Vodafone's emerging market operations continued to support wider revenue growth. Growth in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia and Pacific region was 45.1% including acquisitions in India and Turkey and 14.5% on an organic level. However, these acquisitions had an impact on overall debt levels, which rose 67% from £15bn to £25bn.

The group will pay a final dividend of 5.02p taking the total for the year to 7.51p, up 11.1%.

The shares rose 3.45p to 166.75p in early trading. The shares peaked at just under 200p towards the end of last year. They now trade on a P/E of 12.6x. This is a long way from their giddy heights in the dotcom boom, valuing them as a utility rather than a racy technology company, which is probably about right.

Given that the new boss has served under Sarin and that Sarin’s strategy has been considered more successful by the City since his problems two years ago, shareholders should probably not expect a radical strategic departure by Colao. The emerging market growth for the company is exciting, but its huge debts and weakness in its European business should curb investor enthusiasm.

Free Sony Ericsson C902 and 6 Months Half Price line rental on Vodafone

Phone	Deal includes	Price plan	Term	Minutes	Texts	Line rental
Sony Ericsson C902	Sony Ericsson C902 Red - Vodafone	Anytime Talk 35	12 month contract length	500 minutes per month	100 texts per month	£17.50 for 6 months was£35.00 line rental per month

Not just a 5MP cameraphone, but probably one of the slimmest 5MP cameraphones currently on the market, the Sony Ericsson C902 is a true masterpiece of engineering. Slide open its unique lens-cover from the top, and the C902 comes alive with illuminated touch sensitive keys and reveals its awesome Cybershot camera with built-in flash, autofocus and face detection. With HSDPA, EDGE and GPRS, downloads are a breeze! At a mere 10.5mm thin, this stylish phone also manages to cram in 160MB of memory, accelerometer, RSS reader, Email, FM Radio and music player!

Free Nokia 8600 on Vodafone

Vodafone tariffs	Inclusive Minutes	Cross-Net	Promotional Offer	Handset Price	Monthly Charge
Vodafone - Anytime Calls 35 - 18 month	700 Minutes + 250 Text + 3000 Landline Minutes	Yes	Includes 3,000 landline minutes	Free	£35.00

The Nokia 8600 Luna is the latest high-end designer mobile phone from Nokia, with its rounded corners, smoked glass and stainless steel finish it has a futuristic appearance. The Nokia 8600 Luna mobile phone comes with an amazing high-resolution display that complements the phones exquisite design.

The most impressive feature of the Nokia 8600 Luna is the smoked glass sliding cover that hides the keypad. Best of all inside Nokia have found space to incorporate a 2 megapixel camera that lets you capture high quality photos that are even good enough to print.


The Nokia 8600 Luna mobile phone is perfect if you're looking for the latest fashion phone, with its high quality finish and huge array of features. Underneath the quality outer casing Nokia have managed to assemable just the right balance of design and technology.

Profits have topped £10 billion and a strategy of investing big money in fast-growing markets is paying off.

Instead, Financial Mail can reveal that Sarin presided over one of the most squalid episodes in UK corporate history.

Tensions: Behind the smiles, Lord Maclaurin, left and Arun Sarin, were engaged in a bitter boardroom struggle at Vodafone

The company grabbed mobile phone call data and used it to try to prove a conspiracy against Sarin in 2006 and discover whether company figures were briefing the Press and analysts.

Vodafone was compiling reports on its own chairman, its founding chief executive and other nonexecutive directors in moves that not only flout the company's own code of ethics and breach every accepted norm of boardroom independence, but may also have come close to illegal snooping.

The episode came during some of the mobile phone giant's darkest hours when there was a serious chance that Sarin would be ousted. And the company targeted some of the most esteemed business people of their generation.

Included were Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth, the man behind Tesco's transformation from an also-ran supermarket to retail giant, who was chairman of Vodafone.

Targeted: Former Coca-Cola UUK president Penny Hughes was among the Vodafone directors whose call data was analysed

Samsung J700 Vodafone 35% off

Features

Camera: 1.3 Meagpixel, 1280x960 pixels, video
Display Type: TFT, 256K colors
Display Size: 128 x 160 pixels, 2"
Music Formats: MP3/AMR/AAC+/RA player
MPEG4/3gp video player/recorder
FM radio
Ringtones: Type Polyphonic, MP3
Customization Download
GPRS Class: 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
EDGE Class: 10, 236.8 kbps
Bluetooth: v2.0 with A2DP
USB: v2.0
Browser: WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Memory: Phonebook 1000 entries, Photocall
Call records 20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls
Card slot microSD (TransFlash)
Features Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS
Vibration
Games
Java MIDP 2.0
Mobile Printing
Sync ML
Organizer
Currency converter
Voice memo
T9
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion
Dimensions 99.5 x 48 x 14.8 mm

Sony Ericsson W580i Vodafone save £50.00

Special Features

Camera: 2 Megapixel, 1600x1200 pixels, video
TrackID music recognition
Walkman 2.0 music player
FM radio with RDS
Ringtones Type: Polyphonic, MP3, AAC
Browser: WAP 2.0/HTML(NetFront), RSS feeds
EDGE Class: 10, 236.8 kbps
Bluetooth: v2.0 with A2DP
USB: 2.0
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
Network: GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900
Display Type: TFT, 256K colours
Size: 240 x 320 pixels - Wallpapers, screensavers
Customization: Composer, download
Memory Phonebook: 1000 contacts, Photo call
Call records: 30 received, dialed and missed calls
GPRS Class: 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
HSCSD
Games: + downloadable
Java MIDP 2.0
T9
Organiser
Voice memo
Built-in handsfree
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion
Weight: 94 g
Size Dimensions: 99 x 47 x 14 mm
Stand-by: Up to 370 h
Talk time: Up to 9 h

Hats off to Vodafone. More than hats off, in fact. We can write about bottom lines, CEO pay and 3G quandaries but a story that will claim as many column, ahem, inches this week relates to a couple of Aussie strippers - and it's not often we get to write about Aussie strippers in these hallowed pages.

They streaked onto the pitch at a weekend Australian Wallabies - New Zealand All Blacks Tri-nations rugby game wearing nothing but prominently placed Vodafone logos.

That was something of a coup only more so because the Olympic Stadium where the game was taking place is sponsored by Vodafone rival Telstra.

The cost for the mobile phone giant is a meagre £3,500 - covering the offenders' fines. The publicity coup is priceless, even if there have been dissenting voices from the sport talking about an error of judgement.

Call it guerrilla marketing. Call it a prank. This type of thing will become more popular.

At Wimbledon tennis every year spot the official, blue chip sponsors - the likes of Rolex on scoreboards. Then spot those happy fans, willing to hold up free boards urging on their nearly-man English hero. Do they care these pieces of card also say Slazenger or the name of some company that isn't an official sponsor?

Newspapers and others are wise to this type of thing and it's hard to stop.

Vodafone will have to take some flak but there is a marketer somewhere quite pleased with himself.

And the final coup? Post-streakers, the arguably unsettled All Blacks missed a kick and went on to lose the game 16-14. And the sponsors of the winning Wallabies? Vodafone.

SAMSUNG C300 ON VODAFONE 40% off

KEEP YOURSELF ON TRACK USING THE BUILT-IN PERSONAL ORGANISER

* Polyphonic ringtones
* Colour Java games
* Handsfree speakerphone

Save £20.00,Vodafone Sony Ericsson W910i Mobile Phone Black

The Vodafone Sony Ericsson W910i has a bright colour screen with the ability to send both images and sounds. This mobile phone has a built-in camera with 2 megapixel resolution allowing you to take pictures and videos. The W910i is bluetooth compatible and comes with a hands-free speakerphone allowing you to take calls on the move. This quadband mobile phone also features a built in Mp3 player and FM radio allowing you to listen to your favourite tracks and stations on the go.

The Sony Ericsson W910i comes complete with an expandable memory slot, voice dialling function and can access internet style pages.

When Arun Sarin was appointed chief executive of Vodafone critics dismissed him as a nondescript bean counter - Sarin having joined Vodafone in 1999 when it bought AirTouch, the US business where he was chief operating director.

But during his five-year reign, the diminutive Sarin has got to grips with one of the most important and testing jobs in UK business. Having inherited a collection of disparate assets, he has bought well-needed focus to the telecoms goliath.

His strategy to invest heavily in emerging markets nearly cost him his job two years ago when he came under attack from top institutional investors who voted against his re-election to the board. They accused him of being too quick to spend millions of pounds on foreign acquisitions and worried about growth.

But the foray into India, where he was born, and other developing markets has helped drive profits.

VODAFONE SONY V640I Save £10

Listen to music on the move with this slim and light weight Sony Ericsson V640I music handset on Vodafone with FREE speakers. Features a built-in MP3 player, FM radio, 2 megapixel camera with picture and video recording, memory card slot and Bluetooth enabled.
specification
Brand VODAFONE
Manufacturer tbc
Digital camera No
Video camera Yes
MP3 player Yes
Colour screen Yes
MMS picture messaging Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Band Tri
Polyphonic ringtones Yes
Photo phone book Yes
Talktime 540 minutes
Standby time 300 hours
Mobile internet access 3G (UMTS)
Predictive text messaging Yes
Vibration alert Yes
Java enabled Yes
Other features
Built in FM stereo radio
Handsfree kit included
Card slot
Built-in speakerphone
Infrared port
2 megapixel camera
35MB Internal memory
Video messaging
Video downloads
3G with video calling
262k colours in the screen display
Voice activated dialling
Alarm clock
Built-in personal organiser
Vodafone exclusive
1000 phonebook locations
Record video clips
Camera with zoom
Calendar
Video calling
MP3 ringtones
97g Weight
10.3 x 4.7 x - 15.5mm Dimensions (H x W x D mm)
TrackID
Anti-blur technology
Sony Walkman

VODAFONE SAMSUNG D840 save £10

specification
Brand VODAFONE
Manufacturer tbc
Digital camera No
Video camera Yes
MP3 player Yes
Colour screen Yes
MMS picture messaging Yes
Bluetooth Yes
Band Tri
Polyphonic ringtones Yes
Photo phone book No
Talktime 180 minutes
Standby time 250 hours
Mobile internet access WAP-gprs
Predictive text messaging Yes
Vibration alert Yes
Java enabled No
Other features
Handsfree kit included
Card slot
Built-in speakerphone
2.0 megapixel camera
80MB Internal memory
Video messaging
Video downloads
262k colours in the screen display
Dual screen display
Colour front screen display
Alarm clock
Record video clips
Camera with flash
Calendar
MP3 ringtones
104g Weight
99x51x12 Dimensions (H x W x D mm)

VODAFONE today moved to plug a major gap on its board by re-employing a former director who has been a long-standing friend and colleague of chief executive Arun Sarin.

He was forced to resign in July after a disagreement on future strategy with the group's 15 major shareholders, led by Mediobanca, Fiat and Pirelli. This followed a 60% fall in first-quarter profits. He was due to leave the Italian company next week.

Colao rejoins Vodafone as both chief executive of its European business and deputy chief executive of the group, or number two to Sarin. However, sources close to the company were quick to play down talk that Colao is, therefore, heir apparent to Sarin, who has spent much of this year under pressure from dissatisfied investors with many calling for his departure.

Colao succeeds Sir Julian Horn-Smith, who retired as deputy chief executive at July's annual meeting. He also takes on the European role which had been earmarked for Bill Morrow, the former head of Vodafone Japan, who unexpectedly announced he was leaving the group and returning to the US to spend more time with his family.

LG Prada + FREE X Box 360 on vodafone

Handset Price	Monthly Charge	Promotional Offer	Inclusive Minutes	Inclusive Texts	Cross-Net Minutes
Free	£50	FREE X Box 360	800	500	Yes

Prada, one of the World’s leading designers, have teamed up with LG to unveil this completely touch screen mobile phone. With its sophisticated design and elegant looks the Prada Phone by LG (KE850) is a breakthrough handset in the mobile phone industry.

LG and Prada have worked closely together on every aspect of the Prada Phone. This gives the Prada Phone the unparalleled attention to detail and uncompromising design quality of Prada with the trademark technological innovation of LG mobile.


The Prada Phone by LG has an extra wide LCD screen that maximizes visual impact, a 2 megapixel camera, video player, document viewer, MP3 Player and expandable memory slot. All these features contribute to the Prada Phone’s sleek, sexy and functional design.

FREE Samsung U900 Soul on vodafone

Handset Price	Monthly Charge	Inclusive Minutes	Inclusive Texts	Cross-Net Minutes
FREE	£40	700	250	YES

The U900 Soul is yet another handset from the award winning Samsung Ultra range, and is sure you make an impact through its stylish good looks and sophisticated technology. This is a mobile phone that captures the market need for a handset that offers a wide range of hi-spec multimedia functions that is also easy on the eye.

Stylishly presented in a stainless steel casing the U900 Soul also boasts a 16million colour dynamic TFT screen. Functionality wise, the mobile phone boasts camera specifications more at home on a digital camera including a 5-mega pixel auto focus lens with image stabiliser and facial recognition software enabling you to produce fantastic quality images to share with family and friends.

The Samsung U900 Soul also includes a highly innovative ‘Magic Touch’ navigation system which changes based on the feature you are currently operating. Additionally, the Samsung U900 Soul has one of the most advanced HSDPA’s around, not to mention a sound quality advanced by a Bang & Olufsen ICE power digital amplifier. The Samsung U900 will definitely be the life and Soul of the party. 
Key Features:
5 Megapixel Digital CameraImage Stabiliser16m colour TFT screenAutofocusMP3 playerFace DetectionCamera Flash FunctionFM radioHSDPA capabilitiesEDGE TechnologyBluetooth technologyWAPGPRS technologyTribandMultimedia Messaging (MMS)SMSE-mail capabilitiesJava enabledGamesVibration alert

Hats off to Vodafone. More than hats off, in fact. We can write about bottom lines, CEO pay and 3G quandaries but a story that will claim as many column, ahem, inches this week relates to a couple of Aussie strippers - and it's not often we get to write about Aussie strippers in these hallowed pages.

They streaked onto the pitch at a weekend Australian Wallabies - New Zealand All Blacks Tri-nations rugby game wearing nothing but prominently placed Vodafone logos.

That was something of a coup only more so because the Olympic Stadium where the game was taking place is sponsored by Vodafone rival Telstra.

The cost for the mobile phone giant is a meagre £3,500 - covering the offenders' fines. The publicity coup is priceless, even if there have been dissenting voices from the sport talking about an error of judgement.

Call it guerrilla marketing. Call it a prank. This type of thing will become more popular.

At Wimbledon tennis every year spot the official, blue chip sponsors - the likes of Rolex on scoreboards. Then spot those happy fans, willing to hold up free boards urging on their nearly-man English hero. Do they care these pieces of card also say Slazenger or the name of some company that isn't an official sponsor?

Newspapers and others are wise to this type of thing and it's hard to stop.

Vodafone will have to take some flak but there is a marketer somewhere quite pleased with himself.

And the final coup? Post-streakers, the arguably unsettled All Blacks missed a kick and went on to lose the game 16-14. And the sponsors of the winning Wallabies? Vodafone

Vodafone contract offer free LG 'Shine' KE970'

Handset Price	Monthly Charge	Inclusive Minutes	Inclusive Texts	Cross-Net Minutes
FREE	£40	500	500	yes

The LG Shine mobile phone is all about looks with It's sleek silver finish and stylish design features. The large 2.2' screen has a mirrored effect that complements the overall design and make it the ultimate handset to be seen with.

The LG Shine mobile phone boasts a 240x320 pixel display and 2 megapixel camera with flash.The LG shine also has 50mb of memory and an MP3 player and is 2G compatible handset and weighing in at 115 grams and measuring 94x51x14mm it is super slim and lightweight. 

As with the Chocolate range the LG Shine is a well-crafted mobile phone with some special features and a fantastic look and feel. Given the Chocolates success it's likely that the Shine will be a massive hit so make sure you get yours early.

Great contract on vodafone for N95

Phone cost	Monthly Cost	Minutes	Texts
FREE Phone	£75 Per month	3000 anytime mins	unlimited inclusive texts

Fun features
Camera: 1 Megapixels 5.0 mp
Video Messaging: 1 Changeable Covers: 0 Games: 1 Video Streaming: 1 Polyphonic: 1 MP3 Player: 1 FM Radio: 1 Mobile TV: 1 Best for music: 1 Best for Internet
Standard features
Memory Slot: 0 Memory Card: 0 Bluetooth: 1 Infrared: 1 Car Kit Compatible: 0 Hands Free: 1 Voice Activated Dialling: 1 Quadband: 1 Triband: 0 Organiser: 1 Email: 1 GPRS: 1 Alarm: 1 Visually Impaired: 0 Hard of Hearing: 0 Limited Dexterity: 0 Fully-fitted Car Kit: 0 Mobile Internet

Whilst working at Sony over the last 6 months I haven't really been able to write about it very much on currybetdotnet - in stark contrast to the way I used to blog the absolute minutiae of working at the BBC.

This was mostly due to the fact that the part of Sony I was working in, Sony NetServices, acts as a service provider for other parts of the Sony empire and other large European brands like Vodafone and I was therefore swamped with NDA complications. Additionally, defining the user experience is done pretty up-front in the product development cycle, and so most of the things I have worked on are commercially sensitive, and won't see the light of day until later this year.

However, in the last couple of weeks, two of the projects that I worked at during my time in Austria have gone live to the public, and so I'm able to write about them.

Sony Ericssion w910i black contract

Phone cost	Monthly Cost	Minutes	Texts
FREE Phone	£20 Per month	75 anytime mins	250 inclusive texts

Specifications
3G
Weight 110g
Talk Time (up to*) 3.5h
Standby time (up to*) 160h
Dimensions 102 x 52 x 18.8 mm
Phone book capacity 1000
Video call time 1 h
SMS Storage Variable
Active Flip
Downloadable Realtones
Data Modem
Voice Memo Recorder
Additional Features
Easy Install Car Kit
Bandwidth 850/900/1800/1900