor Relations

Darren Jones, Senior Investor Relations Manager

Jon Earl, Investor Relations Manager

At Vodafone Group Plc

+44 (0) 1635 673310



Lulu Bridges/Sarah Landgrebe

Tavistock Communications

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7600 2288

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