The commercial launch of the Global Text Messaging service becomes effective today and will allow bmobile's customers to send and receive text messages to and from wireless subscribers served by 55 operators in North America, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, much of Western Europe and several key destinations in Africa, South and Central America and Asia.

Bmobile's overseas partners include Vodafone; T-Mobile; Cingular; Orange; MTN; O2 and Mobilkom.  Cable & Wireless' bmobile customers will also be able to exchange messages via Global Text Messaging with the customers of some 300 other operators before the end of this year, as negotiations with other international providers are well advanced.

Sending a message with Global Text Messaging is as easy as sending messages via the domestic service.  Customers simply compose their messages then send them to overseas numbers using either of the following formats.

• For messages to the USA, Canada and the Caribbean (excluding Cuba): 1 + area code + 7-digit mobile number
• For messages to the United Kingdom and the rest of the World, including Cuba: 011 + country code + mobile number

Commenting on the launch of bmobile's Global Text Messaging, Patrick Gillings, Cable & Wireless Senior Vice President for Marketing & Communications said: "We are happy to be able to bring this service to market with such a line up of other reputable partners in critical markets.  This underscores our established capacity and commitment to adding value to the mobile experience for bmobile customers".