Mobile News

Cellhire bumps up headcount as partner network grows

Staff Reporter — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:07:40 +0000

Cellhire is expanding its channel operation after growing its partner network by nearly half and making plans for new mobile and IoT propositions.

The York-based mobile and IoT connectivity specialist has made four new appointments as it responds to growing demand for wholesale mobile and IoT connectivity.

The new recruits bring experience from Vodafone, Gamma, Onecom and Giacom. Managing Director Matt Bennett said recruiting experienced channel professionals from these companies has been a deliberate strategy.

“We wanted people who understand the channel from the inside, who know what partners actually need because they’ve lived it at some of the industry’s best-known names.”

“I think they’ve seen a business with strong network relationships, genuine momentum and the agility to do things others can’t. Cellhire is at that sweet spot where there’s real scale and heritage behind you, but you can still move fast and shape something. That’s a compelling place to be for ambitious channel people.”

Bennett: “We wanted people who understand the channel from the inside,

Julia Paterson joins as Channel Development Manager following roles at Gamma, Vodafone and Onecom Partners. Eleanor Langan joins as Campaign Manager to strengthen Cellhire’s marketing activity across mobile and IoT. Danielle Morris becomes Channel Development Manager, while Ellie Whytock joins as Channel Business Development Executive with responsibility for recruiting new channel partners.

Cellhire says the expansion reflects rising demand from resellers and managed service providers seeking greater flexibility, stronger margins and broader connectivity options than traditional providers can offer.

The company also revealed it is preparing to launch new UK mobile network propositions and additional IoT solutions over the coming months.

The recruitment drive coincides with the launch of Cellhire’s channel proposition, “Three Pillars” – People, Platform and Profitability” designed to strengthen support for partners as the business continues to expand.

Bennett said the investment marks the next phase of the company’s channel growth strategy.

“The timing reflects where the market is, and where we are as a business.”

“Demand for wholesale mobile and IoT connectivity through the channel has accelerated significantly. Resellers increasingly want a partner that can move quickly, offer genuine flexibility on commercials and back them with real technical capability.”

He added that partners are increasingly looking for a supplier capable of delivering both mobile voice and data and IoT connectivity across multiple UK mobile networks.

Heart of growth

Bennett said the indirect channel now sits at the centre of Cellhire’s expansion plans.

“We have increased the number of partners that we work with by 45 per cent over the past 12 months. These appointments give us the capacity to onboard and support more partners without diluting the level of service existing partners receive.”

He added that the partner model extends across Cellhire’s wholesale mobile, IoT and satellite connectivity businesses.

“The channel is how we scale. Our partners have the customer relationships and the local market knowledge, and our job is to give them connectivity propositions and support that help them win and grow their businesses.”

Virgin Media O2 puts circular economy in the shop window with new ‘Tech Refab Lab

Staff Reporter — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:31:28 +0000

Virgin Media O2 is taking its circular economy message to consumers with an interactive in-store experience to encourage recycle, trade in and buying of refurbished devices.

A trial of the‘O2 Tech Refab Lab’ is underway at its flagship O2 store in Westfield Stratford City that gives shoppers a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to devices after they are traded in, repaired, refurbished or donated..

The Tech Refab Lab explains how devices are data wiped through the O2 Recycle scheme, highlights ways consumers can extend the life of their devices through repairs and protection, showcases the valuable materials that can be recovered from old handsets, and demonstrates how refurbished “Like New” devices are restored before resale.

It also promotes the company’s Community Calling programme, which redistributes donated phones to people experiencing digital exclusion.

According to the network’s research, 66 per cent of people want a better understanding of how devices can be reused rather than wasted, while 64 per cent said they would be more likely to recycle a handset if they understood the valuable materials it contains.

They would be more willing to donate an old phone if they knew it could help someone in need, and 67 per cent would be more likely to buy a refurbished handset after seeing one in person.

Virgin Media O2 said customers receive £148 for an eligible device recycled through O2 Recycle.

The operator’s Responsible Business Plan, wants to double the number of refurbished devices it sells and the number of handsets recycled through O2 Recycle by 2030.

Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said the company wanted to “build consumers’ trust in tech recycling and buying ‘like new'” by showing the secure refurbishment process and the environmental benefits of keeping devices in circulation.

Will Houldsworth, Director of Retail at Virgin Media O2, said the trial would help the company understand how to make recycling, trade-in and refurbishment “as seamless and convenient as possible.”

Vodafone leads Western operators with 234 million IoT connections

Staff Reporter — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:54:25 +0000

Vodafone was the largest Western provider of cellular IoT connectivity services at the end of 2025, with 234 million connections, according to research from Berg Insight.

The operator ranked fourth globally, behind China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, but remained comfortably ahead of AT&T, which placed fifth with 160 million connections.

China continues to dominate the global cellular IoT market. China Mobile reported 1.48 billion connections at the end of 2025, followed by China Telecom with 746 million and China Unicom with 723 million.

The worldwide number of cellular IoT connections increased by 11 per cent during the year to reach 4.2 billion, equivalent to around 32 per cent of all mobile subscriptions.

Global IoT connectivity revenues rose by five per cent to €14.5 billion, although average monthly revenue per connection fell by seven per cent to €0.31.

Berg Insight said IoT connectivity now generates between one and four per cent of service revenues for the largest mobile operator groups.

The research firm forecasts that the number of cellular IoT devices will increase to 6.5 billion by 2030, generating annual connectivity revenues of €21.5 billion.

Airtel recorded the fastest growth among the leading operators, more than doubling its IoT base to 69 million connections. Verizon and Deutsche Telekom each managed between 62 million and 69 million connections, while Telefónica and Orange had around 59 million and 58 million respectively.

Berg Insight also highlighted the growing importance of IoT managed service providers, which combine access to multiple mobile networks through roaming agreements, sponsored IMSIs and eSIM profiles.

These providers collectively managed more than 250 million cellular IoT connections at the end of 2025 and generated annual revenues of around €1.9 billion.

EE secures mobile leadership as BT posts a steady Q1

Staff Reporter — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:51:49 +0000

EE is the top-performing mobile network, according to BT Group’s Q1 FY27 trading update.

EE added 13,000 postpaid mobile customers during the quarter, while churn remained at 1 per cent, unchanged year on year despite aggressive promotional activity across the market.

Postpaid ARPU increased by 2 per cent to £19.70, supported by EE’s new One Up rewards programme.

The UK mobile market remains highly competitive and continues to be affected by declining voice revenues but EE has pulled further ahead on network quality, customer stability and premium ARPU.

The operator’s 5G+ network now covers 77 per cent of the UK population, up from 73 per cent last quarter, marking one of the fastest nationwide expansions in the sector. BT said: “No one is upgrading and investing in the country’s digital backbone at the scale and pace of BT.”

The proportion of households taking both broadband and postpaid mobile services increased to 26.8 per cent, up from 25.5 per cent a year earlier. As BT accelerates its fibre-first strategy, EE is increasingly positioned as the premium mobile brand within a broader connectivity ecosystem.

However, the wider mobile market continues to be affected by declining legacy voice revenues and intense competition, contributing to flat Consumer service revenue.

Full announcement HERE

Giacom simplifies wholesale mobile with new Velocity proposition

Staff Reporter — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:01:25 +0000

Giacom has launched a new wholesale mobile proposition called Velocity to make it easier for partners to sell services across Vodafone, EE and O2 through one commercial framework.

Velocity was created following the integration of EE into Giacom’s wholesale mobile portfolio. The company saw an opportunity to unite three operators under one structure.The simplified approach is expected tol make it easier for both established mobile resellers and MSPs to develop mobile offerings.

Giacom added EE to its wholesale mobile portfolio earlier this year. The new system simplifies the company’s mobile offering by replacing the separate VodaShare, EE Everyway and O2 All in One propositions with one platform.

Giacom said the move reflects growing demand from partners looking to add mobile services alongside cloud, connectivity, cybersecurity without having to work out different pricing structures, propositions and sales processes for each operator.

Partners can now compare tariffs, prepare customer proposals, quote, order and manage mobile services through a single system while still selecting the network and tariff best suited to each customer.

Velocity is delivered through Giacom’s Cloud Market platform and includes tariff options covering single-user, premium, aggregated and shared-data plans, as well as mobile broadband and international services.

Andrew Wilford, Managing Director, Mobile at Giacom, said the wholesale mobile market had become increasingly complex as partners expanded across multiple operators.

“Mobile has become an essential part of every business’s technology strategy, creating a significant opportunity for MSPs and mobile resellers to deepen customer relationships and drive recurring revenue”

“Managing services across multiple mobile networks introduced unnecessary complexity through different propositions, processes, platforms and commercial structures. Velocity changes that. By bringing Vodafone, EE and O2 into a single, consistent framework, partners can quote, order and manage mobile services through one self-service platform”.

Wilford: “Mobile has become an essential part of every business’s technology strategy”

Giacom sad tcomplexity of working across multiple networks, each with different propositions, pricing structures and operational processes was the biggest challenge facing partners

Early feedback from partners has been positive, according to Giacom. Users valued managing opportunities through a single platform. The approach had reduced the time required to compare tariffs, prepare proposals and onboard sales teams.

Velocity is available to all Giacom wholesale mobile partners. It will become the company’s standard wholesale mobile proposition over the coming months..

Velocity is supported by Giacom’s Mobile Partner Enablement team, which provides onboarding, training, sales guidance and opportunity support. Wilford said simplifying wholesale mobile would help partners increase recurring revenue while taking a greater share of their customers’ overall technology spend.

Samsung on the offensive as foldables enter their biggest battle yet

Staff Reporter — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:31:43 +0000

Samsung has unveiled its strongest foldable line-up to date, but analysts say the launch is about far more than new hardware. With Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone expected within weeks, the premium smartphone market is about to become far more competitive.

Samsung has used the launch of its new Galaxy Z Fold8 range to reinforce its leadership in foldables ahead of Apple’s expected entry into the market later this year.

The launch gives UK networks, retailers and distributors a premium portfolio to drive higher-value upgrades, but it raises questions around affordability, financing and whether foldables can become a mainstream category.

Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight, believes Samsung is making its move at exactly the right time. “Samsung is doubling down on foldables at exactly the moment the category is about to get its biggest credibility boost with the folding iPhone later in the year.”

“Apple’s expected move into foldables will challenge Samsung, but it could als turn foldables from a niche premium category into a mainstream flagship battleground.”

New design, new strategy

Samsung has expanded the range with a new passport-style Galaxy Z Fold8 alongside the flagship Fold8 Ultra. The range was launched today. (see livestream),

Wood believes the move broadens Samsung’s appeal but also represents a calculated gamble. “The passport-style Fold8 helps to underline Samsun’s leadership in this category. However, it is also a big bet on whether consumers want a device that is more focused on content consumption.”

IDC Vice President Francisco Jeronimo agrees the redesign is the most strategically significant aspect of the launch. “Samsung created the modern foldable category. This launch is about defining what comes next and who leads it,” he said.

Samsung still holds a 48.3 per cent share of the global foldable market outside China, says IDC. But Huawei, Honor, Motorola, Google and OPPO have steadily narrowed the technology gap.

Jeronimo believes Samsung is moving first to establish a new form factor before Apple arrives. “By bringing a wider, passport-style foldable to market ahead of Apple, Samsung gets to define the new format on its own terms rather than reacting to it later.”

Premium pricing

Pricing remains a significant hurdle. The Galaxy Z Flip8 starts at £1,149, while the Fold8 Ultra reaches £1,899.

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at Uswitch, said consumers will increasingly rely on financing to make these devices affordable.

“Samsung’s foldables have never looked better but they’ve never cost more. Some operators are now offering 48-month handset finance agreements but committing to four years is a big ask. You could still be paying for it in 2030.”

Doku believes retailers can soften the blow through trade-in offers, introductory promotions and by encouraging customers to compare tariffs across networks. He also pointed to refurbished foldables as an increasingly attractive option for cost-conscious buyers.

PP Foresight founder Paolo Pescatore noted: ” Google and Qualcomm are among the biggest beneficiaries. Gemini now connects Samsung’s expanding AI ecosystem, while Qualcomm powers the entire line-up cementing its position at the heart of Samsung’s AI strategy.

“Health and wellness remain central to Samsung’s strategy, with its latest watches offering more personalised insights, while its AI-powered smart glasses signal ambitions beyond smartphones. However, the lack of pricing and availability suggests the glasses are not yet ready for full commercial launch. Samsung has a major opportunity to challenge Meta, but it still needs compelling everyday use cases to persuade consumers to embrace another Galaxy device”.

Engineering catches up

Beyond AI features, analysts believe Samsung’s biggest achievements are in hardware refinement.

Wood highlighted the improvements Samsung has made to the display. ” Samsung has delivered meaningful engineering progress with its Flex Titanium display, which reduces the visible fold on these new devices.”

He also noted Samsung’s adoption of silicon-carbon battery technology. “Samsung has been cautious about moving to silicon-carbon batteries given its Note7 woes, but this was an essential move to match Chinese rivals on slimness, capacity and charging speed.”

Qualcomm is one of the biggest winners from the launch says Wood: by securing important design wins across phones, watches and glasses.”

Smart glasses still have work to do

Samsung also teased smart glasses during the event, although Wood believes they remain some way from becoming a mainstream product. “Samsung’s smart glasses teaser felt more like a placeholder than a launch moment. It is certainly offering stylish designs, but there was little clarity on timing.”

He believes the biggest obstacle is public acceptance rather than the technology itself. “The biggest threat is whether consumers trust the devices enough to wear them, or be around people wearing them.”

Channel opportunity

Samsung’s latest launch reinforces foldables as one of the few areas capable of delivering premium margins despite slowing smartphone demand.

IDC forecasts foldable smartphone shipments will grow by around 20 per centthis year, even as the wider smartphone market contracts because of rising component costs.

Vodafone backs AI platform to keep government data off foreign systems

Staff Reporter — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:21:39 +0000

Vodafone Business has joined a coalition developing Britain’s first AI model to keep sensitive government and business data under government control.

The project will provide a secure AI platform that government departments, defence organisations and operators of critical infrastructure can use without sensitive information being processed on foreign-controlled systems.

An MoU has been signed with London AI company Cosine to help develop Lumen Sovereign. This is an AI model that will be built, trained and operated entirely in the UK.

The project is backed by the UK Government’s £500 million Sovereign AI programme. It is aimed at organisations handling highly sensitive information. These include government departments, defence, healthcare, financial services and operators of critical national infrastructure.

Lumen Sovereign is intended to run on UK-based computing infrastructure, unlike AI services hosted overseas It can operate in isolated networks that are physically disconnected from the internet. The aim is to reduce the security and national security risks of sending sensitive data to foreign-owned AI platforms or cloud services.

Vodafone Business will contribute expertise in secure communications, cloud services and cyber security. Cosine will lead development of the AI model. The companies will also work with other coalition members on security standards, governance and potential commercial applications.

The model is expected to be trained using the Isambard-AI supercomputer, with deployment targeted by the end of this year. Isambard-AI is claimed to be the UK’s most powerful public AI supercomputer, operated by the University of Bristol and housed at the National Composites Centre. It is described as among the world’s fastest and greenest supercomputers, dedicated to accelerating medical, climate, and AI safety research and is backed by a £225 million government investment, it

Isambard-AI is the UK’s most powerful public AI supercomputer,

The announcement follows increased government investment in domestic AI infrastructure to ensure the UK has its own strategic AI capability rather than relying on technology built and hosted overseas.

Alistair Pullen, CEO, Cosine, said: “Lumen Sovereign is about ensuring the UK has the capability, confidence and control to build frontier AI on its own terms. Vodafone Business brings deep expertise in secure connectivity, critical infrastructure and enterprise deployment, making it an important partner as we co-design Lumen Sovereign with industry.”

Nick Gliddon, Business Director, VodafoneThree said: “By joining Cosine’s industry coalition, Vodafone Business is helping to advance an important initiative to establish sovereign AI capabilities in the UK, working alongside other industry leaders to create the trusted digital foundations businesses and public sector organisations need to innovate with confidence”.

EDITORIAL: Vodafone’s secret franchise settlement ends the dispute but avoids a deeper problem

Staff Reporter — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:27:18 +0000

EDITORIAL: Vodafone’s secret settlement with 62 former franchisees closes a long-running dispute but it also highlights how determined it was to avoid a rerun of the public examination it endured during the Phones4U litigation.

The network defendants won the Phones4U collusion-allegation case but the operators’ behaviour was dragged into the open. This franchise case will change nothing, because it has been sealed shut.

The Vodafone franchisee dispute had all the ingredients for a meaningful reckoning. Years of tension. Allegations of commercial mistreatment. A large group of partners claiming they were driven out of business. A High Court process capable of testing evidence and exposing how operator–partner relationships really function.

The Phones4U case showed what happens when that evidence is tested. Operators were cross examined. Internal communications were scrutinised. Commercial decisions were laid bare. We saw how the industry’s biggest players behave when power, distribution and market control are at stake.

Phones4Us administrators forced the industry to confront those questions. The Vodafone settlement avoids them.

The Vodafone case offered a similar opportunity. Instead, it ends in confidentiality.

Vodafone has settled without admitting liability. The franchisees cannot speak. The High Court will not rule. And the industry is left with no findings, no precedent, no insight and no accountability.

This matters because the mobile channel is built on partnerships: franchisees, dealers, distributors, retailers, managed service providers. These relationships are commercially essential but are structurally fragile. The Phones4U case exposed that fragility and showed how quickly trust can collapse when operators make strategic decisions that reshape the channel.

Silence.

The franchisee dispute could have provided the next chapter in that story and clarified how operators govern their partner networks, how disputes escalate, and what protections partners should expect. It could have shown whether the lessons from the Phones4U experience were actually learned. Instead, the industry is left with silence.

This is not a criticism of Vodafone or the claimants. Confidential settlements are a rational way to end litigation. They reduce cost, remove risk and stress and allow companies to focus on strategy and the claimants to rebuild their lives. But they also ensure that whatever went wrong stays hidden When facts stay hidden, structural weaknesses remain unaddressed.

The unanswered questions are pertinent. What failed? What changed? What should other operators learn? Could this happen again? Phones4Us administrators forced the industry to confront those questions. The Vodafone settlement avoids them.

For Vodafone, the deal removes distraction as it integrates VodafoneThree and pursues an ambitious investment programme. For the former franchisees, it ends a long and draining legal fight. On that level it makes perfect sense to settle. But for the wider industry, the conclusion is unsatisfying. No judgment. No precedent. No independent assessment. No shared learning. No repeat of the Phones4U moment which was the last time the sector was forced to look at itself honestly under the glare of expert lega interrogation.

The case is over but the governance questions it raises are not. Until the industry stops treating partner disputes as private matters, it will keep repeating the same mistakes

BT wins multi-million pound Scottish Water network and security contract

Staff Reporter — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:08 +0000

BT Business has won a multi-million-pound contract to modernise Scottish Water’s communications network and cyber security systems.

The deal will see BT become the utility’s single strategic technology partner, replacing a multi-supplier model as Scottish Water looks to improve the resilience of services used by more than five million people.

BT will manage around 7,000 network connections linking offices, operational sites and critical infrastructure, while also taking responsibility for cyber security monitoring.

The contract forms part of Scottish Water’s wider £130 million investment programme to modernise its digital infrastructure.

A converged Network Operations Centre will give Scottish Water real-time visibility across both its network and cyber security estate.

BT said the integrated approach will enable Scottish Water to detect and respond to incidents more quickly and protect critical infrastructure.

The programme includes commitments to local employment, skills development and community engagement.

The agreement supports Scottish Water’s longer-term plans to modernise its digital infrastructure while contributing to its wider sustainability and net zero ambitions.

BT: Scottish Water’s single strategic technology partner

Editorial: Tycoon’s arrival raises the stakes for VodafoneThree

Staff Reporter — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:53:35 +0000

Xavier Niel’s arrival as Vodafone’s largest shareholder is likely to sharpen the focus on whether VodafoneThree can deliver its promised network transformation without sacrificing profitability.

The French telecoms billionaire is acquiring e&’s 16.2 per cent stake in Vodafone for around £4.4 billion. The deal, subject to regulatory approval, gives Niel a powerful position at a pivotal moment for the group. Vodafone has welcomed him as a long-term shareholder, but he is unlikely to be content merely collecting dividends.

Niel built Iliad through aggressive pricing, lean cost structures and a willingness to disrupt established markets. His previous investments have also been associated with consolidation, simplification and stronger cash generation.

Niel is acquiring e&’s 16.2 per cent stake in Vodafone for around £4.4 billion

That makes VodafoneThree an obvious area of interest. The merged UK business has committed to invest £11 billion over 10 years to increase coverage, capacity and reliability while creating what it describes as Europe’s most advanced network.

Agreements have been signed with Ericsson and Nokia, and the integration of the former Vodafone and Three networks is reportedly ahead of schedule.

Niel’s arrival could strengthen that programme. A credible, well-funded network investment plan is essential if VodafoneThree is to compete with EE and Virgin Media O2. Faster integration would remove duplicated infrastructure, combine spectrum more efficiently and give customers better coverage and faster speeds sooner.

However, accelerated integration does not necessarily mean spending more money more quickly. Niel’s likely priority will be ensuring capital expenditure produces an adequate return. That could mean greater scrutiny of network contracts, staffing levels, duplicated systems and the pace at which legacy infrastructure is removed.

The £11 billion commitment is not something VodafoneThree can abandon. But there is flexibility in how efficiently the programme is delivered, which technologies are prioritised and when expenditure is incurred.

Vodafone’s balance sheet has become more heavily exposed to its UK operation. VodafoneThree must simultaneously: improve the network, generate merger savings and deliver stronger cash flow.

Removing duplicated sites and systems should reduce operating costs. Combining spectrum should improve network efficiency. A better service should also reduce customer churn and strengthen VodafoneThree’s ability to compete for higher-value consumer and business contracts.

But integration programmes are expensive and prone to delays. If capital spending rises faster than revenue, or if savings take longer to materialise, investors may become impatient. Niel’s presence makes that impatience more consequential.

His investment does not currently give him direct control and there has been no confirmed request for a board seat. Nevertheless, a shareholder controlling more than 16 per cent of the company has to be taken seriously.

Management will face greater pressure to prove that the investment programme is capable of producing returns. That could accelerate network consolidation, supplier negotiations, property rationalisation, the removal of duplicated roles and the retirement of older infrastructure. It may also increase pressure on VodafoneThree to provide clearer evidence of customer benefits and financial savings.

Improvements in coverage and speeds have already been publicised since the merger. An independent report claims customers are receiving faster 4G services and wider 5G coverage.

The next test will be whether those gains translate into more customers, lower churn, higher average revenue and stronger cash generation.

Niel’s arrival does not create a choice between investment and profitability. It raises the expectation that VodafoneThree must deliver both.

The £11 billion programme can no longer be presented simply as a long-term national infrastructure commitment. It must also be shown to be capable of producing tangible returns for shareholders.

Greater financial discipline could speed up integration and remove bureaucracy.

But it also means there will be less room for delays, cost overruns or promises that take years to show up in the numbers.