Digifone 2.5G service goes online today

Irish consumers can use next generation mobile phone technology from today following the introduction of Digifone's 2.5G - or general packet radio service network.

The service offers consumers high-speed connection to Digifone's network and will enable them to access the internet and download files to mobile devices.

The "always on" service operates on a packet-based network eliminating the need to dial up regularly to connect. It is four times faster than existing services.

Digifone's customers will have a choice of six tariffs based on the amount of data downloaded to devices rather than the time they spend connected to a mobile network.

The firm's price plans range from no rental charge up to rental of €50 (£39) per month. A fee of up to €2 for each megabyte downloaded is also charged in some plans.

This fee structure may cause confusion among ordinary consumers who are not used to paying for services in relatively obscure quantities such as megabytes. The two biggest Irish mobile firms differ over the amount of data that can be downloaded in a megabyte. Digifone claimed yesterday that roughly one megabyte downloaded was equivalent to viewing 1,024 Wap pages. But Eircell, whose corporate GPRS network was introduced earlier this month, recently claimed one megabyte was equivalent to downloading 500 Wap pages. Digifone will also offer corporates individualised price plans. To use the new service, customers will also have to buy a new GPRS-enabled handset which will will cost €129- €349.

Digifone also introduced a device called a Blackberry yesterday, which enables customers to send or receive corporate emails from remote locations. This device has achieved rapid success among US corporate users and is predicted to be popular in Europe.

Consumers who want to use Digifone's new 2.5G service overseas will initially be able to roam on BT Cellnet's network in the UK and Viag Interkom's network in Germany. But this will be extremely expensive, costing customers €10-€12 per megabyte downloaded.

Pre-paid Digifone and Eircell mobile customers are likely to be offered the high speed service from this summer. The industry is billing GPRS as the interim step towards full third generation networks .