Cable & Wireless Optus today announced that it has signed a deal with Internet retailer dstore to deliver online shopping through WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) to mobile phones.

dstore is one of Australia's leading online department stores, consistently ranked as the most visited online store in the nation.

"This exciting new content represents the first major move from information based services to transactional m-commerce," said Finola Thompson, General Manager, Mobile Internet and Data, Cable & Wireless Optus.

"Soon our customers will be able to buy goods and services on the move using the keypad of the phone handset to enter credit card details," she said.

At launch consumers will be able to select items from a range of dstore's most popular categories including, books, music CDs, videos, games, DVDs, toys and sporting goods.

David Gold, CEO of dstore said the alliance presented tremendous opportunities for both companies. "dstore is very focused on building its market leadership position. A key part of this is ensuring that the company is at the forefront of development in new delivery mechanisms such as WAP.

"We believe that our understanding of the online consumer will allow us to develop a product which leads the m-commerce industry - partnership with Optus will help us in this task," he said.

Optus Networker is available to Optus' GSM mobile customers with a WAP capable mobile phone. Optus Networker offers access to online information such as email, ASX share prices, financial indices, breaking news, sports news, technology news, entertainment news movie listings, horoscopes and weather.

The dstore content will be available on Optus Networker in early May 2000.

For more information:
Louise Ingram
Cable & Wireless Optus
Phone: (02) 9342 5042

Mina Silverstre
Blackie McDonald
Phone: (02) 9929 0200