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.

Here’s an edited transcript of our new monthly podcast, broadcast on 30th January 2015.

[Iain Graham]: Hello, it's Friday 30th January 2015. Welcome to this month's edition of The Fonecast. That’s right, you heard correctly: we’ve temporarily moved to a monthly format. If you’d like to join 51Degrees in sponsoring the podcast and returning us to weekly programmes, please get in touch via our website. Now, on with the show.

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.

VOA News writes:

New market research has many technology experts thinking the era of the personal computer (PC) is coming to an end as consumers worldwide begin to embrace tablet computers and smartphones.

This week we discuss the UK government's forthcoming mobile spectrum auction, BlackBerry problems in the Gulf states, universal mobile chargers, the new Amazon Kindle ebook reader and the 'religion' of Apple. There's also an interview with Milly Allen, who's planning to broadcast her London talent shows via mobile phone.

In a special extended interview, Ross Catley speaks to Mark and James about smart metering in the UK. He explains the basics of 'smart meters', talks about the benefits for consumers and discusses the ways this technology will affect the mobile phone industry.

Iain, James and Mark take their regular look at the week's mobile industry headlines - from quarterly results to texting sharks - and also talk to Ross Catley about the problems and opportunities with smart metering.

Apple's "antennagate" press conference, Microsoft lets developers see Windows Phone 7, Motorola sells much of its network infrastructure business, Vodafone goes open source with sat-nav software, the Spanish go mad for SMS when they win the World Cup... and much more!

The week's mobile industry headlines - from mergers and partnerships to legal action and departures - plus a review of the BeeWi solar handsfree car kit.