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.
ExclusiveHow to mess up a customer relationship with SMS marketing Opinion Mark - November 1, 2010 Mark Bridge writes: Do you want to know how to foul up your customer relationships? How to use mobile marketing to reduce customer loyalty? Then gather around, dearly beloved, for I have a case study you're sure to appreciate.
ExclusiveHotel phone charges demonstrate the value of packing your mobile Opinion Mark - October 31, 2010 Mark Bridge writes: I like hotels. Free biscuits in your room and all the portions of UHT milk you can drink. But the phone calls... that's a different story. Dearie me, you're paying for that hospitality tray when you pick up the phone.
ExclusiveCharlie Chaplin, a mobile phone and a time-travel mystery Opinion Mark - October 29, 2010 Mark Bridge writes: A Charlie Chaplin DVD includes an image of a woman using a mobile phone in 1928. That’s the suggestion surrounding a YouTube clip that’s currently received more than 2½ million hits since it was posted online last week.
ExclusiveWhy the Sat-Nav Application Model is Broken Opinion Mark - October 26, 2010 James Rosewell writes: Most Sat-Nav applications are now obtained via the Application Store used on the mobile phone. Navigon have gone so far as to remove access to their application via any other route. Application Stores are now the only choice. This move to a platform-specific sales model is a massive mistake.
ExclusiveCome on, Steve Jobs – why don't you attack a few more mobile companies? Opinion Mark - October 20, 2010 Mark Bridge writes: Mark Zuckerberg's girlfriend breaks up with him acrimoniously. So off he goes and creates Facebook. Yes, there's nothing like an insult to fire up the creativity. Well, that's certainly what the plot of The Social Network would like you to think. And, you know, it's got a point. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that sticking two fingers up at the opposition seems to be the new way of doing business.