Customers choosing an Unlimited SuperMobile premium 5G+ connectivity plan will pay from £50.46 a month, also with £100 upfront. Vodafone says SuperMobile costs £3 a month more than its equivalent full-speed Xtra plans.

The operator says a trade-in of up to £855 could be offered depending on phone. Its Trade-in Guarantee provides a valuation upfront, with the saving applied towards monthly payments or settling an existing Phone Plan.

The iPhone Duo is available with interest-free device finance over terms of up to 48 months and a choice of upfront payments. Vodafone’s Lifetime Service Promise includes battery health checks, battery replacements and a lifetime warranty, subject to eligibility and conditions.

SuperMobile uses Vodafone’s 5G+ FastTrack service, which the operator claims delivers speeds up to four times faster than standard plans in busy areas.

The plans also include a minimum download speed guarantee of 15Mbps within 5G+ coverage. Vodafone says customers can leave without an exit fee if the guarantee is not met, subject to its terms.

Security features include Secure Net Mobile, offering protection against malicious websites and phishing, alongside identity monitoring and AI-powered warnings about suspected scam calls.

SuperMobile Premier customers also receive an inclusive OneNumber connectivity plan for an Apple Watch, normally priced at £7.50 a month.

“The snag for Apple is that many of us have gone off the big phone contract. We keep our phones for longer now, or go SIM only, and plenty of us are perfectly happy with a refurbished device. More people are working out that they can buy a handset outright and pay just £10 a month for minutes, texts and data.

Uswitch mobile expert Ernest Doku commented: The snag for Apple is that many of us have gone off the big phone contract. We keep our phones for longer now, or go SIM only, and plenty of us are perfectly happy with a refurbished device.

“More people are working out that they can buy a handset outright and pay just £10 a month for minutes, texts and data. A starting price of £1,999 is a lot, but the iPhone Duo is a lot of phone – and given the hype surrounding Apple’s first foldable, stock will be in short supply regardless of the asking price. 

The service offers Everton supporters a choice of O2 or Vodafone coverage, with monthly plans starting at £15. Everton will receive ongoing income linked to supporter take-up, although the partners have declined to disclose the commercial terms or subscriber targets.

Sport Telecoms launched in 2025 by the leadership team behind Connect Digital Communications, manages SIM supply and billing, with a dedicated UK-based customer support team. It said customers contract directly with Everton Mobile, supported by Sport Telecoms.

Onecom acts as operating partner, supplying network access, provisioning and back-office infrastructure. Sport Telecoms focuses on managing the club partnership and supporter experience.

The company said the arrangement gives Everton a commercial return without upfront costs or an operational burden.

“We don’t disclose specific terms, but the model is designed to give the club an ongoing income linked to supporter take-up,” Sport Telecoms said.

Direct sales

Sales will initially run through Everton’s own channels. Sport Telecoms did not announce a role for independent dealers or confirm further club partnerships, saying Everton Mobile had its “full focus and resource”.

The company also declined to publish first-year connection targets, saying success would be measured by take-up, customer satisfaction and retention, alongside value delivered to supporters and the club.

Connect’s track record includes servicing more than 100,000 individual connections, according to the company.

Three tariffs

Everton Mobile’s Essential plan costs £15 a month for 25GB of UK data and unlimited UK calls and texts. The £20 Plus plan includes unlimited UK data, calls and texts. Both operate on 30-day rolling agreements.

Ultimate costs £25 a month on a 24-month agreement, adding 35GB of EU roaming data to unlimited UK data, calls and texts.

The plans include opportunities to win club prizes, ranging from stadium tours to signed shirts. Ultimate subscribers can also enter draws for match tickets, premium experiences and calls with players from Everton’s men’s and women’s teams.

Eligible Ultimate customers signing up by October 25 will receive a complimentary Forever Blue+ membership for the 2027/28 season, beginning in June 2027. Existing season ticket members for that season will instead receive a Season Ticket+ upgrade.

Everton chief revenue officer Aaron Duckmanton said: “The thinking behind Everton Mobile was simple: this is a service all supporters have a need for so how can we give them more value from it as Evertonians?”

He said the proposition combined network choice with opportunities and experiences that bring supporters closer to the club.

Customers can retain their existing handset and transfer their mobile number when switching.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said more than 300 searches took place on October 7 across eight countries, including Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

Thirty-nine suspects were detained in Portugal, 20 in Spain and three in Italy.

Authorities executed seizure orders targeting up to €310 million, freezing bank accounts and company shares and seizing property, vehicles, cash and gold coins.

Operation Hermes concerns two suspected criminal syndicates allegedly using networks of intermediary companies to exploit cross-border VAT rules.

Prosecutors say goods passed through chains involving “missing traders” that disappeared without paying tax, while other companies claimed VAT refunds.

The groups allegedly shared companies, goods and logistics services, and channelled proceeds through each other’s businesses to launder money.

EPPO says some individuals and methods overlap with its earlier Admiral and Moby Dick investigations. One suspect allegedly moved operations to Portugal after a Swedish VAT fraud investigation.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/62-detained-in-e410m-mobile-phone-vat-fraud-investigation/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/device-network-offers-free-core-software-to-refurbished-mobile-trade/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/device-network-offers-free-core-software-to-refurbished-mobile-trade/#respond Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:25:53 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=180923 Secondary market platform Device Network is offering lifetime access to 16 core software modules without subscription fees to qualifying businesses that register and connect to its platform before November 13. 

The company says customers previously paid up to £595 a month, depending on their package. The offer is aimed at businesses handling used and refurbished devices, including retailers, repairers, recyclers and wholesalers.

“We’ve made a strategic decision to remove the core software subscription barrier to encourage wider industry adoption and increase the volume of verified devices flowing through the network”, said Device Network CEO Tim Meloni.

“Our commercial focus is increasingly on digital services, Enterprise solutions and the wider verification infrastructure rather than charging every reseller for access to core operating software”

The platform brings together stock management, grading, pricing, trade-in and marketplace listings. Businesses can connect their existing diagnostics provider, import test results and data-erasure certificates, and synchronise stock with supported sales channels.

Device Network says it links each handset’s IMEI or serial number to its testing, erasure and grading records, checking these before devices are listed for resale.

Core software access will remain free for qualifying businesses, subject to service terms. Charges continue for pay-as-you-go services such as IMEI checks, enterprise and white-label solutions. Third-party providers may also charge separately.

The company reports 40 active customers in the past 30 days and aims to attract at least 250 more over the next month. Its longer-term target is one million devices passing through the platform each month within a year.

It also plans to establish a non-profit Device Network Alliance before year-end, with initial activity in early 2027 addressing issues including device verification, returns fraud and right to repair.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/device-network-offers-free-core-software-to-refurbished-mobile-trade/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/govt-steps-in-as-bt-takes-over-talktalk-to-protect-customers/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/govt-steps-in-as-bt-takes-over-talktalk-to-protect-customers/#respond Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:14:50 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=180918 BT has acquired TalkTalk’s consumer business and wholesale arm PlatformX Communications (PXC) out of administration after the Government intervened on public interest grounds following an unsuccessful sale process. 

The debt-free acquisition covers 1.5 million retail customers and one million wholesale customers. BT said it stepped in to prevent disruption to households and services supporting critical national infrastructure. 

A BT Group spokesperson said: “We welcome the Government’s decision to issue a Public Interest Intervention Notice in respect of our acquisition of TalkTalk. BT stepped in following a prolonged but ultimately unsuccessful sale process to avoid the company’s collapse.

“This announcement enables a swifter regulatory review and it allows the Government to take into account the public interest considerations relevant to this deal. As the Secretary of State has said, ‘Phone and broadband services are vital national infrastructure. If TalkTalk services fail, there is a genuine risk to life and public services – including to hospitals, schools and emergency care.. BT will work constructively with the Government and the CMA during their review.”

TalkTalk has debts reported to be around £1.4 billion and has required repeated injections of additional funding.

The government has issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice, citing potential risks to vulnerable customers, emergency communications and essential public services if TalkTalk’s connectivity were disrupted.

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to report by October 19. Customers do not need to take action, and services should continue as normal.

BT estimates the acquisition will have a total cash impact of approximately £400 million in its current financial year. This includes the purchase consideration, transaction and administration costs, working capital, around £60 million of trading losses and £100 million otherwise due to Openreach that will not be received.

TalkTalk and BT will operate separately and continue competing pending regulatory review.

BT chief executive Allison Kirkby said: said: “Our immediate priority is to stabilise the business and provide a safety net for the households and businesses who rely on TalkTalk.”

Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at FDM CCS Insight, said the rescue reflected the severity of the situation.

“The deal forms a response to an unprecedented situation, with continuity of service severely under threat for TalkTalk’s 2.5 million customers. Significantly, this includes vulnerable households and connections that support critical national infrastructure providers across a range of sectors.”

Mann warned that the acquisition would also raise competition questions.

“Given BT’s strong position in the broadband market, it will inevitably also evoke scrutiny from regulators keen to ensure a fair and competitive playing field. This is even more relevant coming just days after competition authorities raised serious concerns over nexfibre’s planned acquisition of Netomnia.”

He described the rescue as the culmination of TalkTalk’s failure to adapt to a changing market.

“The deal cements a painful decline for one of the UK’s most established and well-known broadband providers. With a clear value-for-money proposition, it should have thrived amid continued cost-of-living concerns.

“But it failed to respond sufficiently to a fast-changing and increasingly competitive market, became burdened with debt following a buyout in 2021, and regularly suffered from poor perception of its service.”

Bruno was selected because of “his association with strength and his recognition among the demographic the company is targeting”.

The campaign will run for three months on Lincs Sound and includes a radio advert featuring Bruno alongside sponsorship of the station’s traffic and travel programming.

The company is positioning itself against the numerous lesser-known rugged Android handset brands in the market, arguing that investment in product support and brand development differentiates it from rivals and is targeting 100,000 global sales after recording 250 per cent year-on-year growth. 

JCB Toughphone offers a two-year warranty on its devices, while selected models receive Android operating system upgrades and five years of security updates.

The company said the new advertising campaign forms part of a wider push to build awareness of the JCB Toughphone brand as it expands its retail, enterprise and European presence.

JCB Toughphone has also appeared on the Lincs Sound Farming Show podcast, reflecting the brand’s focus on agriculture as one of its key vertical markets.

The company said it chose Lincolnshire for the campaign because of the region’s large farming community and is using the activity to reach both consumers and business users.

JCB Toughphone chief marketing officer Amanda Couzens-Davies said the campaign follows rapid expansion of the business, which now operates in 12 European countries.

“We are the only recognisable British brand in rugged and so are keen to expand and make more people aware of who we are,” she said.

The company claims year-on-year growth of more than 200 per cent in both 2024 and 2025, accelerating to 250 per cent in the year ending September 2026 It is targeting 100,000 handset sales globally this year and expects further growth in 2027 as it expands its retail distribution.

JCB Toughphones is sold through retailers including Asda, Currys, Amazon and Harvey Norman, with further retail partners added from January.

Couzens-Davies said the company was growing despite contraction in the wider handset market.

“In a saturated and declining market we are bucking the trend. We go into 2027 aiming for another record year.”

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/jcb-toughphone-signs-heavy-hitter-frank-bruno-for-first-public-ad-campaign/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/mwc-adds-automotive-health-and-aviation-zones-for-2027/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/mwc-adds-automotive-health-and-aviation-zones-for-2027/#respond Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:22:29 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=180901 MWC Barcelona will introduce dedicated automotive, health and aviation zones in 2027, extending the connectivity show’s focus on industries beyond telecoms. 

The three spaces will showcase applications of connected technology alongside emerging innovations when the event returns to Fira Gran Via from March 1–4.

AWS, ElevenLabs and HP Inc are among the new exhibitors announced by organiser GSMA. Nokia, KDDI, Agibot and Unitree will return with larger stands.

AI, robotics and satellite connectivity will feature across the exhibition, with the New Frontiers showcase returning to Hall 6. The conference programme will cover network evolution, AI deployment, autonomous businesses, security and digital sovereignty.

Startup event 4YFN will return, while Talent Arena will again run at Fira de Barcelona Montjuïc. Sports Tomorrow Congress and the GSMA Ministerial Programme are also confirmed.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/mwc-adds-automotive-health-and-aviation-zones-for-2027/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/bt-launches-ai-receptionist-for-businesses-on-any-uk-network/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/bt-launches-ai-receptionist-for-businesses-on-any-uk-network/#respond Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:43:58 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=180898 BT Business has launched an AI receptionist that answers calls, books appointments and captures customer enquiries around the clock, without businesses having to change their existing phone number or provider. 

The launch comes as BT-commissioned research suggests 67 per cent of small businesses miss at least one call on an average day that they believe costs them business.

BT estimates annual revenue lost through unanswered calls at £3.7 billion, based on survey responses extrapolated across the UK business population.

The service works across any UK fixed or mobile network and is aimed at businesses whose staff cannot always answer the phone, including tradespeople, retailers, estate agents and hospitality operators.

It handles routine questions, transcribes conversations and integrates with Outlook and Google Calendar. Businesses can configure it through a self-service portal using their own business information and choose different voices and accents.

BT says customer data remains private and is not used to train AI models. The service is available on flexible contracts, although pricing was not included in the announcement.

AI Receptionist forms part of a new “AI from BT” portfolio, alongside a free adoption hub offering practical guides and examples. A national advertising campaign will support the launch.

The financial crisis engulfing TalkTalk has taken a potentially more serious turn, with The Telegraph reporting that Whitehall officials are examining the possible national security implications of an insolvency.

According to the newspaper, officials responsible for critical national infrastructure are in regular contact with senior civil servants and telecoms regulators over measures to maintain TalkTalk services should the company enter administration.

The Telegraph, citing telecoms industry sources, reports that some networks used for national security purposes depend partly on TalkTalk systems and that disruption could affect services used by the Ministry of Defence.

Neither the Government nor TalkTalk has publicly confirmed that defence communications are at risk.

A government spokesperson told The Telegraph: “This is a commercial matter, and we do not comment on speculation.”

TalkTalk declined to comment.

Payments due

The development comes as advisers race to find a solution for TalkTalk’s consumer and wholesale businesses before significant payments fall due at the end of the month.

TalkTalk has debts reported to be around £1.4 billion and has required repeated injections of additional funding.

In March, the company announced £115 million of new facilities from its existing shareholders and lenders, comprising £65 million of term funding and a £50 million working-capital facility.

TalkTalk said the money would strengthen its working-capital position and confirmed that advisers had been appointed to explore the sale of parts of the group.

Those disposal plans have subsequently run into difficulties.

Talks to sell wholesale operation PlatformX Communications (PXC) to an Octopus-backed buyer for around £300 million have stalled, while negotiations over the consumer business have also struggled to produce an agreed deal.

Sky News reported on Thursday that Opus Broadband had returned with a revised offer of around £100 million for the consumer operation. This is substantially below the price previously under discussion and an offer which sources said was unlikely to be accepted by TalkTalk’s board.

Other restructuring options remain possible, including TalkTalk’s lenders taking control of parts of the business.

Openreach payment approaching

Money is owed to Openreach, whose network TalkTalk uses to deliver services to customers. Sky News reports that another significant payment to Openreach falls due at the end of September. 

The Telegraph reports that TalkTalk is already significantly in arrears with Openreach, although it says the BT-owned network operator is considered unlikely to take action that would deliberately trigger an insolvency because of the potential consequences for customers.

TalkTalk relies on wholesale infrastructure including Openreach and PXC to provide its retail voice and broadband services, a relationship TalkTalk itself described in evidence to Parliament earlier this year.

Vulnerable customers 

The Telegraph reports that more than 250,000 vulnerable households are among TalkTalk’s customer base, including people using personal alarm services and connected medical equipment.

It says Ofcom has sought assurances from prospective buyers that vulnerable customers would continue to be protected if a solvent rescue of the consumer business can be agreed.

Ofcom has confirmed that it is watching developments, telling The Telegraph:

“While we have no formal role in this process, we’re closely monitoring developments”.

One potential contingency reportedly under discussion is for another major operator to assume responsibility for customers if TalkTalk became insolvent.

However, there is no telecoms equivalent of the special administration arrangements available in sectors such as water, where essential services can be maintained during an insolvency.

TalkTalk continues to pursue a restructuring or sale rather than administration, and several possible outcomes remain under discussion.

But with the end-of-month deadline approaching, what began as a prolonged financial restructuring has developed into how essential communications services would be kept running if one of Britain’s largest broadband providers became insolvent.

Customers who need further assistance will still be able to speak to a member of the support team.

The voice agent was developed with conversational AI company Sierra. It is being trialled its performance and customer feedback is monitored.

Virgin Media O2 uses AI to assist its customer service staff through Lumi. This analyses conversations in real time and gives advisers prompts and information based on previous customer interactions.

The new voice agent puts AI directly in conversation with customers rather than keeping it behind the human adviser.

Chief operating officer Alan Stott said the technology was intended to support rather than replace employees.

“This is about supporting our people, not replacing them cBy using AI we can give customers faster support while freeing up our advisors to focus where their expertise and experience make the biggest difference.”

Virgin Media O2 says Ofcom data shows complaints have fallen over the past 18 months, with most now being resolved within 24 hours.

Sierra chief executive and co-founder Bret Taylor (below) said the operator was starting with a specific broadband support application to learn from the deployment before expanding its use.

If customers accept AI dealing with relatively straightforward faults, the same model could be extended across high-volume customer service interactions.

If AI can successfully deal with routine troubleshooting operators could reduce pressure on contact centres while allowing employees to concentrate on problems requiring specialist knowledge.