Brightstar opened preliminary discussions with the top handset manufacturers in late May and early June. It is already negotiating a deal with Samsung and is expected to make a formal presentation to Nokia in the coming weeks.

Deals with both are expected to be confirmed in August.

Samsung UK director Mark Mitchinson told Mobile News: Weve had negotiations at the highest level within Brightstar were very impressed with these guys and it could well materialise into a trial.

Nokia has also been contacted in recent weeks by Brightstar. Its UK managing director Simon Ainslie said Nokia was keen to develop its routes to market and hear Brightstars pitch.

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Dealer directory indie-guides.co.uk was launched in May to encourage consumers to buy from local suppliers rather than the big multiples.

Indie-guides MD Steve Wickens said while subscriptions for the free 90-day trial membership were strong in England numbers were low in other parts of the UK.

Wickens said: The cause of independence is felt keenly in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland and we believe the indie-guides philosophy dovetails well with that. We target consumers who appreciate the value of buying locally from independents. It is a simple concept designed to be an inexpensive yet effective way of helping businesses prosper against the tide of corporate competition.

Members are given space for a 200-word profile up to two images contact details including website and email hyperlinks plus the chance to add keywords to make the most of the indie-guides search facility.

It said it would be compatible with more than 75 per cent of handsets in the UK.

Omnifone CEO Rob Lewis said the company was in negotiation with a major UK phone retailer but would not comment further.

The Carphone Warehouse has been tipped to be the one but a spokeswoman said it was all speculation.

Lewis said Omnifone would only identify the rollout partner for MusicStation the day before handsets were available in-store and UK rollout plans would remain confidential until then.

Over a 19 month trading period HMRC officers identified losses of over £85 million in VAT linked to the group. The fraudulent trading was tracked across the North West Midlands Republic of Ireland and Europe. The Government says it has been one of the biggest missing trader frauds to be prosecuted.

HMRC head of criminal investigation (North West) Peter Hollier said: This was not a victimless crime but fraud on a massive scale perpetrated by criminals bent on making fast and easy profits at the expense of the British taxpayer. The sentence sends out a clear message to others who may contemplate such activity.

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Avenir Telecom has signed a deal with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to provide HPs top resellers with support on mobile data connections and its own dealer base with support on IT solutions for SME customers.

Avenir will be responsible for delivering full connections support including tariff selection credit checking configuration SIM provisioning porting and billing to HP resellers. Avenirs dealers will get HP laptops and handheld PCs at better prices through the tie-up.

Avenir managing director Tanny Price said the deal would allow both mobile dealers and IT resellers to offer full data solutions. Avenir claimed to be the first airtime distributor to set up a mobile data partnership with IT resellers.

More resellers are expressing an interest in mobile data but the opportunities for both resellers and the networks remains largely untapped said Price. There are opportunities for all parties to work together in order to provide customers with value-driven end-to-end data solutions.

The deal also increases network reach into the IT channel to bolster data connections said Price. Avenir will work as a connections house for all five networks for HP resellers.

HP mobile business development manager Graeme Badenoch said: HP and Avenir are both focused on simplifying sales of ready-connected devices. Providing resellers with the right advice and support infrastructure is essential to help them increase their offerings.

O2 head of indirect partners David Plumb added: There is a wealth of data expertise within the reseller channel and great opportunities
to increase data use among customers. The partnership will act as a good conduit between these markets.

Unique said McFarnon wanted to spend more time with his family and to make way for his successor while the business was in good health.

McFarnon has overseen two successful years at Unique transforming the business after its administration in 2005. It has moved with the times switching its focus from box-shifting to fulfilment. Unique claimed last week it was now the UKs second biggest distributor behind 20:20.

Unique parent company IGB Group recently invested in a new £12 million distribution base in Hayes Middlesex which will complete in August.

IGB Group MD Tamraz Riaz said We would like to thank John for his hard work and dedication during his productive and successful time at Unique Distribution. Regrettably we understand his decision and wish him every success in his future

McFarnon will remain at the Middlesex distributor until a replacement is found.

The venue formerly known as the Millennium Dome has undergone £600m revamp to become an entertainment complex.

Inside The O2 is a 20000-seat arena ten-screen cinema and a variety of restaurants and shops. Rock band Bon Jovi will be the first act to play the venue on Sunday in front of a capacity crowd.

The venue will also incorporate mobile technology that allows O2 customers to download wallpapers videos pictures and gain VIP access by texting the network.

O2 UK managing director Matthew Key said: Getting involved with this project was not about sponsorship but about producing a unique customer experience. Weve created something stunning and this venue will send visitors home knowing that theyve had a great time.

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The groups CEO James Tagg made the comment after industry regulator Ofcom offered consultation into whether VoIP services should be forced to provide 999 calls.

In an emergency people have to make quick decisions said Tagg. You dont want to introduce something that is less reliable than traditional means.

We are planning to introduce 999 calls to our mobile VoIP service in due course. Currently its not as good as cellular but when its on par with that we will introduce it.

We have to make sure our service is comparable with a network before we put it to the market. It would be a mistake to push out half-baked 999 facilities.

Tagg said the provision of emergency calls presented a moral and legal conundrum. If a VoIP provider is technically unable to give a call location should it not provide a 999 service? Or should it provide it anyway considering 80 per cent of calls already come in that way?

From this month VoIP providers will have to comply with a new regulatory code to ensure consumers are informed about the capabilities of their service including whether emergency services can be accessed.

Emergency services last year lobbied Ofcom to force VoIP operators to offer 999 calls. Ofcoms decision is due at the end of the summer.

VoIP providers have been free of the 999 condition as innovation could be stifled in this new technology.

Tagg said it would be foolish to mandate the provision of emergency calls until individual companies had their services up to scratch.

Miller was a key accounts manager with ET for over four years and will work alongside the sales team.

Genuine is understood to be looking to employ two further sales staff with two industry names already approached. It intends to double its workforce in the next year with Millers appointment following growth in the logistics and admin teams.

Genuine UK sales manager Lee Edwards said: Experience is one of the most important factors in our selection process. We are very hands-on and offer product knowledge and sourcing services. If you dont know your Jabras from your Parrots youll struggle.