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.

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.

Mark Bridge writes:

James Rosewell shows me a colourful roll of paper that's the width of an iPhone but well over three metres long. When I look closer, I can see it's a printed copy of the Wall Street Journal's mobile website. That's a lot of scrolling to do... and a pretty unfriendly user experience for anyone reading the news online. Why does it work so badly?

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:

We’re delighted to be a media partner to Apps World 2014. This year Apps World has outgrown its previous home and is moving to ExCeL London, alongside the River Thames. There’ll be over 350 exhibitors and even more workshops than before, with a number of free conference sessions alongside premium options.

Rachel Thomas of Apps World writes:

Babak Parviz, one of the minds behind Google Glass who has just left the company to be VP at Amazon, has been announced as a keynote speaker at this year’s Apps World Europe, from November 12-13 at the ExCeL, London.

This week Iain Graham, Mark Bridge and James Rosewell cover a wide range of industry headlines in The Fonecast, from dealer clawback and dodgy ads to irresponsible text messaging and internet search. There’s even time for a quick preview of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone.

Iain Graham, Mark Bridge and James Rosewell discuss the latest mobile industry news in this week's edition of The Fonecast. There's also a feature about the new Nokia 'Comes With Music' service and a preview of the 8-megapixel LG KC910 camera phone.

In The Fonecast this week, host Iain Graham is joined by the usual team of Mark Bridge and James Rosewell for a look at the latest industry news. Iain talks to James Tagg, CEO of Truphone, about the mobile VoIP company’s plans for the future – plus there’s also time for a preview of the new Nokia N79.

Iain Graham, Mark Bridge and James Rosewell from the The Fonecast discuss the week's mobile industry headlines. They also look at the developments in Mobile VoIP and review the 5-megapixel LG KC550.

Iain Graham, Mark Bridge and James Rosewell celebrate the hundredth edition of The Fonecast this week. There's also an interview with James Browning from 20:20 Logistics, a review of the Samsung i8510 and a look at the week's industry headlines.