Vodafone redirecting images

[Gargoyle]

In Italy...I'm using a vodafone internet card with vodafone mobile connect v. 9 software. IE 7.0 and Windows Vista.

It seems that Vodafone is caching images and displaying them from their server (perhaps to speed things up or lessen server loads?) As a result, for example, the URL of the logo at the top of this page is http://www.prepaidgsm.nett/forum/ima.../misc/logo.gif
but on my system it is:
http://83.224.70.2/www.prepaidgsm.ne.../misc/logo.gif
(you can see that either by right clicking the graphic, and select "properties" or by viewing the page source code.

Note two things: the server address is 83.224.70.2 and an extra "T" has been added to net, in prepaidgsm.nett
If I do this with a .com page, it becomes .comm
That helps prevent the original source image from being displayed.
Can any of you confirm this is happening to you too? What about in other vodafone countries?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. It's quite annoying. I also wonder if it slows things down instead of speeding it up.
In addition, does this mean Vodafone can keep records/statistics on what images we view?

btw, the IP address is assigned to Vodafone:
inetnum: 83.224.0.0 - 83.224.83.255
netname: VODAFONE-IT
descr: Ip addresses allocated to Vodafone GSM/UMTS users
country: IT
admin-c: LV1834-RIPE
tech-c: LV1834-RIPE
status: ASSIGNED PA
mnt-by: VODAFONE-IT-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered
person: Luca Vit
address: Vodafone N.V.
address: Via Jervis,13
address: I-10015 Ivrea, TO
address: Italy
e-mail: luca.vit@vodafone.com
nic-hdl: LV1834-RIPE
phone: +39 0125624819
source: RIPE # Filtered