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.

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:

Roaming charges are back in the news this week. Not the latest round of price cuts (or, to be technically correct, lower price caps) but the European Commission's plans for the future. As well as continuing the downward pricing trend for a few more years, Neelie Kroes also wants wholesale interconnection at capped rates and the option of a separate 'roaming contract' when you travel abroad.

Mark Bridge writes:

When applications first hit the headlines, there were many stories about developers making small fortunes just from selling applications. Now there’s much more focus on promoting the app.

To understand what's changed - and to discover how developers get their apps noticed inside ever-expanding app stores - I spoke to Carsten Frien. He's CEO & co-founder of mobile advertising marketplace madvertise, a company that's based in Germany and has recently opened an office in the UK.

Mark Bridge writes:

Recycling an unwanted mobile phone makes sense. It's good for the environment and it generates cash as well.

Newer phones recycled in Western Europe are likely to be reconditioned and resold locally, while older models may be reconditioned for use in developing countries. Damaged phones are either used for spares or are broken down for the metals and minerals in their components.

But what happens when people in those developing countries need to recycle their phones?

Mark Bridge writes:

Recently Pizza Express introduced a new iPhone application that lets customers book a restaurant table and pay their bill. The app was developed by 2ergo, a UK company based in Manchester.

Last week I spoke to Colin McCaffery, Product and Technology Director at 2ergo, to find out how difficult it was to get the app and the restaurant's own technology working together.

Mark Bridge writes:

Anonymous opinions about technology are all over the web... and they're not always pleasant. PC versus Mac. Apple versus Android. WiMAX vs LTE. Even a relatively light-hearted rant can be misinterpreted. Still, if some unknown voice is trying to irritate you, you just ignore them - right?

Wrong. Not if you're Research In Motion.