UK telecoms regulator Ofcom wants to ban inflation-related rises in phone and broadband contracts. Instead, it says any potential mid-contract price rises should be set out in pounds and pence.

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.

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.

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.

Consumer protection organisation Which? has been given permission by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal to represent Apple and Samsung smartphone buyers in a legal case against chip manufacturer Qualcomm.

James Rosewell writes:

I noticed a new phenomenon at Mobile World Congress this year: Beer O’Clock. Come 5pm Monday through Wednesday, companies with larger booths would break out the Cerveza, Vino, Cava and a small number of Orange juices. All very sociable and fun… until the music started.

MEF, the global trade association for companies engaged in mobile content and commerce, has revealed its mobile industry predictions for the next 12 months.

Its forecast combines insights from the group’s Global Board of Directors with research from the recent Global Mobile Consumer Survey.

Mark Bridge writes:

Ring-back tones offer consumers yet another way to customise their mobile phone service. Yet despite this – and the revenue opportunities they provide – many mobile network operators don’t offer them.

Recently I spoke to Florent Stroppa, General Manager Europe for value-added service specialist OnMobile, to find out why the UK doesn’t really seem to be bothered about ring-back tones… and whether the next-generation of ring-back services will change this.

Mark Bridge writes:

Last year, the Google I/O developer conference gave us plenty of product announcements: Google Glass, the Nexus 7 tablet, the Nexus Q device and the Jelly Bean version of Android. This year’s announcements were less dramatic: a streaming music service, a Google-friendlier Galaxy S4 and some game development tools. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) Apple announced its 50 billionth app download in the middle of the event.

Mark Bridge writes:

The past few days have seen the arrival of two familiar seasons. Not only has the sun peeked its head from behind the clouds in an approximation of Spring but the mobile industry has been releasing its quarterly results.

This week in a double length episode the team provide top tips for 2007, review the W950i and Motorokr 6 plus take a look at the latest news as well as reviewing mobile software Zuma and Flurry.

This week the guys review a smart new phone from Emblaze, take a look at Nokias new offerings, provide advice on Christmas mobile related presents and review GP Bikes 3D and Mobiola WebCam software.

This week the team ask "What's happening at 3?", review the Samsung Z560 and the T-Mobile Sidekick 3. Plus take a look at Opera Mini v2, Sherlock Holmes game and comment on the latest news stories.

This week along side the usual news on the mobile industry the team look at the X-Series from 3, the new chocolate phone from LG, debate the future of mobile advertising and look at an address book backup service from ZYB.com and have a bit of fun with Diner Dash.

This week the team debate the launch date and iPod functionality of Apples forthcoming iPhone, review the Sony Ericsson Z558i with touch screen, take a look at the credit card sized P310 from Samsung and some new software that transfers DVDs to your mobile in 2 clicks, plus South Park has come to the mobile in the form of an interactive game.