Telecom Trade Body Uses Mobile Phones To Track Bird Flu

BARCELONA -(Dow Jones)- The GSM Association Tuesday said it is working with a project team to monitor cases of the bird flu virus as part of its push into the developing world.

The GSM Association is a trade body devoted to boosting global adoption of the GSM mobile phone system, which is largely used in Europe.

It has been lowering the cost of basic handsets by coopting manufacturers like Motorola to develop very cheap handsets for sale in developing markets like Africa and India.

Speaking at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona, GSM Association Chief Executive Rob Conway said the trade body has project teams working in areas like Bangladesh and parts of Africa to monitor and track cases of bird flu, which has spread through migratory birds from areas in Asia to Africa and parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

-By Nic Fildes, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9264; nicolas.fildes@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 14th February 2006