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Don't like your mobile carrier? Ofcom wants to help you switch
When your contract is up and you're toying with switching to another carrier, the hassle of porting over your number might stop you from actually following through. UK communications regulator Ofcom realises that, so today it's outlining plans to improve mobile switching by putting the onus back on the carrier. As part of its consultation, the watchdog is taking feedback on whether it should force operators to scrap PAC codes and remove the need for consumers to initiate the switch, exactly like it's now doing with broadband contracts.
Oaxis' health devices track your water, weight and workouts
You may not have heard of Oaxis, but it's determined to get on your radar if you're a health maven. The young firm is crowdfunding a Wellness Suite that includes not just the obligatory fitness bands (the O2 and Ji Cheng), but also a smart water bottle (the Vita) and a scale (the Glo). To us, the highlights are the non-wearables. The Vita helps track your hydration levels, and will tell you whether or not your water is both chilly and safe to drink. The Glo, meanwhile, keeps tabs on everything from your total weight to subtle factors like your body fat index and metabolic rate. Ironically, the bands are the most humdrum items here -- the Ji Cheng is a "fashion" band that measures daily activity, while the O2 is built for exercise with real-time heart rate updates.
Anywhere SIM uses different networks to dodge UK not-spots
One company is promising to end Britain's so-called "not-spot" problem with a special SIM card that automatically switches between carriers. The "Anywhere SIM" will alternate between Vodafone, O2 and EE's mobile networks for the best signal, and it'll also offer a single flat rate for roaming across Europe. The UK's major networks are opposed to such a system, but the startup seems to have side-stepped the problem by working with a company based outside the UK. According to the BBC, this firm already has roaming agreements with British carriers -- so it'll be like using a foreign SIM in the UK.
EE's 10 million 4G customers are great news for BT
EE was the first mobile network to offer 4G in the UK, and now, more than two and a half years later, it's still easily the most popular. The company has accumulated 10 million 4G customers, beating the numbers last reported by Three, O2 and Vodafone. It's a huge lead and one that will please BT, which is in the midst of buying EE's business. BT wants to strengthen its quad play offering and EE, provided the deal goes through, will give it a substantial network and subscriber base to work with. The company already offers mobile contracts -- using EE's network, unsurprisingly -- and Sky has confirmed it'll launch an O2-powered network in 2016. Three UK's owner, meanwhile, is acquiring O2 in order to leapfrog EE and become the UK's biggest carrier. While they sort out the details, BT has some time to fortify its position -- after all, EE's base of 4G subscribers will only continue to grow, benefitting the provider when its £12.5 billion buyout is finally approved.
O2 SIMs will switch to public WiFi if its network can't cope
O2's public WiFi hotspots can be useful in a pinch, but filling out the obligatory registration forms to gain access has always been a pain. To speed up the process, the network is introducing a new service called O2 WiFi Extra, which automatically connects customers with an O2 SIM card. That means no SMS verification codes, or even looking through your network settings for the correct WiFi hotspot. The catch? Once the feature has been enabled, you'll be connected to them automatically if "the WiFi signal is stronger than O2's 3G or 4G network." It's not clear exactly how the company defines signal strength, and if you don't like the service, O2's only advice seems to be disabling WiFi entirely.
Three UK's owner is buying O2
A huge mobile shake-up has just kicked off in Britain. Telefonica has agreed to sell O2 to Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of Three UK, for £10.25 billion. We knew it was likely, after the pair entered "exclusive negotiations" back in January, but now it's essentially a done deal. Provided the purchase is approved by regulators, it means the UK's four major networks will soon become three: Vodafone, EE and the combined might of Three and O2. The confirmation comes by way of Telefonica, although the company is saying little beyond the amount of money involved. For instance, it's unclear if Hutchison Whampoa plans to maintain O2's brand and services in the UK, or merge them entirely with Three.
UK carriers graciously agree to £100 bill cap for lost and stolen phones
A lost or stolen mobile is bad enough, but things can get considerably worse if whoever picks it up sticks you with a mammoth bill for good measure. Smartphone kill switches or a simple screen lock can save you from such injustice, but hindsight isn't much comfort when your phone's already MIA. That's why all of the UK's major carriers have agreed to a new £100 "liability cap" that could protect you from the worst-case scenario of no phone, huge bill. The "voluntary agreement" -- drafted with government guidance and signed by EE, O2, Three, Vodafone and MVNO Virgin Media -- does come with fine print attached, however. You'll only be eligible for the liability cap, which limits your maximum outlay to £100, if you report your phone lost or stolen to your carrier and the police within 24 hours of it going missing. Contacting your mobile network so they can freeze your account should be top of your to-do list anyway, but is this added level of consumer protection really as awesome as everyone involved would have us believe?
Vodafone to launch WiFi calling in the UK this summer
We've all experienced ropey reception at one time or another. Those frustrating moments when you really need to make a call, but the line just won't connect, or you're left trying to decipher broken, distorted responses from the other person. Now, following EE, Three and O2, Vodafone has announced plans to offer WiFi-enabled calls in the UK. Three and O2 have already launched their respective services, but to use them you need to have a dedicated app installed on your smartphone. EE is trialling a service that doesn't rely on any extra software, and today Vodafone says it'll be using a similar approach. So in theory, it'll work quietly in the background with minimal input. Provided you're connected to a WiFi network, calls will switch over automatically when you're out of network coverage.
O2 brings Tu Go calls and texts to the web
With Tu Go, O2 customers have been able to make calls on their laptop or send texts using a tablet for some time now. It's a simple service, but it always required a separate app to get things done. Luckily, that's changing today, after the operator announced that it's brought its multi-device platform to the web. To take advantage of the service, customers need to point their browser to the new Tu Go web beta, which provides options to either sign up or sign in with a mobile number. It's powered by WebRTC, allowing all modern browsers to connect you without the need for additional plugins or software. Right now, the tool supports outgoing calls and the sending and receiving of texts, with the ability to receive calls coming a little later.
BT confirms it's bought EE for £12.5 billion
It's been nearly a decade, but BT is officially returning to mobile. After months of talks, the landline and broadband giant has confirmed it will pay £12.5 billion to acquire EE, the UK's biggest operator. In an announcement, BT said it intends to provide customers with "innovative, seamless services that combine the power of fibre broadband with wi-fi and advanced mobile capabilities," targeting EE customers that don't already use its broadband services and delivering 4G connectivity to BT customers for the first time.
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.
Sky confirms launch of its own O2-powered mobile network
Talks between Three owner Hutchison Whampoa and O2 haven't yet reached a conclusion, but already some of the UK's biggest companies are keen to take advantage of a future merger. After briefly flirting with Vodafone in a recent trial, Sky has confirmed it will become a quad-play provider with the launch of its own O2-powered mobile network in 2016. According to Sky, O2's current owner Telefónica UK will provide access to the carrier's 2G, 3G and 4G services, allowing it to go up against BT, Virgin Media and also TalkTalk, which signed a deal with the operator in November, to offer phone, broadband, TV and mobile bundles.
Three and O2 are set to merge in £10.25 billion deal
Whereas before it was just a rumour, now it's official: Hutchison Whampoa is in talks to buy O2 from Telefonica. The Hong Kong-based company, owner of Three UK, has confirmed that it's entered "exclusive negotiations" to buy its rival's mobile network for £10.25 billion. While the deal is by no means complete, it signals yet another sea change in the UK telecoms industry. BT is already in talks to buy EE for £12.5 billion, which would give it greater influence as a quad-play provider. Meanwhile, if Three and O2 were to join forces, it would give them the biggest mobile subscriber base in the UK, putting further pressure on EE and Vodafone, the latter of which is yet to make such a bold move of its own.
Three UK's owner is reportedly plotting a £9 billion bid for O2
When BT finally confirmed its intention to buy a UK carrier, the company said it had two carriers in its crosshairs: EE and O2. The telecoms giant eventually chose EE and is currently in the process of completing a £12.5 billion acquisition, but Telefonica-owned O2 has quietly become the subject of interest from Three UK owner Hutchison Whampoa. According to The Sunday Times, the UK mobile market could quite soon shrink from four major operators to just three, after talks between the two companies reportedly progressed to a point where Hutchison Whampoa is ready to make a £9 billion bid for Britain's second-biggest carrier.
UK carriers agree £5 billion coverage improvements to avoid 'national roaming'
Ever since the notion of national roaming first appeared back in June, the UK government and the four major mobile operators have fought over how best to rid Britain of so-called "not-spots." Culture Secretary Sajid Javid wanted to implement a system where customers would be able to switch to an alternative network if their own wasn't available, but carriers argued that it would slow network expansions in rural areas, push up investment costs and potentially pass on that cost to subscribers. However, after months of talks, there's finally some good news to report -- plans for national roaming have now been scrapped, after EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three vowed to pump £5 billion into the UK's mobile infrastructure.
Three UK owner considers fighting BT to buy EE or O2
It's no secret that BT is eyeing a return to the mobile market, by way of either EE or O2, but its movement may have come at a cost. According to Reuters, BT's intentions have caught of attention of Hutchison Whampoa, owner of the UK's fourth biggest operator Three, which is now said to be readying a bid for one of the two mobile providers. BT will reportedly decide its course of action in the coming weeks, which could prompt rival bids from Chinese company.
EE and O2 are now serving 4G inside the Channel Tunnel
Having mobile internet access inside the Channel Tunnel is useful, but where are those faster speeds we were promised? Well, after expanding their 2G and 3G networks in March, EE and O2 are finally offering 4G connectivity on the Eurostar. Vodafone could soon get in on the action too, after the network said in January it would also be rolling out its own 4G coverage inside the tunnel (although it's yet to provide any clues as to when that will happen). Regardless, the superfast speeds from EE and O2 mark another milestone for the iconic 31.4-mile underpass, which has been jettying passengers between England and France for over 20 years. So, the next time you travel to Paris (or beyond), you might want to rethink your preferred mode of transport -- if you want to stay connected and actually get some work done, the Eurostar could be a better option than a direct flight.
O2 launches shared data plans for gadget-lovers and families
New mobile tariffs often aren't the easiest things to get your head around, but thankfully, O2's not putting too much pressure on our grey matter this morning. Joining EE and Vodafone, O2 has today launched a couple of relatively simple data-sharing plans for individuals and families alike. Anyone on an O2 Refresh contract with 1GB of data per month or more can now share that allowance with other SIM-slotted devices. Pricing for this new "Sharer Plan" starts at £6 per month, with the cost added to your existing monthly bill. Under the "Family Sharer Plan," new contracts that include between 1GB and 8GB of data can share it across up to ten devices. Each additional SIM costs an extra £15 per month, and comes with unlimited minutes and texts (you also get a £25 restaurant voucher if you take out a plan with at least two voice-enabled SIMs). If data is all that's required, additional connections start at £6 per month. Both of these sharing options are now available in-store and over the phone today, but not online just yet.
Tesco teams up with BT to make its free in-store WiFi faster
Tesco's finances might not be holding up too well as of late, but from technological standpoint, the company is certainly ticking all the right boxes. After it debuted the impressive Hudl2 tablet last month, the supermarket giant is now switching its focus to better connecting its customers. Today, Tesco switched live free superfast BT WiFi inside 806 of its stores, replacing the old service powered by O2 and ramping up speeds to 76Mb in available areas. By upgrading its connectivity, the company hopes you'll download more Clubcard vouchers, obtain product information and look up recipes while doing your weekly shop. More importantly, it could also provide a welcome backup for when you encounter those dreaded mobile signal blackspots in some of its branches.
TalkTalk ditches Vodafone to offer 4G plans with O2's help
As one of the UK's only quad-play providers, TalkTalk offers mobile plans alongside its TV, phone and internet packages. Since 2010, the company relied upon Vodafone's infrastructure to underpin its own network, but it's now decided it wants to try something new. In a joint announcement, TalkTalk and Telefónica (UK) today publicised an agreement that will see the UK media company switch across to O2's network, allowing the carrier to provide 3G and 4G services for its customers. With Virgin Media bundling mobile plans with its traditional home bundles and Sky thought to be readying the public launch of its own network (with Vodafone's help), TalkTalk now faces significant competition in the battle over low-cost tariffs. However, considering 9.5% of its total customer base already own one of its SIMs, the provider is already off to a pretty decent start. Update: Chatting with Bloomberg, TalkTalk's CEO said the partnership with Telefónica will go beyond simply using the latter's mobile network. With help from its new friend, TalkTalk wants to outfit its customers with femtocells (akin to small, indoor mobile masts), so they'll never have to worry about spotty mobile signal at home.
