Vodafone UK launches free desktop texting software Vodafone UK today launches Vodafone Text Centre - a new service for businesses to send and receive text messages from their personal computer (PC). Vodafone Text Centre is designed for any company, from a sole trader to a large corporate, and integrates fully with Microsoft Outlook(R) or IBM Lotus Notes(R). The software is free of charge and can be downloaded, by individuals or a company IT department.

Once installed, the Vodafone Text Centre option is added onto the email in- box menu, making text messaging as simple as sending an email. Text messages can be sent to a single recipient or a broader distribution list and the sender is able to choose whether replies are sent back to their email inbox or to a mobile phone. Customers pay for messages they send on their monthly phone bill.

Kyle Whitehill, Enterprise Business Unit Director for Vodafone UK, said: "Vodafone Text Centre will provide our business customers with a simple, fast and secure way to communicate short information, such as sales messages, to both clients and staff. As a result of this new and exciting service we expect to see more creative ways of using text messaging in the business world."

In addition to sending text messages to a distribution list, Vodafone Text Centre enables businesses to set up alerts to their phone for calendar appointments and incoming emails, reminding them of urgent issues wherever they are. Research shows text messaging is already one of the most effective ways for companies to communicate with employees, customers or suppliers - 94 per cent of texts are opened and read [source: Enpocket Insight Report 2003].

Nathan Budd, a consultant in Frost and Sullivan's ICT Practice, said: "Vodafone UK is again showing how it is able to utilise the advantages and popularity of SMS by improving functionality and taking its potential to new uses. The residential market for fixed SMS is already growing at over 100 percent per annum across Europe. The addition of PC-based SMS capabilities will add yet another layer of growth and functionality to the overall SMS market."