ExclusiveConnecting London Car Telephones to TheFonecast.com Opinion The Fonecast - June 4, 2026 It was 1996 when I started working at the Cricklewood head office of Peoples Phone [writes Mark Bridge], initially in a sales support role before becoming part of the Marketing team. The company was an independent mobile phone retailer with a growing network of high-street shops and connected customers. In November 1996 the company and its customer base were acquired by Vodafone, which had already taken over the Talkland retail business and was soon to add Astec to its portfolio.
ExclusiveOfcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges News Mark - November 3, 2024 New rules from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will protect customers when they use their mobile phone on a foreign network. In addition, customers will be alerted if they are inadvertently roaming, perhaps because they're near an international border.
ExclusiveGlobal smartphone market is set for recovery, says new forecast News Mark - November 23, 2023 A new forecast from research specialists Canalys shows the smartphone market is set to recover next year. Worldwide shipments declined by 12% last year but that decline is expected to slow to 5% this year.
ExclusiveVodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses Networks and operators Mark - June 20, 2023 Vodafone Group plc and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited have agreed to combine their UK telecommunication businesses, respectively Vodafone UK and Three UK. The merger will create a large new network operator to compete with Virgin Media O2 and EE.
ExclusiveUK mobile payment service Paym to close in March 2023 News Mark - December 18, 2022 UK mobile payment service Paym will close on 7th March 2023. The service, which allowed users to make and receive payments using their mobile phone numbers, was launched in 2014.
ExclusiveGoogle Glass pioneer Babak Parviz confirmed to speak at Apps World in London Opinion Mark - July 26, 2014 Rachel Thomas of Apps World writes: Babak Parviz, one of the minds behind Google Glass who has just left the company to be VP at Amazon, has been announced as a keynote speaker at this year’s Apps World Europe, from November 12-13 at the ExCeL, London.
ExclusiveMonitoring road quality with a standard smartphone and the Roadroid app Opinion Mark - July 25, 2014 Mark Bridge writes: In the past five years, what started as an advertising message - “there’s an app for that” - has become a challenge to developers. It’s become part of 21st century culture. And it’s become an totem for journalists to pin their most outrageous app-based stories to. Roadroid doesn’t need the attention-grabbing headlines.
ExclusiveProduct review: Nomad ChargeCard and Nomad ChargeKey Opinion Mark - June 13, 2014 Mark Bridge writes: What would you say to a tiny little device that enabled you to recharge your smartphone almost anywhere, whenever you wanted? This is pretty much what a US-based company called Nomad is promising. In fact, they sent me two of their latest products to try.
ExclusiveBig announcements from Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and LG Opinion Mark - June 10, 2014 Mark Bridge writes: Every week we produce a half-hour podcast that covers all the biggest news headlines for the UK mobile phone industry. Thanks to a special offer from Scribie.com, we can also offer a transcription of last week’s programme.
ExclusiveLast week at The Fonecast: 9th June 2014 Opinion Mark - June 9, 2014 Mark Bridge writes: Apple kicked off its 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last week with an announcement about the forthcoming iOS 8 operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. There was some catching up, some innovation and a couple of new services designed to work with home automation and health/fitness devices. What’s Tim Cook’s plan? We’ll have to wait and see.