Pat Phelan: Telecomms DisruptorSubverting telecomms from the edge of industry

Whats going on in Vodafone?
Earlier in the year they purchased Zyb the European based address book back-up service, I am a huge fan and was informed by senior sources that it was going to become a loopt based play eventually. As you can see from the image below everything was moving in the right direction.

Today [...]

I have heard from numerous sources over the past few weeks that O2/Telefonica are considering removing all handset subsidies next year.
Would this be a good thing?
If you look at the global market I think the only market for subsidized handsets should be the countries where the carriers are just developing the market other than that [...]

In a bizarre move the UK government has announced its intention to bring forward a law that would require all mobile phone providers to register prepaid accounts with purchasers photo identification.
“The office of Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, said it anticipated that a compulsory mobile phone register would be unveiled as part of a law [...]

I lost my Vodafone dongle last week and decided I had better replace it and report it, strolled into Vodafone Oliver Plunkett St in Cork and stood around for 55 minutes on Friday awaiting someone to be free. I had the IMEI, phone number and bill with me, see below, totally covered and insured.

So this [...]

Vodafone have today announced a long distance package for their Irish customers. It looks pretty good as a direct dialling product.

Mobile carriers must now look closely at the long distance market and I am surprised that some of the countries weren’t priced a bit better.

Poland with the largest population in Ireland is incredibly competitive at [...]

An excellent move from Vodafone Ireland
They have now confirmed its existence and expanded their “worldwide program” for prepaid customers.

15c per minute to fixed, 30 to mobile and 15c for SMS on prepaid to 47 countries is definitely pretty progressive from any mobile company.
Only one question though
Where is Poland? Ireland’s largest minute destination?

Nice set of results from Vodafone Ireland today and a great set of results from the group as a whole which unusually saw their chairman Arun Sarin announce his intention to leave.
Sarin will step down in July, Vodafone posted a full-year profit of £6.66 billion ($13.2 billion)
In Ireland Vodafone has finally announced its intention to [...]

Mobile phone carriers behaviour never ceases to amaze me but this one takes the biscuit.
Frank had a problem with his mobile and got a loaner from the Cork Vodafone store, they gave him a phone and a charger, he went back to collect his own phone and forgot the charger (estimated value €5 IMO)
Lets leave [...]