For Vodafone Hungary, Swisscom, Telecom Italia and Vodacom of South Africa, the long-awaited arrival of the mobile Internet and wireless video - so-called third-generation technologies - could not have come sooner. Rising use is helping the operators finally repay the millions they invested in high-speed networks and licenses, money spent in some cases nearly a decade ago.

Vodafone has 170,000 3G customers in Ireland, according to executives at the Irish operator. This is 8.5 per cent of its total Irish subscriber base, which is estimated at 2 million.

Orange is trying to simplify its corporate mobile data tariffs by merging charges for international roaming calls, data and text into a single monthly pricing plan. Meanwhile, rival operator 3 has launched its first 3G data card for notebook PCs.

Russia could start issuing licenses for 3G standard mobile communication services in 2006, Information Technologies & Communications Minister Leonid Reyman said at a press conference on Monday.