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Vodafone is the first German network operator to start customer trials using HSDPA for business customers at the CentrO Oberhausen shopping centre. High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is the acceleration level of Vodafone's successful, fast and mobile UMTS data transfer technology. Selected business customers can now trial their notebook and data card for the mobile transfer of data from the Internet and Intranet at rates of up to 4 times faster than current UMTS speeds.

In the wake of the successful introduction of third-generation mobile communications, HSDPA brings an additional speed boost for mobile working on the Internet, the Intranet and when checking e-mails. Selected customers will receive a special data card for their notebooks. This gives them access to a transfer rate of up to 4 times faster than current UMTS speeds, which enables the transmission of larger files.

A group of selected business customers will now have the opportunity, for the very first time, to convince themselves of the benefits of HSDPA at CentrO in Oberhausen. E.g. Shop owners can work online independent of opening hours and wireline access with their notebooks, write e-mails or order online. Among the first users will be the CentrO management, in order to be online when visiting the shop owners at the mall. Another example: the big screens at the shopping centre display new advertising clips via HSDPA. During the first half of 2006, Vodafone will make its HSDPA network commercially available to a broader customer base.

"This trial underlines the fact that we are an innovation leader in the German mobile communications market. Our customers profit from our development lead. Faster data transfer rates will make mobile Internet and Intranet access even more effective," said Friedrich Joussen, Chief Operating Officer of Vodafone D2 GmbH.

Vodafone has been working with systems providers and data card manufacturers intensely to ensure ease of use and a high quality user experience of HSDPA.

There are 160 retail outlets and seven department stores on an area of 200,000 m at CentrO in Oberhausen. It is visited by 23 million shoppers every year and is one of the largest shopping centres in Germany.