One of China's Internet services  providers announced last week that China's mobile phone customers  will now have access to roughly 500 million international phone  numbers and addresses via their handsets, according to Chinadaily.com.

    Newpalm (China) Information Technology Co Ltd launched its new  Sonera Finder directory service on October 11. The service enables  Chinese mobile phone users to search for international telephone  directory information from 11 countries.

    John Xiao, Newpalm's CEO said: "Sonera Finder makes locating  and communicating with people around the world easier and, thus,  helps all people living and working in China."

    Sonera Finder provides access to contact information in the  USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Austria,  Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland.

    The service will initially be available to China Mobile users  in Beijing but will not be limited to the capital as Newpalm plans  to expand coverage to the whole of China.

    In addition to accessing Sonera Finder on regular mobile phones,  customers can also search the international directory on Newpalm's  WAP (wireless application protocol) and World Wide Web interfaces.

    The service is a result of collaberation between Newpalm and  Finnish firm Sonera Info Communications Ltd.

    The two companies plan to expand distribution of the service  to cover all of China and add access to local directories, said  Sonera Senior Area Manager Petri Ojanen.