±±¾©Èü³µpk10

The offering, powered by technology from mobile software company PocketThis, uses the WAP platform.

Auto Trader users on the Orange and O2 networks can save information and pictures of vehicles they are interested in a 'pocket', which they can access via WAP-enabled phones.

"Pictures are core to our ethos and a major part of our competitive advantage - we have the UK's biggest database of photographs of vehicles for sale," said Jim Murray-Jones, head of digital channels at Auto Trader.

"This service is a natural extension for us, and as our first foray into mobile pictures, is a precursor to true MMS, which we hope to offer as soon as it becomes widely available."

Once a customer has saved information about an Auto Trader ad in their 'pocket', they can use that information to interact with other WAP services - to verify the vehicle's ownership and history, for example.

Auto Trader is also working on an email alert service to launch in the first quarter of 2003, followed by an SMS alert service to inform customers when vehicles matching their specifications appear on the site.