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Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

Ofcom helps protect customers against unexpected roaming charges

UK service providers must notify customers when they connect to a different network

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.
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Global smartphone market is set for recovery, says new forecast

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.
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Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

Vodafone and Three plan to merge their UK businesses

New Hutchison/Vodafone network would be biggest UK operator

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.
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UK mobile payment service Paym to close in March 2023

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.
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Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Qualcomm legal action moves forward in the UK

Which? seeks payout for Samsung and Apple smartphone owners

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.
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Opinion Articles

Friday, January 24, 2014

Review: CAT Active Urban rugged phone case for iPhone 5 and 5s

Natasha Cooper writes:

As someone who has been through more iPhone screens than I’d like to remember, when I recently upgraded to an iPhone 5s I was keen to keep it in one piece - for a few months at least. Cue the new CAT Active Urban Phone Case, which claims to protect your phones from falls of up to 1.8 meters using a reinforced material that can also be found in protective equipment for motor bike riders.

That last sentence doesn’t conjure up an image of a very attractive or discreet looking cover but you’d be surprised; it is much slimmer than expected and it doesn’t make the phone feel bulky to hold.

I’d say the design is undoubtedly aimed more at the male market but, although rugged looking, it is attractive enough in black and silver. I always feel it is a shame when covers completely disguise a good-looking smartphone but if you are looking for heavy-duty protection then I think it is to be expected.

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As a professional caterer I use my phone a lot in the kitchen for looking up recipes and taking photos. I was pleased that the cover wipes down easily and the volume buttons are still as functional as when the phone is case-free (which they aren’t always with other cases!).

Although I haven't had any ‘major’ phone dropping incidents in the month since I have had the case, it has endured the day-to-day routine of being in a busy kitchen and suffering the occasional tumble. My iPhone 5s (hidden in its new manly disguise) looks as good as the day I bought it, which means this case gets the thumbs up from me.

I should add that the case has attracted a number of admirers. I’ve had several people ask what it’s like and where you can buy it. There’s not much else to say about a case other than its design and its effectiveness, but I’d say this one is worth buying at the current price - I’ve seen it at £19.95 on Amazon and am sure my local phone shop would offer a similar deal. It feels good, looks good and protects the phone very well from general daily use.

Natasha Cooper is co-founder of Coopers Kitchen, a catering service that provides high quality home-cooked food to South East London and Sussex. The CAT Active Urban case was provided to The Fonecast by Bullitt Mobile.
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Recent Podcasts

From CES to customer service, we talk about all the latest mobile tech news

Podcast - 8th January 2014

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return with their first mobile industry podcast of 2014.

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We make our mobile industry predictions for 2014 and review our end-of-year forecasts from 2013

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Bill shock, cheaper roaming, court injunctions, satellites, shopping and loads more mobile industry news

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We interview James Atkins of UK-based smartphone manufacturer Kazam

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In today's programme we're talking to James Atkins, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of smartphone manufacturer Kazam.

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