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.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] 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.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] 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.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] 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.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] 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.
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.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] By incorporating advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, AI can help to optimize a smartphone's performance, providing users with a faster, more efficient and user-friendly experience.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Mark Bridge writes:I've been taking a look back at the devices I've written about during the past few years. Some are still faithful companions, others... well, let's just say my faith was misplaced.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Mark Windle, head of marketing at OpenCloud, predicts that this year’s reduction in the number of traditional telecoms operators in some countries will provide an opportunity for other operators to innovate and capture market share in 2016. He says next year will be a year of rapid change for telecoms… whether it’s MVNO disruption, competitive tariff pricing or simply defence from the ‘dark art’ of hacking.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Mark Bridge writes: The most memorable moments in life often go unrecorded. You don't have your camera in your hands. Your finger is still hovering over the 'pause' button on your audio recorder. Or you were simply too busy experiencing whatever was happening. It's all about the one that got away. That's where Kapture can help.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Iain, James and Mark take a look back at the mobile industry's high points and low spots from 2011. Apple, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung and RIM all come under the spotlight, along with legal action, mobile payments and tablet sales.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Iain, James and Mark look at all the top mobile industry headlines from the past couple of weeks... covering everything from BlackBerry results to tweeting in court. They'll be back on Friday with a review of 2011.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Iain, James and Mark do their best to predict what'll be happening in the mobile industry next year - and also take a look at how accurate their 2011 predictions were. Expect some surprises... and a few excuses, too!
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] We've brought together a handful of experts and business leaders to discover what they think will happen in the mobile telecom industry next year. Listen to predictions for 2012 from Hans Eriksson, Steve Litchfield, Mark Smith, Windsor Holden and Jack Wraith.
[EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Image] [EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image] Exclusive[EasyDNNnews:Title] [EasyDNNnews:Categories separator=" " last] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Image:Width:20:Height:20:Resize:Crop] [EasyDNNnews:Author:Link] - [EasyDNNnews:IfExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:EventDate][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event][EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Event][EasyDNNnews:FormatedDate:MMMM d, yyyy][EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] Iain, James and Mark discuss the week's mobile industry headlines... starting with HP and webOS, then mentioning Samsung, Panasonic, Ofcom, Jawbone, Everything Everywhere, RIM and Google, before ending with a new retail scheme from O2.