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T-Mobile and Orange 50:50 joint venture finalised
Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom sign on the dotted line 6 November 2009 12:28 GMT
The deal that will see Orange and T-Mobile merged in the UK to form the biggest mobile phone operator has been finalised.

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have now signed the final agreement to combine their respective UK operations into a 50:50 joint venture...
Washington subway users to get mobile coverage
Sprint service in 20 busiest stations 16 October 2009 17:39 GMT
The 20 busiest underground stations in the Washington, DC Metro system is to get mobile phone coverage from Sprint Nextel.

Customers with this carrier will be able to use their mobiles underground in stations as an attempt to "improve the workday commute for...
Phones4U and HMV to offer the iPhone
Carphone Warehouse loses high street exclusive 13 October 2009 16:48 GMT
Following the news that O2 has lost its operator exclusive on the iPhone, Carphone Warehouse has suffered a similar fate with its retail exclusive.

Phones4U has announced that it will be selling the Apple iPhone range from both Orange and O2 in shops and online...
VIDEO: Orange multimedia store opens in Milton Keynes
Encourages "engagement", apparently 6 October 2009 13:40 GMT
Orange has opened its first ever "multimedia store" in the UK claiming to deliver a "completely new dimension of multimedia services to the community in the area".

Described as a "digital playground", the store features a 70-inch screen and seating, live handsets...
56% of Brits experience mobile coverage issues
Report reveals reception not-spots stats 6 October 2009 9:25 GMT
It seems the UK's mobile phone network needs almost as much work as our broadband infrastructure. A report published today by the Communications Consumer Panel, a body that Ofcom consults, shows that the majority of people experience problems with coverage.

Over...
Nokia working on wireless charging solutions
Joins Wireless Power Consortium 2 October 2009 16:26 GMT
It seems Nokia is looking at new wireless charging technologies as it's been announced the phone manufacturer has joined the Wireless Power Consortium.

Members already include Duracell, Olympus, Philips, Samsung and Sanyo who have signed up to the Consortium's...
3 Free Agent programme goes live
Get paid to sign up mates 28 September 2009 13:35 GMT
3 has announced it will be offering consumers the chance to earn cash by promoting free Pay As You Go SIMs to their friends and family using social networks.

The "3 Free Agent" programme is said to be the first scheme of this kind available in the UK.
Huawei promises 56Mbps HSPA+ mobile broadband in 2010
Operators with Huawei base stations can upgrade with an update 23 September 2009 15:03 GMT
Huawei, a Chinese company that as far as consumers go, produces 3G modems, USB modems and as of late, an Android handset, has announced plans to launch a 56Mbps HSPA+ commercial solution in 2010.

The new solution will mean operators can offer download speeds...
Warner deal sees Vodafone 100% DRM-free from major labels
While "value-added, multimedia album bundles" talked up 21 September 2009 15:25 GMT
Vodafone has announced a new deal with Warner Music - the last of the big four record companies it is to cosy up with - for DRM-free music.

That Warner has now signed on the line means that Vodafone is apparently "the first global mobile network operator to...
VIDEO: Android 1.6 SDK announced
Support for GSM, CDMA and different screen sizes and resolutions 16 September 2009 12:13 GMT
The Android developer team has announced the release of the Android 1.6 SDK, with the biggest news from the release support for GSM, CDMA and additional screen sizes.

This means the OS and Android apps will be able to be deployed on more devices than ever,...
Sony Ericsson promises
The way you listen to music is going to change forever. Apparently 15 September 2009 14:12 GMT
Sony Ericsson is the latest company mercilessly teasing press and consumers with a product launch, as a new teaser page has gone live over at putyourearsincontrol.com.

"Come back here on the 21st of September to see how the way you listen to music changes forever",...
O2 offers PAYG customers unlimited texts and mobile web access
If they spend £15 a month 15 September 2009 10:05 GMT
O2 has announced it has reduced the minimum spend for a "Pay & Go" tariff that is says is "designed to give Pay & Go customers unlimited peace of mind when surfing and texting".

The "Text & Web" tariff, usually for those who top-up £30 a month, is now available...
Vodafone cheap roaming offer ending soon
Book a last-minute deal of some sort, quick! 21 August 2009 13:00 GMT
Vodafone has announced that its summer cheap roaming deal is coming to an end, and that you've only got two more weekends to take advantage before the promotion finishes on 31 August.

The network says that over 2.5 million Vodafone Passport customers have taken...
Orange to offer Welsh language Samsung S5600
Cymraeg mobile announced 4 August 2009 12:23 GMT
Orange has announced it is to make "mobile history" with the introduction of the world's first Welsh language handset.

In partnership with Samsung (which offered an Irish language phone in 2008), the S5600 will be available exclusively on Orange from 1 September...
Orange "upgrades" small to medium business plans
Unlimited call offers 3 August 2009 17:41 GMT
Orange has announced updates to its small and medium business plans claiming extra cost savings as well as unlimited calls to nominated numbers.

Available on Orange Business Sense, Business Solo and Business SIM Only tariffs, Orange says the deals are inspired...
Vodafone offers a "Bonus Bank" for PAYG customers
Register now for 10% back for every top-up 3 August 2009 11:19 GMT
Vodafone has announced its pay as you go customers will be rewarded for their loyalty with a new scheme called Vodafone "Bonus Bank".

Every time a customer tops up, Vodafone promises to "give 10% back". For example, for every £10 top up, the mobile operator...
VIDEO: Nokia pushes "unlocked" phones to US consumers
New promo vid extols virtues of getting your handset direct 31 July 2009 17:19 GMT
Nokia has released a curious promo infomercial aimed at American consumers extolling the virtues of unlocked handsets, complete with practical, how-to advice on swapping out SIM cards.

"Nokia offers unlocked phones to help you unlock possibilities", the world's...
Virgin Media offers "ultimate" flat rate monthly mobile tariff
Follows Tesco into murky "unlimited" waters 30 July 2009 10:07 GMT
Following news this week that Tesco Mobile is offering what was then the UK's first "unlimited" mobile tariff, fellow MVNO Virgin Media has now announced it is to offer the "ultimate 'unlimited' tariff".

Virgin Media is offering unlimited text, talk and internet...
Tesco Mobile offers "unlimited" £30 per month tariff
Talk and text as much as you want 29 July 2009 11:30 GMT
Tesco Mobile has unveiled a brand new "credit crunch-beating 'Unlimited' tariff", that it says allows people to talk and text as much as they want "without worrying about their monthly phone bills".

The SIM-only, pay-monthly deal, gives people unlimited minutes,...
Orange launches "Monkey" package with "free music"
Access to 16 playlists from Universal Music's catalogue 29 July 2009 10:46 GMT
Orange has unveiled "Monkey", describing it as the first pay as you go package for the UK market that offers free music to customers when they top up their mobile.

Slightly convoluted - and with limited content - the scheme, that will arguably not be so attractive...
O2 admits to roaming issues
More problems for O2 customers 24 July 2009 17:25 GMT
At the end of a bad week for O2, the Telefonica-owned operator has had to admit to more problems its customers are currently facing.

It appears that O2 customers abroad at the moment are experiencing a loss of service. In a statement O2 says:

"We...
O2 announces "Fixed Number Anywhere"
Landline numbers direct to mobile phones 23 July 2009 9:17 GMT
O2 has announced the launch of "Fixed Number Anywhere", a new service that provides small businesses with a landline number that rings straight through to a mobile phone.

Apparently the first service of its kind to be offered in the UK by a major mobile operator,...
O2 data services crash in UK
Smartphone users find themselves without internet or email 21 July 2009 18:59 GMT
O2's data network in the UK has crashed leaving thousands of pay-monthly customers unable to send or receive emails or surf the Web.

The crash, which affects all phones not just data heavy dependent devices like the iPhone, has meant the latest state of the...
Symbian Foundation launches Horizon apps scheme
"We'll make your application famous" 17 July 2009 12:18 GMT
The Symbian Foundation has announced it is to plunge into the world of mobile phone app schemes with the launch of "Symbian Horizon", something that may finally realise its huge installed customer base and take some of the currently popular app focus away from Apple and...
AmazonWireless goes live
Online giant takes bigger step into mobile phone retail market 10 July 2009 11:14 GMT
Amazon has made a major move into the mobile phone retail market in the States with the launch of AmazonWireless.

Currently in beta, the new website offers "cell phones" and service plans, promising American consumers an easier, free-shipping shopping experience...