Mobile Phone News

Nokia cutting 700 jobs worldwide

Nokia - the mobile phone manufacturer - has announced that it will be cutting 700 jobs worldwide in a bit to become more competitive. Early in 2007 they had announced plans for a joint venture with Siemens that they warned then might result in job losses. Finland - where Nokia began - looks to be coming off worse with nearly half of the 700 losses coming from there.

Mobile Gambling a worry to charities

Gambling via Mobile Phones is set to become a massive $16 billion industry within the next 5 years. This massive growth is worrying gambling charities who are calling on Mobile Phone Networks to recognise that they're part of the industry and help fund helplines for those in difficulties because of gambling.   

Fines increase for driving with a Mobile

From February 27th anyone caught using a Mobile Phone whilst driving faces 3 points and a £60 fine.

Naughty naughty - from Feb 27th - 3 points.

Don't walk & talk in New York

New York - Senator Carl Kruger plans to introduce legislation banning pedestrians in New York from using electronic gadgets while crossing the road. People doing so face a $100 fine, since September 3 pedestrians have been killed in Brooklyn whilst crossing the road using an electronic gadget. The legislation is likely to cover MP3 players & Mobile Phones.

Largest Investigation so far - no link between Mobile Phones and cancer

The largest ever investigation into the impact of using Mobile Phones has concluded there is no risk of getting cancer from their use.

The Danish study followed 420,000 Mobile users for up to 21 years and found that there was no increase in cancers - even in long term users - compared to the 'normal' population.

This is good news as there are over 60 million mobile phones in use in the UK alone.

 

News of the World Journalist pleads guilty to hacking into Mobile Voicemails

The Royal Editor of the News of the World has pleaded guilty to hacking into the voicemails of aids to Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry. He also admitted to hacking into the Mobile voicemails of a senior politician - Simon Hughes, a top model - Elle Macpherson, leading figures in the footballing world and a publicist - Max Clifford.

If you use Voicemail make sure that you change the network PIN number to something personal so that no one can listen to your messages.

Bill of £46,200 for stolen Mobile Phone

A Mobile Phone that was stolen from the Scottish Parliament has had a bill of over £46,200 racked up on it mainly because of calls made to premium rate numbers.

The Mobile was stolen when the Scottish Parliament moved into temporary offices before moving to their famously over budget new premises at Holyrood.

Vodafone have kindly agreed to only charge half the outstanding amount.

Free International calls from Mobiles

British Mobile Phone users will soon be able to use internet enabled Mobiles to call for Free internationally in the same way they can now using their PC at home.

The Mobile Phone network '3' have agreed a deal with Skype (the world's largest internet telephone company) to pre-programme Skype into Mobiles connected to '3's network.

How it works:

1) Skype is pre-programmed onto the Mobile Phone. 2) The user selects Skype. 3) Select a contact. 4) Dials 5) Voice calls travels over the Mobile Networks to the Internet. 6) Then it travels either to a Skype enabled PC or Mobile.

Look out for other similar deals being struck soon between Mobile networks and Internet telephone providers.

The phone stops ringing for easyMobile

easyMobile, the Mobile network set up by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's Easygroup is to close. Users will no longer be able to use their mobiles from midnight on 13th December. 

The decision comes after their partners TDC (a Danish Telecoms Company) decided to pull out of thew UK market.

However, Stelios hasn't ruled out a return to the UK market. Speaking in BBC's Radio 5 he said: "Easygroup will look for another supplier to work with, I don't easily give up."

Ringtone sales falter after six years of growth

For those who have been driven to distraction by ringtones of varying quality and levels of annoyance, news that sales of ringtones is down will be very welcome .

In 2000 the UK market was worth £34.8 million, this rose to a staggering £177.3 million in 2005. However figures for this year are expected to be at £143.5 million and by 2011 will be at £78.8 million.

The decrease is down to a number of factors: controversy over some sales companies that use repeat reverse billing, the fact that a consumer can purchase a whole music track for 99 pence compared to as much as £3.50 for a ringtone that's a mere snippet of music and the simple fact that maybe the fad of ringtones is losing it's appeal.