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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

Last week at The Fonecast: 23rd September 2013

Black days for BlackBerry

Mark Bridge writes:

There are bad weeks... and there are BAD weeks. Blackberry had one of the latter. It all started so well. The company announced a new flagship phablet – the Z30 – and said it would be launching its BBM instant messaging service for iOS and Android handsets at the weekend.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 16th September 2013

iPhone, iPhone, so good they made it twice

Mark Bridge writes:

iPhone, iPhone. Two of ‘em, one dearer than the other but neither especially cheap. One with a 64-bit look-at-me-I’m-fast processor, the other much like an iPhone 5 with a coloured rear panel.

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EC's Neelie Kroes says ‘we must act now’ to change European telecoms rules

Mark Bridge writes:

Following Wednesday’s ‘State of the Union’ speech by EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, EC Vice-President Neelie Kroes has emphasised the urgency of changing the way telecoms companies operate across Europe.

Ms Kroes wants to cut red tape, end roaming charges, reduce call costs and introduce ‘net neutrality’ across Europe.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 2nd September 2013

Breaking up is profitable to do

Mark Bridge writes:

So – we take a short break at the end of the August ‘silly season’ and one of the year’s biggest mobile-related rumours becomes fact. At least we’re back in time to report on the final stages of the Vodafone/Verizon deal. Yes, it looks as though Big Red will be picking up something like $130 billion for its 45% stake in Verizon Communications… possibly within the next few hours. Just don’t mention the tax, okay?

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GSMA not cowed after EC compares mobile calls with milk

Mark Bridge writes:

In this week’s podcast we talked about a recent European study into call costs that had been highlighted by European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes.

We agreed the headline was shocking - but also said there were potentially many other tariff factors that weren’t being compared.

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Monday, July 14, 2014

Vodafone announces budget own-brand 4G smartphones

Vodafone has announced two new own-brand 4G smartphones: the Vodafone Smart 4 power and Vodafone Smart 4 turbo. They join other non-4G devices in the company’s ‘Smart’ range.

Both new phones run Android v4.4 (‘KitKat’) and are equipped with a set-up wizard as well as a selection of Vodafone apps. In addition, they’re supplied with NFC tags that can be programmed to activate features on the phones.

The Vodafone Smart 4 power is the flagship device, with a 5-inch qHD screen, a 5 megapixel camera and a MediaTek 1.3GHz quad-core processor. It’ll be available on ‘pay monthly’ and pre-pay deals (despite Vodafone's current lack of 4G pre-pay price plans in the UK), with pre-pay pricing from €169 (around £135) depending on markets.

Described as “the most affordable 4G smartphone in the Vodafone range”, the Vodafone Smart 4 turbo is priced from €99 (around £79). It has a 4.5-inch screen and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor.

Patrick Chomet, Vodafone group terminals director, said “The new Vodafone smartphones are ideal for anyone looking for the best 4G experience at a budget price. Put the Vodafone Smart power or turbo together with our Vodafone 4G plans and you have the perfect package: ultra-fast 4G networks, generous data, call and text allowances, and great support.”

Although availability in the UK hasn’t been confirmed, both handsets are expected to be available across Vodafone markets within the next few weeks.

Earlier this year, EE introduced an own-brand £99.99 smartphone called the Kestrel, which was described at the time as the UK’s lowest priced 4G smartphone.

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