Customers of offshore financial services provider UMBS Online continue to suffer at the hands of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) according to Birmingham-based Dass Solicitors. />According to Dass SOCA refused permission for UMBS to make a number of fund transfers under powers conferred by The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. A recent application to the High Court by UMBS to try and secure the release of the funds was unsuccessful. />UMBS offers banking services to both private individuals and corporations worldwide with no limitations on customers or money. />Dass Solicitors Jake Stacey told Mobile News: This situation reflects continuing harassment by HMRC of companies in our market sector. As far as we are aware Â’Â’Â’ we are still trying to get hold of all the information Â’Â’Â’ it is not the companies that are trading with UMBS that are affected by the order but the company itself. />On March 20 HMRC obtained a restraint order against assets held by UMBS on behalf of its clients. On April 12 UMBS unsuccessfully appealed to have the order changed which is being appealed in court. />Stacey said: I have asked to see the restraint order but HMRC wont provide it citing client confidentiality. Strange as some of those involved are our clients. We are still trying to find out whats going on. We await copies of various court hearing transcripts from UMBS and HMRC. />As far as I am aware UMBS is still trading. Theres been no regulatory intervention. But as far as the detail is concerned everyone is in the dark. />UMBSs situation is markedly different from the fate suffered by First Curacao International Bank (FCIB) which was placed into administration in the Dutch Antilles. />Said Stacey: This is an ongoing saga. Even if the administration court rules in our favour we may still not get the money released. FCIB change the goalposts regularly. They came up with a set of objective conditions that customers must fulfil before they get the money that is rightfully theirs. />These involved clients providing certain documentation which they did last December but still havent received their money. We may be forced to set up a group action in the Dutch Antilles to deal with this. />

Manchester-based online dealer Expansys said last week it will make acquisitions and expand its operations abroad following its £25 million debut on the AiM market earlier this month. />The handset and accessories retailer hopes to generate £10 million to support its growth. />Expansys CEO Robert Butterworth said: Weve grown very rapidly in the last six years. As a result and to keep growth going we need to recapitalise our business and to raise working capital. />Having looked at our various options we decided an AiM float was the best one. As a result we will be taking on more product lines a couple of small acquisitions and looking at international expansion. />Butterworth said Expansys will venture into physical retail. The online market is increasing in size and its where selling technology works well Butterworth said. Were not certain how it will go but so far the reception from investors has been good. />Expansys was ranked 57th on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list of growing businesses. The group generated a £54 million turnover last year.

Online dealer Mobiles.co.uk last week joined the Orange dealer federation becoming the first web retailer to be awarded Orange Specialist Partner (OSP) status.

It won entry to the scheme by meeting a strict set of performance indicators over a sustained period said its managing director Simon Mason. He added the recognition was a tribute to its policies processes and procedures.

OSP dealers get a revenue share scheme better commercials customer service and marketing support. Mason said:

We have been actively working towards OSP status with Orange since September 2006 and this award recognises the effort undertaken in reaching and maintaining these standards.

Im delighted to have received recognition from one of the major networks that Mobiles.co.uk is a quality volume connector. Im also proud were the first and web-only reseller to be awarded OSP status.

Orange head of indirect Steve Heald said:

The quality sales propositions and service offered by Mobiles.co.uk is delivering Orange customers exactly what theyre looking for on the web right now.

Frinton-on-Sea independent dealer Justin Humphry is taking to the high seas on his jet ski to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. />Humphry will begin his journey from Frinton beach at high tide on July 14 heading anti-clockwise around the United Kingdom. />He is looking for sponsorship from the mobile industry. Log onto www.jetskicharitychallenge.co.uk to make a donation.

Luton B2B dealership DM Telecom has invested £50000 to move and expand its HQ. />DM Telecom run by Dino Maroudias from an annex at his home is set to move to a 3000 sq ft office in Stopsley Luton. It is also recruiting telesales and field sales staff. />Maroudias said: We want five telesales staff four on the road and three account managers in the office. The offices have a boardroom training suite and data suite so we can meet prospective clients on site. />The mobile industry is as strong as ever; in fact it has matured and become more professional focusing on low churn and high ARPU. />Maroudias will be out of action in July undergoing a kidney transplant after kidney failure due to complications with diabetes.

Vodafone and Orange have hit out at accusations they have deliberately removed the VoIP capability from their supply of Nokia N95 handsets to protect voice revenues. />James Tagg Chief executive of VoIP provider Truphone said: The decision is a major threat to mobile network neutrality that should concern all mobile phone users. />Preventing consumer choice is protectionism in disguise it is subsidy abuse. Were at the dawn of the mobile internet era and consumers should get an open playing field not a walled garden. />If the mobile network operators start blocking services they dont like there will be no incentive for anyone to innovate. You may own the handset but theyll own you. />Orange dismissed the allegations saying it is not the networks policy to remove VoIP functionality from devices. />A spokesperson said: This a handset-specific issue and in this particular instance Orange was asked by Nokia whether they wanted the VoIP functionality switched on or off and Orange selected off. />There are a list of functions a phone can do and an operator chooses the ones it wants. Weve made VoIP available on other Nokia handsets. It is available with the E60 for example. />Vodafone said its decision was based on a lack of customer demand for the feature. />A spokesperson said: When were looking at handsets were looking at providing consistency in experience so we dont always take the version put out by manufacturers. The majority of our customers just want to make calls quickly and simply through our standard voice network. />Nokia has also jumped to the networks defence. Nokia head of communications Mark Squires said: As with many multi-function devices not every network operator will support every possible configuration of the device. />The networks havent disabled it they just havent included it in their network-specific package. />Some networks are waiting to get their own service and package while some networks dont want to support it because they think its too complex for the end user. />Vodafone has also been accused of restricting choice with the latest tweak of its data tariffs. />Vodafones new tariffs feature a £1 per-day browsing charge and a monthly data subscription that cannot be used for VoIP which will be charged separately at £2 per MB with a 5p minimum charge for each data session. />Kerry Ritz managing director of VoIP provider Vonage UK said: Vodafones new data tariff is yet another example of telephone companies using smoke and mirrors to pretend they are offering something competitive and dynamic while still restricting consumer choice. />We all know VoIP means much cheaper calls. />We also know mobile operators have been charging consumers over the odds for a long time and do not like the idea of people using their data networks to make calls using other technologies. />They will fight off VoIP for as long as they can but we have to ask ourselves who will lose most from these tactics and the answer is the consumer. />A Vodafone spokesman said data charges had been altered to fit in with its mobile internet launch later this summer adding: The Vonage comment about the new data tariffs is accurate but it only responds to one element of the changes.

Supermarket chain Asda has unveiled its pre-pay tariffs. />They launched in 51 stores last week following the public launch of its wholesale MVNO agreement with Vodafone. Asda said its pre-pay offers will be available in 250 stores by the end of the year. />Calls on Asda Mobile are 16p per minute for the first three minutes each day and 8p per minute thereafter. Texts cost 10p for the first three each day dropping to 5p thereafter. No other pre-pay deal offers texts messages for less than 10p said Asda. />Customers will also get an extra 10 per cent free credit when they top-up in-store or by phone. Top-ups are available at checkouts and kiosks in any of Asdas UK stores. />Asda director for general merchandise Peter Pritchard said: Our tariff is market-leading in terms of price and weve bent over backwards to keep it as simple as possible with no peak rates and no higher charges for calling other networks. />Low prices are in our DNA were famous for being Britains best value supermarket and once again were driving down prices which is great news for customers. />A Vodafone spokesperson said: By working with Asda we are able to capitalise on its significant presence customer base and credentials as a trusted brand giving excellent customer value. />Supermarket pre-pay rivals Tesco Mobile declined to comment.

A mobile handset trader said last week HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has withheld VAT re-payments from his surfboard import business. />Ruarri Spurgeon managing director of mobile trading firm Unistar Trading told Mobile News his other trading concern a surfboard importing company called Resin8 had been subjected to extended verification because it was perceived to be in a high risk sector by HMRC. />Spurgeon said: I received a letter last week addressed to Resin8 to tell me that a reclaim for less than £5000 has been selected for extended verification. The letter goes on to explain this verification is being carried out in high risk sectors to mitigate losses caused by MTIC [missing trader] fraud. />He added: I expect I will have to wait two years to be refunded VAT which I paid directly to HMRC in the first place or perhaps I should pay a lawyer £10000 to recover it. />An HMRC spokesperson said: HMRC has a duty to protect revenue and will carry out verification of suspect claims regardless of the goods involved. Our verification activity is proportionate targeted and risk-based. As soon as we have satisfied ourselves every part of the claim is valid we repay it immediately. />Unistar was founded in 1999 as an importer and exporter of mobile phones. It has a considerable amount of money withheld by HMRC dating back to 2006.

Brightstar Europe is recruiting 20 internal and external account managers to be based in the UK from within the industry. />The new recruits will be tasked with building relationships with retail and dealer customers of handsets handheld PCs and other wireless devices. />A Brightstar Europe spokesperson said: We are looking to recruit around 20 quality candidates with good experience of the UK mobile industry to sell Brightstar Europes suite of products and supply chain solutions. There are vacancies across all our three UK sites in York Birmingham and Basingstoke. />Brightstars UK set up is a joint venture with Tech Data subsidiary Computer 2000. Last week it confirmed the appointment of former 20:20 managing director Rod Millar as Brightstar Europe president. His 20:20 exit terms prevent him from working in the UK until October. />Former T-Mobile sales director Christina Meade has joined as UK managing director. Its search for a sales director continues though it has interviewed several senior industry players for the role. />Brightstar doubled its turnover in 2006 to $3.6 billion (£1.8bn). It serves customers in 46 countries across six continents.

T-Mobile and Research in Motion have released the White BlackBerry Pearl smartphone. />The lightest and smallest of the BlackBerry range the White Pearl has internet email polyphonic and MP3 ringtones Bluetooth support and a newly enhanced version of RIMs SureType QWERTY keypad. />The White BlackBerry Pearl is available from T-Mobile stores only and free on selected contracts. />