Vodafone raises it Profile
(M2 Presswire; 05/07/98)

   Vodafone Retail has opened the first of its new high profile stores at one 
 of the country's most prominent retail locations, Oxford Street in Central 
 London. Building on the design of its existing 240 shops throughout the 
 country, the Oxford Street Vodafone Retail shop offers customers a new concept 
 in mobile phone shopping, incorporating a number of new features including 
 Vodafone Retail's new touch screen information unit.

    Located opposite Bond Street Tube station, at 350 Oxford Street, the new 
 shop is part of Vodafone Retail's London expansion programme. As they walk in 
 to the modern beech wood floored shop, customers are greeted by a prominent 
 'Welcome to Vodafone' sign and decorated in the Vodafone Retail blue, the store 
 also has new individual product cabinets and panels displayed at eye level for 
 easy viewing. The Talkeasy on-line credit checking and connection systems have 
 also been built in to the counter and a new International coverage section 
 within the store features a world-wide map which enables customers to easily 
 check coverage in over 80 countries abroad where they can use their Vodafone.

    Customers are drawn to the 'Don't Just Stand There, Touch Me' sign above the 
 new Vodafone Retail 'interactive' kiosk. Currently being trialled, the new 
 information unit enables customers to use a touch screen to browse through the 
 phones and accessories available in the shop, establish the best service and 
 tariff to suit their needs and check the Vodafone mobile phone coverage where 
 they anticipate using their phone.

    Helen Keays, Marketing Director of Vodafone Retail, commented: "This is the 
 first store we have opened on Oxford Street and is part of our ongoing 
 expansion programme in Central London. The Oxford Street shop is a more 
 exciting and interesting place for customers to shop. The store layout makes it 
 easier for customers to find what they want and be served as efficiently as 
 possible."

    For local London businesses, the new shop operates a specialist Business 
 Solutions section, offering comprehensive communications packages tailored to 
 their needs and expert advice on the use of mobile data. This can enable, for 
 example, sending and receiving faxes, e-mails and accessing of office files.

    All new customers can walk out of the Oxford Street store with a phone 
 already connected and can also benefit from the Vodafone Complete Freedom 
 Guarantee. This ensures that customers can not only return to any Vodafone 
 Retail shop for a free tariff health check or transfer if necessary, but as a 
 demonstration of Vodafone Retail's confidence in the service it provides, 
 customers also have the opportunity to terminate their contract free of charge, 
 at any time.

    Voted 'Service Provider of the Year' at the prestigious 1998 Mobile News 
 Awards, Vodafone Retail is the UK's largest specialist mobile phone retailer 
 with over 240 wholly owned mobile phone shops throughout the UK serving the 
 needs of the consumer and small business market.

    CONTACT: Corinne Norris/Michelle Burgess, Vodafone Group Press Office Tel: 
 +44 (0)7000 5001 00

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