Housing Board applicants can now register for a factory or shop unit, search for what is available, bid and track the results - all on their mobile phones.

Thanks to a new mobile bidding service - M-bid - launched by the HDB on Thursday, they can now get the information wherever they are, whenever they want.

The new service is in addition to the HDB internet website, place2lease.com.

With the 24/7 service, businessmen who are looking for a business premises to rent can source for them anytime, anywhere.

Bidders can also log on to the mobile site through their handphone web browser while they are on the move.

HDB has also cut down the two-page registration form to a shorter and simplified version, making signing up for an account hassle-free

M-bid also offers a personalised service to allow the bidders to get to their bidding information, fast and direct.

When a bidder logs on to My Services, he can:

• view the units that he has picked and the bid movement to monitor them closely
• bookmark those units that he want to keep a close watch on My Watch List
• subscribe to the Alert Me service for SMS/email alerts on the availability of their preferred types of premises. Those units that are posted for bidding and match their alert me criteria will be placed in "My Alert Me List" for them to zoom in and bid if interested.
• find out the bidding outcome once the bidding has closed

'Today a wide range of properties such as factories, shops, offices and child care centres are available for bidding. With the mobile platform, users will be able to access and get a business premise more easily,' said an HDB statement on Thursday.

In November 2000, HDB launched place2lease.com to provide an efficient, transparent and hassle-free allocation system for aspiring entrepreneurs to secure a unit to set up their business. It is a live auction site where industrial premises available for allocation are posted for viewing and open bidding in real time.

In March 2004, HDB's commercial properties were also made available for bidding on place2lease.com.