The proposed merger between Vodafone and Three is nearly a done deal. The Competition and Markets Authority has agreed that a significant network upgrade by the merged company could address competition concerns and allow the merger to proceed. The CMA now states that a legally binding commitment from Vodafone and Three to undertake their proposed

Fergal Donovan, former Managing Director at PCS Wireless and Data Select, has launched a new company, Cyculus Services, described as “Europe’s First Independent Fully Automated ‘Device Processing as a Service’ Provider.” Cyculus will initially focus on mobile devices, with plans to extend the service to include tablets, wearables, IT equipment, and other products. Powered by

US warranty company Allstate Protection Plans has acquired smart device lifecycle company Kingfisher-mx for an undisclosed amount. Allstate Protection Plans, formerly known as SquareTrade, offers extended warranties and protection plans for consumer electronics, appliances, furniture, and more. The company is a subsidiary of Allstate, one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. Kingfisher was

Millions of UK households are sitting on a stockpile of unused mobile phones, potentially losing billions in trade-in value according to recycling site Compare and Recycle. The study, conducted in collaboration with YouGov, found that 5.68 million UK households have at least three unused, but still functional, mobile phones stored at home. More than half

Former Virgin Media O2 Head of SMB Sales Angie Ablard Simpson has joined secondary market refurbisher urMobile as director of channel develoment. Her first project is launching a trade portal within called ur Business for buying and trading handsets which is now open, The UR Business portal offers account holders the ability to manage orders,

Sunderland City Council  and Boldyn Networks has won the Community Improvement Award at the Connected Britain Awards 2024 for their Digital Inclusion Programme The programme aims to address digital inequality in Sunderland by providing residents with access to digital skills and resources. Launched in partnership between the council and Boldyn Networks, the initiative has supported

Vodafone is promising contract customers a new phone every year without any early upgrade fees or remaining charges. They must  exchange their existing device for an iPhone 16 or a model from its range of ‘Pristine’ refurbished phones. Under the  Vodafone Xchange scheme customers can choose a phone with 0% APR and customisable upfront costs.

If you thought iPhones were immune from savage depreciation, look away now. The iPhone 15 series depreciated by 55.57 per cent on average in its first year and is the first lineup in iPhone history to lose more than half of its value in the first 12 months. This is according to a  price tracking

A new eSIM only MVNO called Slice Mobile owned by Lyca boss Allirajah Subaskaran’s company Paraspara has launched offering talk, text and data plans on the EE network.  Slice Mobile was conceived by gffgaff founder and ex-CEO Gav Thompson Like giffgaff, Slice Mobile is using the “community-powered” approach where customers, or “members,” are encouraged to

Olympic edition Galaxy Z Flip 6 phones gifted to around 17,000 Paris Olympic athletes have started appearing on eBay with asking prices up to $10,000. Samsung produced the Olympic edition for Paris24 athletes only. The phones have a gold finish with Olympic rings and come in a special leather case. They are not available to

Customers must be told upfront in pounds and pence about any price rises their provider includes in their contract, under new consumer protection rules announced today by Ofcom. UK phone, broadband, and pay TV companies will no longer be able to include price rises linked to future inflation rates in their contract terms. New Rules

More than 200 Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones will be used on on 85 athlete vessels for the opening ceremony of Paris 2024.  In about a month, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place outside of a stadium for the first time ever. Paris 2024 will see 10,500 athletes float down the Seine

Vodafone’s prepay team has given its 2024 Vodafone Prepay Campaign of the Year award to distributor GK Telecom  GK is a PAYG SIM distributor for all networks, and also distributes for MVNOs such as Giffgaff, Smarty, Voxi, and Lebara. The company handles all the tariff refreshes and summer and winter promotions for Vodafone and other

Virgin Media O2 has overhauled its O2 refurbished phone Like New programme and is offering savings of up to £439 across a select range of refurbished phones. The network is also offering a limited-time discount of £360 on selected mobiles for all customers, as well as an additional £70 upfront saving on some phones, including

Emporia Telecom has formed a strategic retail partnership with Mobile News Awards Best Onine Customer Servce Consumer winner Fonehouse, Fonehouse will launch Emporia’s first 5G device, the £299 ME.6. The handset is aimed at users of any age, which is a change from Emporia’s usual target market of “simple pbones for old people’. The ME.6

Focus Group has continued on its takeover trail acquiring Midland Telecommunications Management Ltd, which trades as  Midland Telecom & IT. Focus this month secured £21.3 million in investment funding from Hg Capital Trust, an investor in European and transatlantic software and services. Focus was founded in 2003 by Ralph Gilbert and Chris Goodman in Brighton

 Vodafone Business has launched ‘Your Business Can’, a new brand campaign aimed at helping small and medium sized businesses source the digital tools to enhance cybersecurity. Vodafone Business reckons 46 per cent of UK SMEs felt that they could increase profits and efficiency by making better use of digital tools, whilst 40 per cent admitted that

Three UK is using former hardman footballer Vinnie Jones in a campaign with Chelsea F.C. and Samaritans to address mens’ mental health issues In an online video, Jones talks abouth is own mental health issues with Chelsea players Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Robert Sanchez and Alfie Gilchrist and encourages them to ‘talk more’. Jones said: “I

New Ofcom rules mean networks will have to send clearer roaming alerts to mobile customers from October and provide information about charges. Ofcom says the quality of information being provided to roaming customers has been inconsistent and unclear and that its research found 19 per cent of holidaymakers were unaware they could face roaming charges.

E-SIM distributor GK Telecom is enticing travelers to purchase its unlimited eSIM data plan for Europe with a physical eSIM pack they can activate without having to navigate the usual online search. “eSIM technology is new and can be complex for first-time users. Our objective is to raise awareness through the distribution of a physical

Tracy Westall, chair of Curium Solutions, Department for Transport non-executive director and former TechUK non-executive director is the new chair of digital connectivity and innovation company West Midlands. She takes over from former Giffgaff chairman and co-founder Mark Stansfeld who leaves after four years in the role. West Midlands 5G (WM5G) was the UK’s first

GK Telecom has introduced a new range of 7-day unlimited eSIM plans targeted at people attending major sporting events such as Paris Olympics 2024, expos in Dubai and Qatar and the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup USA. The seven-day plans aim to provide reliable internet in over 200 countries, helping travellers stay connected without

Fónua has completed the integration of Bluechipworld Sales and Marketing Limited (BCW) following the Fónua acquisition of Bluechipworld 18 months ago. Bluechipworld’s facilities in Cannock are now Fónua’s UK Head Office. Bluechipworld was established in 2009 to design technology, audio, and mobile accessories. It managed licensed brands such as MiTEC, iT7 Audio, SilverLabel, iCandy, Keplar,

Ruggedised handset company Bullitt Group is set to go into voluntary administration according to a report in the Telegraph. The Telegraph reported that Bullitt’s satellite connectivity business and 100 employees would be transferred to a new company owned by its creditors. A source close to the company told Mobile News that it was not surprising

Virgin Media O2 chief commercial officer Rob Orr (main pic) has taken over as chief operating officer to replace Gareth Turpin who has left the business.

Vodafone has forced Virgin Media to withdraw an ad that claimed “Get the fastest WiFi Guarantee of any major provider”. Vodafone complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that the ad, which ran in July, was misleading and could be not be substantiated. The ASA agreed and ordered Virgin Media to pull the ad and ensure

Over The Top business messaging traffic will surge to 375 billion messages by 2028, up from the 100 billion messages recorded so far 2023 according to Juniper Research. 

GlobalIT consultancy Accenture has invested £130 million in a minority stake of a joint venture with Vodafone to implement AI-driven technology in Vodafone’s Intelligent Services (VOIS).

Telecoms investment company Zegona is buying Vodafone Spain for €5 billion subject to regulatory approval. 

BT Mobile was the most complained-about mobile operator between April and June, according to Ofcom.

The Unite trade union has attacked the proposed Vodafone and Three merger saying it is a threat to national security and will cost consumers £300 a year.

EE is being relaunched as ‘New EE’ with the biggest marketing campaign since the brand’s launch in 2012. As part of a new raft of services and products, EE has partnered with Apple to launch a new TV streaming service called ‘EE TV.’ The new TV service will offer flexible TV packages accessed from an

Mobile phone repair parts and accessories provider Replace Base is now an official UK distributor of genuine Motorola parts providing DIY consumers, professional repairers and repair centres with authentic parts for repairing Motorola devices.

The rollout of 5G and a related set of communication capabilities, known as 5G New Calling (5GNC), could open up new revenue streams for mobile operators writes Henry Calvert, head of networks at the GSMA.

A Vodafone  pop-up sculpture model of London’s skyline to celebrate being named London’s Best Network by European testing company, NET CHECK is total garbage.

The Android platform is now riddled with scam apps that can hijack user’s personal data. Cybersecurity experts ESET says there has been an 88 per cent increase in the number of SpyLoan loan apps that can steal sensitive information from infected Android devices This has led to a 19 per cent overall growth in the

BT Mobile was the most complained-about mobile provider in the first three months of the year says Ofcom. Customers complained mainly about issues with changing providers and how their complaints had been handled. Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, and EE attracted the fewest number of complaints during Q1.

Worrying about whether you can afford to use a phone while away is ‘bonkers’ writes Virgin Media O2 COO Gareth Turpin A year and a half ago Virgin Media O2 proudly became the odd one out by not following the other major mobile networks in reintroducing EU roaming fees All O2 and Virgin Mobile customers

Three UK has launched of a new ad campaign with the slogan , ‘Live Your Best Phone Life. The campaign appears across TV, posters, cinema, radio, social and retail

Vodafone’s has added a new social broadband tariff to its existing social tariff portfolio. The new plan, Fibre 2 Essentials, costs £20 a month for speeds of up to 73 Mbps.

Vodafone Is using Ericsson’s new A3218 compact antenna to make planning applications easier, and improve 5G capacity, coverage and performance without increasing its antenna footprint.

Ofcom has opened an investigation into Virgin Media following complaints from customers that the company is making it difficult for them to cancel their services. Ofcom said; “Being able to switch provider easily is an important part of a competitive market. Telecoms customers can choose from a wide range of providers, services and packages, and

The famous London Olympia exhibition venue is getting 5G coverage as part of the venue’s £1.3bn regeneration. The installation is by BAI Communications (BAI), the shared infrastructure provider that brought 4G cellular coverage to London Underground. BAI is the official distributed antenna system partner for Olympia and will build the infrastructure that will enable 5G

Mobile networks and broadband ads which which do not clearly show future price rises risk having their ads banned from December under new rules by the Advertising Standards Authority Code Advertising Practise.

Emporia has done a deal with East Anglian golf club Stoke by Nayland to sell its senior-friendly smartphones to players who can use them to enter scores.

 emporia Telecom, has a signed a retail partnership with Channel Islands network operator Sure to sell its devices in Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man.

Misplaced loyalty means many consumers are willing to pay more to be on a top-tier mobile network rather than a lesser-known MVNO.

Former William Hill CEO Ulrik Bengtsson has joined Virgin Media O2 as chief operating officer. He replaces Jeff Dodds who has taken a CEO position at another company and will leave in the summer. 

BT Mobile, Virgin Mobile and O2 were the most complained-about mobile operators according to Ofcom’s latest report about telecoms and pay-TV providers A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said:“Our number one priority is serving our customers. We’re investing in every area of our business to create an excellent customer experience, with complaints down across the board

Other players might replace the operator’s role, taking ownership of the customer relationship says Lifecycle Software CEO Kelvin Chaffer

Trials start in Manchester for eligible businesses

Samsung slumps 25 per cent and iPhone 14 sales fail to ignite

Prototype is built on a Raspberry Pi chipset

The scheme is being handled through Euan Blair’s  skills training organisation

The network goes all out to get customers to pull the trigger on Samsung’s flagship range

eSIM pioneer and global MVNO sold for £1 after Russian owners were hit by sanctions

Why a great in-store mobie experience is essential

Deal is said to be one of the largest transactions ever completed in Hungary

Latest XGS-PON tech paves the way for widespread 10GB broadband speeds

43pc of customers are worried they won’t find a resolution before Christmas after encountering issues with online-only companies

Uninterrupted mobile coverage isn’t just a nice to have for hotel guests, it’s the underpinning enabler to the smooth running of digitised hotel services says Colin Abrey of Nextivity

Current group chief financial officer steps into £1m role on interim basis Vodafone Group chief executive Nick Read is being replaced at the end of December by current chief group financial officer Margherita Della Valle . She steps into the £1m job on on an interim basis until a permanent replacement for Read has been

Automatic erasure assists in “right to be forgotten” legislation

Information is provided though quiz style questions and interactive activities

The JCB Tough Tablet will be available from November

BT has collaborated with ServiceNow and Dynatrace for a better management of services, with the latter now being BT’s sole provider of full stack observability across its entire estate

Apple will ditch its Lightning charger and all iPhones produced in 2023 could be equipped with USB-C charging globally and not just in the European Union

Shell Energy, BT Mobile and Virgin Mobile among the most complained about broadband and mobile providers

The Next Wave report is the largest consumer 5G research with 49,000 consumers across 37 countries interviewed

The project was delivered by Neos in partnership with Aberdeen Council, Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian and is a result of a combined £10.5m investment

Mystery Shopper has come from India to pursue her Masters in the UK, and is looking to buy a new phone and SIM which will also allow her to make international calls. She was pleased to find out about promotional deals for the new Google Pixel 7 and then checked which provider could offer her

Unlimited data tariff among offers.

This is Onecom’s second acquisition of 2022 and the firm will take on Solution IP’s teams and customers

The partnership comes after BT recently announced it was investing almost £100 million over the next three years in its ‘Division X’ unit to accelerate the development of customer solutions 

WightFibre’s entire network is now fully optical right into the customer premise

This marks the next phase of 5G on BT’s EE mobile network which aims to deliver quality experiences and new capabilities for all customers

The company has seen recent growth with the acquisition of Relove Technology, and another part of this growth is that the new management team will take majority ownership of the business

Compare Your Repair is a price comparison site for UK mobile phone repairs 

Wireless Logic has over eight million active IoT subscriptions 

The company has doubled its workforce over the past two years and is looking to grow further

The report shows the number of complaints made to Ofcom in the first quarter of 2022 per 100,000 customers

Nearly half of Brits surveyed disagree that 5G will have a positive impact on their lives

The new office sees Three UK’s two Thames Valley offices combined in one location

The acquisition strengthens Daisy’s IT and telephony offering

High Court hears claims of collusion

Funding and experienced personnel is key to the UK thriving in the mobile game says the trade body which represents the UK’s MNOs

Over 2.3 million BT customer’s were allegedly overcharged by the telco

Meanwhile Tesco Mobile, EE and Sky Mobile among the best

The vendor’s consumer business struggled as smartphone sales declined

However Virgin Media and Shell Energy among the most-complained about providers

The partnership expands Genuine Case Company’s vendor portfolio 

The companies also completed the first 5G data call on Virgin Media O2’s commercial 5G network using the sites

His previous role was head of sales- M2M and IoT Connectivity at BT

Staffordshire distributor is 32 out of 100 top fastest-growing firms in the region

Three has offered to provide connectivity packages to all Ukrainians arriving in the UK

Three UK has removed roaming charges anywhere in the Ukraine and Cellhire will also provide satellite phones to media customers in Ukraine

The white-label approach to all alerts and emails allows reseller partners the chance to send alerts directly to the customer chain

Cellhire plans to keep providing mobile data connections for other global entertainment events in the future

Fernando has also recently been appointed Chair of the Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) Standards Committee