Mobile news: snippets from the weekend press.

[mobaholic]

Weekend Papers 08.06.2009

Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse partnership imminent

Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse are set to broker an agreement after a three year split, putting the network back into the retailer’s stores.

The Times has learned that Carphone Warehouse’s chief, Charles Dunstone, and Vodafone are in the final stages of talks that will see the network returned to the retailer’s stores.

Vodafone split from the retailer three years ago, switching to an exclusive partnership with Phones 4u, which committed to signing up 30,000 customers per month.

Financial Times, Times, Telegraph

Carphone Warehouse demerger set for 2010

Carphone Warehouse has set the date for the demerging of its telecoms and retail business for March 2010.

The retailer revealed the news as it filed its full year figures.  The split would mean Carphone’s TalkTalk broadband business would be separated from the retail business.

The Tiscali deal, agreed last month, will make Carphone Warehouse Britain’s biggest provider of residential broadband, giving it an additional 1.8 million subscribers and taking its market share to 26%.  This is ahead of both BT and Virgin Media, which have 24% each.

Source:-   MobileToday

[mobaholic]

Weekend papers: 15.06.09

Sunday Times

T-Mobile uses VAT loophole to avoid price caps

T-Mobile will use a VAT loophole to evade price caps imposed by the European Union, according to reports by the Sunday Times.

Mobile  reported earlier this month that the operator will raise the cost of calls made abroad by 6p, to 44p per minute from next month.

The hike in prices comes at a time when EU legislation has been introduced to control the price of text messages and voice calls.

Voice calls have been limited to 38p per minute excluding VAT and T-Mobile has taken advantage of the loophole.

Analysts have speculated that T-Mobile, the only operator to make the move, is trying to recoup lost revenue from the lowering of text message costs. 

The Mirror

LG announces app store

LG has become the latest phone manufacturer to announce it is opening an app store, according to reports in the Mirror.

The announcement of the service was made by Ahn Seung-kwon,  president and CEO of LG’s mobile division in South Korea.

The store will open in July, however; Seung-kwon did not mention any plans for when the store might be available in the UK.

The store is thought to be an attempt to rival iPhone’s app store and comes after the recent announcement of Sony Ericsson opening a similar service. 

Guardian

Former Phones 4u owner makes bid for van firm

The Observer has reported that former Phones 4u owner John Cauldwell is looking into saving the floundering van making firm, LDV.

Cauldwell spoke to the Guardian and played down suggestions that he was interested in investing in the company, although he had requested some financial information from administrators PriceWaterHouse Coopers.

Source:-   MobileToday.

[andy]

If the exchange rate changes enough, T-mobile will probably have to cut their prices again. 

3 increased their roaming costs recently, then abolished Like Home, but are still promoting the line that they want roaming to become more competitive

These seem fairly daft actions when O2 and Vodafone have cheaper roaming options

[Mikael]

It makes you wonder what planet T-Mobile is on. A company truely run by accountants it would seem. None of them have obviously seen the roaming deal offered by Vodafone.