Mobile phone firm Vodafone presented a Europe-wide roaming facility for its new general packet radio service (GPRS) yesterday ahead of formally introducing the service for consumers here.

GPRS services are the latest generation of mobile technology, which offer consumers a faster and "always on" connection to multimedia and internet services.

Although Vodafone presented its GPRS service for businesses in January, it has yet to launch a consumer service in Ireland eight months after it introduced an equivalent service in the UK.

A Vodafone spokeswoman would not disclose when the service would be formally introduced here.

But she said about 10,000 Vodafone subscribers, who had upgraded to a next-generation handset, could use GPRS free for a limited period.

This will enable Irish subscribers to check e-mails and use other data services but not make voice calls on their handsets.

Vodafone has lagged behind its Irish rival Digifone in introducing a consumer service here.

Many experts believe this is due to a slow uptake of the technology in other markets across Europe.

Yesterday, Vodafone claimed its new Europe-wide GPRS roaming service was a global first. This service will enable Vodafone subscribers throughout 12 European States to access GPRS services when they travel abroad.

The cost of roaming on GPRS networks will be extremely expensive at €11.50 per megabyte of information downloaded and a minumum charge of 86 cents.

But the Vodafone Ireland spokeswoman said customers here, who travel to the UK and Germany, would be able to roam free on the firm's networks there for a limited period.

GPRS is the precursor to the third-generation mobile services that are expected to offer consumers applications such as streaming video to mobile devices. Bidders are expected to submit bids for four licences to operate these services tomorrow in the Republic.