Vodafone today launched a service aimed at customers weary of the latest feature-packed mobile phones, who would prefer a handset that merely allow you to make phone calls and send texts.

The world’s largest mobile phone company has developed two stripped-down mobile phones with the French handset maker Sagem, which will be offered as part of a package called "Vodafone Simply".

The new handsets have large buttons and a large screen – but no camera, music player, radio or video features.

Earlier this week the company started a similar service in Germany. Both the German and British products are aimed at users approaching their 40s, who have been identified as a key market for a new generation of low-tech gadgets.

"We have many customers who want the latest mobile phone with all the advanced services from full track music downloads to video calling and mobile TV," Peter Bamford, Vodafone’s chief marketing officer, told Reuters.

"We also have customers who just want to make and receive calls and text messages on their mobile phones. Vodafone Simply is as easy to use mobile service...to help them stay in touch with friends and family."

Designed to seem more like a home telephone than a high-tech mobile, Vodafone's handset has buttons 30 per cent bigger than a standard mobile and displays its own number on the home page screen.

A flashing button indicates when a text or voice message has been received and icons on the screen are replaced with written instructions. The handset can be locked through a switch on its side.

"It’s ideal for people who have grown up in the 1950s and 1960s," Mr Yates said. "They are not part of the mobile phone revolution. They recognise the benefits of it but they can’t get to grips with the technology."

At the other end of the telecoms spectrum, Orange, the rival telecoms operator, announcement yesterday of its new mobile phone television service.

An online survey of more than 1,200 people carried out for Vodafone ahead of today’s launch showed that 50 per cent of over 55s believed that advances in modern technology made life more complicated.

Television presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan backed the product at its launch in London today.

Ms Finnigan, who admitted never having owned a mobile phone, said: "I think there are a lot of people like me out there who feel that we have been busy doing other things and steadily technology has almost escaped us.

"Now, it is so complex we are being put off starting. I don’t want to spend half a day learning how to use a phone."

Vodafone shares topped the FTSE 100 riser board in morning trade, up 3p to 143.75p. Rival O2 added 2.25p at 123p while Virgin Mobile gained 6pat 208.25p.

The mobile phone giant is expected to outline the next phase of its share buyback programme when it presents full-year results on Tuesday.

After buying back £4 billion of its own shares last year, the market will be disappointed if the operator does not set aside at least that amount for stock repurchases during the current fiscal year, which ends next March.

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