Mergers and acquisitions have become hot stuff in the mobile phone world at the moment and with T-Mobile and Orange now merged, it is understood that another significant partnership in the UK mobile phone markets could be underway, with 3 Mobile as a possible target.

This comes after the merger of T-Mobile and Orange meant that they collectively have the market share of the most mobile phone users in the UK. The crown was previously held by Vodafone who remain holding just over a quarter of the market in total; O2 are slightly behind by a little bit, too.

Even though the merger of T-Mobile and Orange is brilliant news for UK consumers according to experts, it is feared that the aftermath of the merger could result in dire consequences for Vodafone who may have lost the strong footing that they once had in the mobile phone market.

After Orange successfully merged T-Mobile, it seems that Vodafone and O2 have been left …continue reading →

The UK network O2 is set to be the exclusive vendor of the Palm Pre when it hits UK shelves sometime later this year (hopefully before the Christmas rush to benefit from sales), but what many of us are waiting to find out is whether O2 will have exclusive rights to the Palm Pixi as well.

Due to launch at Christmas in the US, it could be said that the Pixi gracing the UK with its presence could be set back to at least midway of next year. This comes after an O2 spokesperson was quoted as saying that Palm hadn’t confirmed any details of the Pixi coming to Europe, let alone O2 handling sales of the device.

The spokesperson added: “As our strategy is to have a broad range of products for our customers we would certainly be interested in ranging handsets such as the Palm Pixi but have nothing to announce at this time.” …continue reading →

There are a variety of phones that are expected to hit the retail market in the coming month. One of them is the INQ Mini 3G, which is set to be released in October on the 3 network.

It is understood that the phone is distinctive because of its functionality, despite the phone being relatively small in size. The INQ Mini has been styled as ‘the Twitter phone’ because of its ability to handle Twitter, Facebook and other social-networking services.

One of the most notable facilities on the phone is Skype, which 3 users can enjoy integrated into their phones. Messaging is also high on the list of the INQ Mini’s priorities.

Despite the phone sounding a rather nerdy choice, there are many things that INQ are trying to do in order for the phone to appeal to those who are image-conscious. With a detachable red plate towards the back of the phone, it is hoped those who like to be ‘in’ with the latest colours will consider buying other plates that are available in an array of seven colours. …continue reading →

Whether you’re moving away from home, attending university, taking on a travel heavy job, or simply looking for a more affordable way to keep in touch with your spouse and kids on a day to day basis, T-Mobile users still have the means to call, text, and exchange photos with family and loved ones without hurting their budgets.

With the release of T-Mobile’s new Family Booster plan, keeping in touch is no longer a hassle. Essentially, you can allow up to four other friends or family members to call or text you and each other as much as they like, all at absolutely no cost to them.

All you need to do is assign one member of your group to pay an additional five dollar fee on top of their usual bill. It doesn’t matter what kind of T-mobile plan you or your group members have—even pay-per-minute plans apply. However, the only requirement is that the person organizing the group must be on the Combi, Flext or Solo plans for it to work.

“We’ve brought out a number of family related price plans to give our customers more value.” said Steve Mitchell, head of the pay monthly at T-Mobile. “ … So, whether it’s your daughter ringing for a lift after school …continue reading →

Both Orange and T-Mobile are still negotiating red tape to see whether or not they can get the merger that they want – however, if it does go ahead, it would almost certainly mean that the new mobile network which would form would be bigger than any other network in the UK and it would outstrip Vodafone and O2 of their titles as the mobile network market leaders in this country.

Even though it has been confirmed that the bids made have been accepted and that Orange and T-Mobile have agreed to working with each other, confirmation of the deal going ahead for definite are still a long way off – this is because of the issue of competition. In the UK, we have an association which is known as the Competition Commission that ensures that all consumers have enough choice in the retail market, regardless of where they shop or what they are shopping for.

T-Mobile and Orange’s aim is to ensure that all customers receive better coverage and streamlined customer services. In addition, it is hoped that the future could see other elements of the Orange portfolio, like Orange broadband, be reviewed and re-branded to coincide with the new network. …continue reading →