diff --git a/doc/release_notes.htm b/doc/release_notes.htm
index 94ec08dc..c8833ad6 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes.htm
+++ b/doc/release_notes.htm
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 <ul>
 <li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3968">[3968]</a> fixed coordinate_matrix sort problem on MSVC10
 </li>
+<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3501">[3501]</a> Moved free functions in <code>concepts.hpp</code> into anonymous namespace.
+</li>
 </ul>
 
 <h2>Release 1.41.1</h2>
@@ -45,11 +47,9 @@ the new tests in <tt>libs/numeric/ublas/test</tt> and the inline documentation o
 <h3>bug fixes</h3>
 
 <ul>
-<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3293">[3293]</a>Fix resizing problem in <code>identity_matrix</code>
+<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3293">[3293]</a> Fix resizing problem in <code>identity_matrix</code>
 </li>
-<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3499">[3499]</a>Add DefaultConstructible to concept checks
-</li>
-<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3501">[3501]</a>Add <i>inline</i> to free functions in <code>concepts.hpp</code>
+<li><a href="https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3499">[3499]</a> Add DefaultConstructible to concept checks
 </li>
 </ul>
 
diff --git a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/detail/concepts.hpp b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/detail/concepts.hpp
index ce99744b..8133670c 100644
--- a/include/boost/numeric/ublas/detail/concepts.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/numeric/ublas/detail/concepts.hpp
@@ -634,77 +634,70 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         }
     };
 
+    /** introduce anonymous namespace to make following functions
+     * local to the current compilation unit.
+     */
+    namespace {
+
     template<class T>
     T
     ZeroElement (T);
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     float
     ZeroElement (float) {
         return 0.f;
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     double
     ZeroElement (double) {
         return 0.;
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     vector<float>
     ZeroElement (vector<float>) {
         return zero_vector<float> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     vector<double>
     ZeroElement (vector<double>) {
         return zero_vector<double> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<float>
     ZeroElement (matrix<float>) {
         return zero_matrix<float> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<double>
     ZeroElement (matrix<double>) {
         return zero_matrix<double> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     std::complex<float>
     ZeroElement (std::complex<float>) {
         return std::complex<float> (0.f);
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     std::complex<double>
     ZeroElement (std::complex<double>) {
         return std::complex<double> (0.);
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     vector<std::complex<float> >
     ZeroElement (vector<std::complex<float> >) {
         return zero_vector<std::complex<float> > ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     vector<std::complex<double> >
     ZeroElement (vector<std::complex<double> >) {
         return zero_vector<std::complex<double> > ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<std::complex<float> >
     ZeroElement (matrix<std::complex<float> >) {
         return zero_matrix<std::complex<float> > ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<std::complex<double> >
     ZeroElement (matrix<std::complex<double> >) {
         return zero_matrix<std::complex<double> > ();
@@ -714,49 +707,41 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
     T
     OneElement (T);
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     float
     OneElement (float) {
         return 1.f;
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     double
     OneElement (double) {
         return 1.;
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<float>
     OneElement (matrix<float>) {
         return identity_matrix<float> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<double>
     OneElement (matrix<double>) {
         return identity_matrix<double> ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     std::complex<float>
     OneElement (std::complex<float>) {
         return std::complex<float> (1.f);
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     std::complex<double>
     OneElement (std::complex<double>) {
         return std::complex<double> (1.);
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<std::complex<float> >
     OneElement (matrix<std::complex<float> >) {
         return identity_matrix<std::complex<float> > ();
     }
     template<>
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     matrix<std::complex<double> >
     OneElement (matrix<std::complex<double> >) {
         return identity_matrix<std::complex<double> > ();
@@ -908,7 +893,6 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
         }
     };
 
-    BOOST_UBLAS_INLINE
     void concept_checks () {
 
         // Allow tests to be group to keep down compiler storage requirement
@@ -1549,6 +1533,8 @@ namespace boost { namespace numeric { namespace ublas {
 #endif
     }
 
+    } // end of anonymous namespace
+
 }}}
 
 #endif