Microsoft's attempt to build a bridgehead in the mobile phone market was strengthened yesterday after the software company announced a deal with Vodafone.

The companies are collaborating on a European trial of a series of corporate mobile intranet products and services with commercial deployment expected early next year. The products will be rolled out worldwide and will have a consistent feel and look for corporate customers, whichever country they happen to be in.

Users of the wireless intranet service will be able to send and receive email as well as access in real time their calendar, contacts, personalised web content and online information.

The services will be based on standards including the existing Wap technology and the forthcoming GPRS which is expected rapidly to improve wireless internet access.

"This is a very exciting partnership," said Paul Gross, senior vice-president of Microsoft Mobility. "Microsoft is committed to investing in relationships with leading operators, so that together we can enable users to access customised corporate services at any time, any place and from any device."

The comment confirmed the change at Microsoft, outlined by founder Bill Gates, who last year placed an increasing emphasis on extending the company's reach beyond the PC and into other platforms, including mobile phones and interactive television.

It has announced joint ventures with several telecoms companies and has taken stakes in a growing number of cable companies worldwide to exert influence on the choice of software used for internet access via the TV.

Microsoft has made several large investments in wireless firms over the past 18 months.

To gain ground, it announced a joint venture with Ericsson of Sweden last December to develop mobile technology. It also invested $5bn (£3.1bn) in AT&T, America's largest telecommunications group, and announced a small-scale partnership with British Telecom.