Mark Bridge writes:

The public telephone box is disappearing as mobile phone coverage improves. In 2002, there were 92,000 BT phone boxes in the UK. Today, there are a total of 51,500 payphones… including 11,000 traditional red boxes. In order to preserve the appearance of rural life - if not the landline connection - BT has been asking parish councils across the UK if they'd like to adopt their local kiosk. Just £1 lets a community keep its red BT phone box (with the payphone taken out)… and 1,500 have been adopted so far.

Vodafone UK has published a statement in response to what it describes as employee 'bribery' allegations.

It reads "Vodafone UK launched a thorough investigation at the time of the original allegations against journalists in 2006 and did not find that any employees were involved in any wrongdoing."

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.

Research from Burnside Telecom has found that just over half of UK consumers (52%) would happily ditch their landline and go completely mobile, with 47% unwilling to give up their fixed-line phones.

The majority of people who wanted to keep their landlines were aged 65 and above; 73% of people wanting to keep fixed-line phones were in this age group.

Talking too loudly on a mobile phone in a public place is the worst breach of mobile manners, according to new research from Intel. 67% of respondents said this annoyed them more quickly than any other mobile faux pas.

33% of Brits have suffered from their 'date' using a mobile phone at an inappropriate time, with 11% of respondents making similar complaints about using mobiles in the bedroom.