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Dixons Carphone just made a deal that should avert a Phones4U-style disaster

Although there were a multitude of reasons behind Phones4U's demise, one of the key factors was the overwhelming lack of support from the UK's major carriers. Three and O2 severed ties with the company way in advance of its closure, but it was a shake of the head from both Vodafone and EE that dealt the final blow. For a short time, it looked as if the mobile reseller model could be under threat, spelling trouble for Phones4U rival Carphone Warehouse, a retailer that had just been picked up by Dixons Retail for £3.8 billion.

Turns out that the company had nothing to be worried about. O2 pledged its support and Vodafone's reason for ditching Phones4U was so that it could sign an exclusive deal with Dixons Carphone. That left EE, which has today joined the competition in securing a new multi-year partnership with the retailer. That means you'll be still able to pick up a contract on any of the UK's biggest three carriers in a Carphone Warehouse or selected Currys or PC World store, if that's what works for you.