Barely week after announcing the acquisition of TMAC, Focus Group has snapped up its twelfth target, this time acquiring Prism, a managed service provider specialising in the SME and financial services market. Founded in 2001, Prism has a team of 50 staff members and supports over 6,000 end users with services in Managed IT, Modern

IT managed services provider Redsquid has acquired Aberdeen-based *IT Hotdesk to boost service offerings in the region. IT Hotdesk’s team and operations will be integrated into Redsquid’s existing structure. This is Redsquid’s third acquisition this year. In August Redsquid bought OptivITy, a managed service provider specialising in the film industry. In March it acquired Epoq

Gist Mobile has partnered with eSIM tech provider Mobilise to introduce eSIMs to its mobile application. Founded in 2020, Gist Mobile started as a VoIP provider, offering virtual numbers, voice and SMS features. It is now using Mobilise’s  HERO to introduce eSIMs which allows service providers to offer connectivity services using their existing app in

Three has welcomed Ymobile as a new MVNO to offer data-only eSIM plans that can be bought through the Ymobile app without any contractual obligations. Ymobile offers five flexible, 30-day data plans. These are 2GB for £2, 5GB for £5, 10GB for £7, 50GB for £10, and 100GB for £15. Ymobile is an MVNO brand

Currys’ MVNO iD Mobile, has reached the two million subscriber milestone, adding 488,000 new subscribers in the past year.  iD Mobile, whch launched nine years ago is hosted by Three and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Currys. It positions itself as a “value” network promoting affordability, flexibility, and a variety of features. It received ‘Great

The proposed merger between Vodafone and Three is nearly a done deal. The Competition and Markets Authority has agreed that a significant network upgrade by the merged company could address competition concerns and allow the merger to proceed. The CMA now states that a legally binding commitment from Vodafone and Three to undertake their proposed

Thousands of unsuspecting buyers of used iPhones across the world have been sold devices containing a concealed microchip that deceptively hides the true status of battery health. In reality, these batteries may be significantly worn down or even near depletion, misleading customers about their device’s true condition. The microchips, which cost as little as £1.50,

Likewize’s existing investor, Genstar Capital, has become the majority shareholder in the company for an undisclosed amount, following its initial investment in March of last year. Management and Brightstar Capital Partners (“Brightstar”) will remain minority investors in Likewize. Leadership is not expected to change. Genstar President and Managing Partner Ryan Clark (main pic R) said,

US warranty company Allstate Protection Plans has acquired smart device lifecycle company Kingfisher-mx for an undisclosed amount. Allstate Protection Plans, formerly known as SquareTrade, offers extended warranties and protection plans for consumer electronics, appliances, furniture, and more. The company is a subsidiary of Allstate, one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. Kingfisher was

Irish circular technology company Alchemy increased revenues by 60 per ent to of $711 million for the financial year ending 31 March 2024 over the previous year’s $443 million. Alchemy traded over 2.4 million devices globally, up 700,000 from the previous year. The company has traded more than seven million devices since it was set

Tesco Mobile is to sponsor of Digital Matters, a free online learning programme from Internet Matters for primary school teachers to teach media literacy and online safety education, Tesco Mobile says 30 per cent of teachers are citing a lack of training as a significant barrier to teaching online safety effectively and 21 per cent

Vodafone and Google have extended their existing partnership by 10 years to bring new services, devices, and TV experiences to Vodafone customers across Europe and Africa, supported by Google Cloud and Google’s Gemini models. Both companies will jointly promote the use of universal industry standards in areas such as online safety, responsible AI development, network

Around Virgin Media O2 350 employees from the current Bellshill office will relocate three miles away to new luxury offices at Maxim Park, in Lanarkshire, 20 minutes from Glasgow. Maxim Park was selected for its amenities, transport links, and community environment. The new office will serve employees across departments including network expansion, technology, and operations.

An outdoor small cell project in the City of London by EE and connectivity infrastructure Freshwave   is now expanding with 25 new sites, boosting 4G and 5G coverge across the Square Mile. Sites benefiting from the new coverage include St. Paul’s Cathedral, Cannon Street, and the Bank of England. The project aims to improve

Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Bryant has visited the new Digital Catapult 5G Immersive Lab in Newcastle. THe innovation lab, based in Newcastle’s Eldon Square, will help SMEs adapt to 5G and immersive technologies and facility wwill encourage SMEs to

Vodafone and Three have pledged to maintain tariffs for their SMARTY and VOXI MVNO customers.at £10 or below for two years from the completion of the proposed merger of the two networks. They say they will also provide a pricing framework that encourages other MVNOs to access their additional network capacity. Upon approval of the

Reboxed, the sustainable platform offering refurbished devices, has announced a new logistics partnership with BlankIT known for its expertise in device quality control. The collaboration is expected to elevate Reboxed’s mission of delivering top-tier refurbished products to consumers in an eco-friendly manner. BlankIT Ltd will now oversee Reboxed’s device logistics, ensuring rigorous quality assurance. The

Vodafone has joined other major neowkr operators around the world to create a new company with Ercisson  to offer network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) globally. The venture aims to simplify access to advanced mobile network features, which have traditionally been difficult for developers to integrate across various telecom systems. The deal is expected to close

Business technology provider Focus Group has racked up its tenth acquisition in its financial year with the takeover of Hampshire-based telecoms IT reseller Silver Lining. Silver Lining offers telephony, cloud computing, networking, cybersecurity, and managed IT services, including technical support, infrastructure management, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity. The deal also includes Atmoso, a channel-only provider that

Former Virgin Media O2 Head of SMB Sales Angie Ablard Simpson has joined secondary market refurbisher urMobile as director of channel develoment. Her first project is launching a trade portal within called ur Business for buying and trading handsets which is now open, The UR Business portal offers account holders the ability to manage orders,

Sunderland City Council  and Boldyn Networks has won the Community Improvement Award at the Connected Britain Awards 2024 for their Digital Inclusion Programme The programme aims to address digital inequality in Sunderland by providing residents with access to digital skills and resources. Launched in partnership between the council and Boldyn Networks, the initiative has supported

Private 5G networks across West Sussex are to be deployed to boost local food and wine production using testing sensors, drones, and cameras. The initiative has been given a £3.8 million grant from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology It brings together a consortium including West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Growers, Brighton University,

Apple has been hit with an £11 billion tax bill following the European Court of Justice’s confirmation of the EU Commission’s decision in a tax case against Apple, ending years of legal battles. The ruling holds Apple accountable for unpaid taxes worth up to €13 billion, underscoring the Commission’s fight against aggressive tax planning by

The iPhone SE and basic iPhone 14 models are staying in the iPhone lineup which should help to maintain used value of these models as the iPhone 16 now moves to the top of the tree. The iPhone 16 range is the usual standard (£799) Plus (£899), Pro (£999) , and the Pro Max (£1,199)