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. />

Virgin Mobile ranked highest on both pre-pay and contract in the latest J D Power mobile customer satisfaction survey. T-Mobile rated worst for pre-pay and Orange for contract. The survey also claimed that increasing numbers of customers are looking to switch networks at the end of their contracts. />The JD Power 2007 survey its 10th scored networks out of 1000 index points for brand promotions call quality cost handsets and customer service. The marks scored for customer satisfaction within the contract sector also include billing. The survey polled 2706 mobile customers. />Among pre-pay providers Virgin Mobile moves from third place in 2006 to first place with an index score of 724 points on the 1000-point scale. It rated well across all six factors. O2 with 699 points came />second. Tesco Mobile included in />the study for the first time ranks a close third. />Virgin Mobile also ranks highest in the contract sector with a score of 730 points. Its scored highly for six out of seven voting categories. O2 and T-Mobile (679) follow in the segment rankings. />JD Power and Associates director of service industries research Caspar Tearle said: With increasing numbers of consumers reporting their intention to switch providers its becoming even more important for them to reward existing customers for their loyalty. />One-tenth of pre-pay customers and more than one-fifth of contract customers intend to change in the next 12 months. Our research also shows rewarding mobile customers has a positive impact on levels of customer satisfaction and could entice potential customers to switch networks. />According to the study 46 per cent of customers received some form of incentive or reward from their network to encourage loyalty with contract customers marginally more likely to receive rewards than pre-pay customers. />It also found the average number of weekly calls made by pre-pay customers has dropped from 14 in 2006 to 10 per week. The average number of text messages has stayed the same at 27. />Among contract customers the number of calls made per week has dropped from 35 in 2006 to 27 in 2007 while texts have increased considerably from 32 to 46. />Seventy-two per cent of mobiles now have a camera feature. Content usage has increased with 66 percent of users now taking photos and 47 per cent sending photos to others. Just 23 per cent of users actually download ringtones. />Pre-pay customers pay an average of £12.35 per month representing an annual spend of £150 with O2 customers spending the most (£13.95) and Virgin customers the least (£10.90). Contract customers spend £32.45 per month Orange customers spending the most and Virgin customers spending the least.

Text service Any Question Answered (AQA) answered its six millionth question over the Easter weekend it said last week. />AQA marketing director Paul Cockerton said AQA is answering 14000 text questions a day from the UK and Ireland with answers sent out every six seconds. />Cockerton said: The Easter weekend signalled the start of a very busy period. The combination of the good weather high profile sporting events and a few extra days off meant customers were in an inquisitive mood. We answered a record 60000 questions over the Easter bank holiday. />The six millionth question was answered at 10.17pm on April 13. />AQA launched in 2004 as the first premium rate text question and answer service. It took AQA 18 months to reach its first million questions. The last million took just 10 weeks. By the end of the year AQA will be answering a million questions a month said Cockerton. />AQA has around 700 researchers to answer questions.

Oranges decision to make its Unlimited tariffs available through the dealer channel is literally too good to be true it has turned out. />Until now Orange tariffs of £35 per month and above have included an unlimited offer through Oranges direct sales channels only. Orange extended the deal to the indirect channel including its high street multiple partners on May 1. />But Orange confirmed last week it is keeping other value-packed tariffs to itself and boosting its direct 18-month tariffs by 100 minutes. />JAG managing director John George said: The message we got from Orange was we were getting the same deals. What we werent getting was hidden as I expected we were getting the same deals that had been available in Orange direct stores. />He added: When they give us something they usually take something so Im grateful we havent been penalised with lower commissions. />Intek managing director Manny Hussain said: It isnt good they havent given us the others. It makes things the same as they were before. />Network Digital director Peter Sealey said: It would be better if they were with us not against us. We all know theyre sneaky. They try not to include us and want to cut us out but we find ways around it. Its wrong how they treat us. />But dealers were pleased they had been extended at least some of the benefits of Oranges stores. />Hussain added: It means we wont get customers who buy from us then find out they could get a better deal direct. It saves us those problems. Customers often feel aggrieved when they find about the unlimited text offers. You end up returning one Orange handset only so they can connect it back to Orange. Its not a professional way to do things. />The Unlimited offer is available on 18-month contract upgrades only. Dealers can now offer Oranges Racoon £35 tariff with unlimited landline calls its Dolphin £35 tariff with unlimited cross-network texts its Canary £40 tariff with unlimited on-network calls and its Panther tariffs with a choice of unlimited deals. />An Orange spokesperson said: The unlimited tariffs are incredibly popular so we extended them to independent dealers to ensure that all customers can benefit. />Orange has also revamped small business tariffs launching new packages for self-employed sole trader and SME customers this month. />The Orange Solo plan offers three price points from 400 to 800 minutes with 50 per cent extra minutes for those taking 24-month contracts. Up to 3MB of data and free texts are available on £35 and £40 plans. />The Orange Venture devised for business with up to 10 employees has bundles ranging from 275 to 3400 minutes unlimited calls between sharers and mid-contract reviews. Venture also has a promotional offer of 20 per cent extra minutes for 18-month contracts and 40 per cent extra minutes for 24-month contracts. />For larger business Orange Momentum has bundles ranging from 2500 to 45000 voice minutes flat rate sharers fees unlimited calls and texts between sharers and a promotional launch offer of unlimited on-net calls on 24 and 36-month contracts. />Orange head of channel sales Sam Sandercock said: Its not going to be a massive acquisition market but it will help us continue our good growth. Well be powering on with our existing business tariffs but we hope these will take off very quickly.

Carphones Stuart Henry said last week that Carphone needs to ape the old Caudwell Group companies to succeed. />Said Henry: We need to stand on our own two feet and develop relationships with all the key suppliers and work in isolation [from Carphone]. John Caudwell would never have tried to run 20:20 out of Phones 4U. They were separate businesses that were in most respects competitors. We should be competing with and supplying Carphone.

Israeli manufacturer Emblaze denied last week that it is set to pull out from troubled distributor European Telecom. />Emblaze UK CEO Laurence Alexander told Mobile News: There has been no meeting this week with the ET senior management team. All of our distribution business continues to go through ET. All the orders go to ET and we are processing orders now. Emblaze remains the majority shareholder in ET. There is no plan at present to change any of that. />Sources close to ET said Emblaze will walk away from it this week whether ET finds a buyer for the distribution business or not. />Emblaze has been hawking its fulfilment business around rival distributors including Data Select and Carphone Warehouse claimed sources close to both. />Alexander denied this flatly. />Certainly Emblaze has kept a close eye on ETs finances of late. />The company has upwards of £8 million in withheld VAT refunds due to the clampdown on VAT carousel fraud by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). />ET chairman Nico Devisaj has admitted publicly that handset trading at ET has come to a halt. />Its airtime distribution business has also suffered as networks have suddenly pulled back from distance sales. There have also been a tranche of redundancies from the business in recent months. />ET set up its direct B2B sales ET Business Solutions in December. It has been suggested it represents an escape route of sorts from the distribution business for its senior management team. />Frank Masson the head of ETs B2B unit said: ET Business Solutions is now behaving like a stand-alone business. />We have genuine confidence in it growing and succeeding. We are looking at all the other parts of the business to see if they are worthy of complimenting the B2B unit. />See interview page 26