BBC Agree to Supply News Services via Text

Vodafone AirTouch PLC
16 December 1999




 VODAFONE AND BBC SET THE STANDARDS FOR FUTURE MOBILE AND MULTIMEDIA
                              SERVICES


Vodafone AirTouch, the world's leading mobile communications  company
and  the  BBC,  the world's leading news broadcaster  have  announced
today   that   they  have  joined  forces  to  develop  and   deliver
continuously updated news, sport, entertainment and business services
via text, audio and video for mobile phone users.

Proving the multimedia and internet potential of mobile networks, the
two  companies  will  exploit  the  technology  available  using  the
Vodafone   Interactive   service,  text  messaging,   WAP   (Wireless
Application  Protocol)  enabled handsets which  incorporate  internet
browser technology and when available, the 3G (3rd Generation) mobile
networks.

'Vodafone  envisages that in the future more people will be  watching
the  news  via their mobile phone than at home in front of  their  TV
set,'   explained  Alan  Harper,  Board  Director  of  Vodafone   UK,
'Vodafone's agreement with the BBC marks the first step on  the  road
of true mobile and multimedia convergence. Our aim is to redefine the
wireless future to further open up the endless services available  to
customers via their mobile phone, using Vodafone Interactive, WAP and
eventually 3G and this agreement with the BBC is just one of the many
services that our customers can look forward to.'

Announcing the deal, Tony Hall, Chief Executive of BBC News, said:  '
We  want  to make our journalism available to people where ever  they
are  and  whenever they want it. This landmark deal, with the biggest
mobile  phone  operator,  will  help achieve  our  strategic  aim  of
becoming the leading provider of news in this exciting new market.'

From  early  2000, mobile customers using a digital Vodafone  or  WAP
enabled  handset,  will  have content from the  most  extensive  news
service  on  the  net,  BBC ONline.  Using the  Vodafone  Interactive
service  and the customer's Personal Preference Page at vodafone.net,
they will be able to choose to receive the top breaking international
and  domestic  news  about  business, sport, entertainment,  science,
health and education issues direct to their mobile as text messages.

The service will be extended during next year, enabling customers  to
receive highly personalised news services, pre-picking their schedule
dependent  on their interests, or even concentrating on a  particular
news  story  as  it unfolds.  WAP capability on mobile handsets  will
also allow customers to see supporting graphics with text stories and
hear  audio  reports.  In the future customers will also be  able  to
watch video clips by connecting their phone to a palm top computer.

By  2002,  the introduction of 3G mobile phones with full multi-media
capabilities  will  allow  complete  broadband  access  to   Internet
services,  so customers will also be able to hear and see  audio  and
video news stories on demand using voice-activated commands.

For further information please contact:

Tim Brown, Investor Relations Director, or
Melissa Stimpson, Senior Investor Relations Manager
at Vodafone AirTouch Plc
Telephone [phone]

Lulu Bridges
Tavistock Communications Limited
Tel: [phone]


NOTES TO EDITORS:
1    BBC  News Online is the most extensive news service on  the  net
     and  the  most  popular internet news service  outside  the  US.
     Doubling  its  audience  every  four  months,  the  service  now
     attracts an average of 63 million page views a month.

     From  its  inception in November 1997, BBC News  Online  quickly
     established  itself  as  the  most comprehensive  Internet  news
     service  in  the world. Some 300 news stories and  features  are
     generated  each  day on more than 5000 interactive  pages.   BBC
     News  On-Line has an unrivalled archive of over 400,000 stories,
     a databank which is growing at a rate of 2,100 stories a week.

     BBC   News  Online  benefits  from  access  to  the  BBC's  vast
     newsgathering resources, including 55 foreign bureaux. No  other
     similar  operation serves up such a rich mix of text, video  and
     audio  content  nor achieves the same level of  continuous  news
     updates.  The last two years have also seen BBC News Online pick
     up  eleven  awards  for  its coverage including  two  Baftas,  a
     British Press Award and a coveted Prix Italia.

2     Vodafone  AirTouch is the world's largest mobile communications
    company serving more than 31 million proportionate customers in 24
    countries  on five continents and is the second largest  UK  FTSE
    company. Vodafone is the UK's leading mobile operator with around
    seven million customers nation-wide. Vodafone has led the market for
    mobile data and text messaging in the UK and now has over two million
    customers using its text messaging service, sending around 70 million
    messages per month.

     Pioneering  mobile internet, Vodafone was the first UK  operator
     to  offer  direct  connection  to the  internet  via  pipex  and
     commercially  launched  a mobile internet  portal  service  with
     Vodafone  Interactive at the beginning of  December.  The  first
     product  of  its  kind, Vodafone Interactive  offers  a  growing
     number  of  dynamic  and exclusive lifestyle  services  bringing
     together your Vodafone mobile, the internet and you.

     Vodafone  was  the  first  UK  network  to  publicly  trial  WAP
     (Wireless  Application Protocol) services in December  1998  and
     its  internet  portal, Vodafone Interactive at  vodafone.net  is
     specifically  designed to be downloaded on a WAP enabled  mobile
     phone. WAP enabled phones used on Vodafone also enable customers
     to browse the internet, visiting other WAP compatible sites.

     Vodafone UK has also announced trials of 3G network services  to
     test a range of innovative voice and data services. These trials
     are  being  conducted with Ericsson in Newbury and  with  Nortel
     Networks  in  London  from  January.   Featuring  business   and
     consumer applications, trialists will be able to hold live video
     communications  sessions  using  mobile  videophones,  or   view
     streaming media from the internet, as well as a range  of  other
     new services.