OXFORDSHIRE'S telecoms war is set to hot up soon with the arrival of Ionica, a new challenger to BT, writes Maggie Hartford.

A 15-metre radio mast has gone up at the company's new base station, due to open next to the Eastern Bypass in Cowley later this year.

The company has taken a 25-year lease on one of the Taurus units put up on the site of the former Minty's furniture factory, which has been empty since the factory closed several years ago.

Ian Morris, of Ionica, said: "We offer an alternative to BT for residential and small business users."

The new wireless network will eventually stretch across England and Wales, but Ionica's share price fell sharply in November when it revealed technology and marketing setbacks.

Now it is concentrating on the areas where its network is almost complete - including the Central TV area, which includes Oxfordshire.

Mr Morris said: "Instead of having wires or cables, you have a small aerial on your roof. Because wire and cable is intrinsically more expensive, we offer a 15 per cent saving on call charges and a 20 per cent saving on fixed costs such as line rental." Subscribers who switch from BT can keep the same telephone number and can have extra numbers, so that children can have their own personal telephone number.

Potential subscribers have a survey to make sure they can receive the signal. Because it is fixed, the reception is of high quality once the system is set up, unlike mobile phones, said Mr Morris.

Taurus developers Easter Group and agents Chesterton say the site, opposite the Rover plant, is now nearly full. Terms have been agreed on the largest unit, so only one unit remains unlet.

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