Texting topples records

The number of text messages sent in September has smashed all records yet again according to figures released by the Mobile Data Association (MDA).

The number of text messages sent in September was over 3.7 billion an increase of 100 million on the previous highest total recorded in August.

On average there were 123 million messages being sent per day last month – that is an increase of 30 per cent from September last year.

Qstik channel recruitment

Consumer electronics specialist Qstik is searching for channel partners to distribute its first Bluetooth headset offering.

Founded in autumn 2005 the venture specialises in making use of technologies developed by the military to produce products for the consumer sector. The companys first product is the EVOQ Bluetooth headset. The product uses technology developed for the military market. It enhances speech for the caller and listener while vastly improving the quality of sound according to Qstik business development manager Iain Graham encouraging longer and more frequent conversations.

A Vodafone veteran Graham said: This is a rare opportunity for distributors to get involved at the ground level with a device that is utterly unique. We anticipate that EVOQ will ultimately boost operator revenues because its so easy to integrate .

BT Movio adds news

BT has added ITN News to its roster of TV channels on its wholesale mobile TV service BT Movio.

BT Movio is available to all UK network operators although only Virgin Mobile has opted in so far. The addition of ITN News a made-for-mobile news channel completes the BT Movio content line-up at launch. Other channels include BBC One ITV1 Channel 4 and E4.

BT Movio managing director Emma Lloyd said: During the BT Movio pilot consumers consistently ranked news as the number one preference.

BT Movio launched last month on Virgin Mobile is available on contracts of 25 and above. The service costs 5 monthly after an initial free 90 days.

3 extends its IM service

3 has announced that over 100 million instant messages have been sent since the network started up the service on August 1.

This means that over one million messages a day are sent over the service called Windows Live Messenger. The announcement comes as the network extended the service to pre-pay customers – previously it was available solely to those signed up on contract.

According to 3UK marketing director Graeme Oxby three-quarters of under-24s in the UK are regular instant messengers – and over half of them want to be able to access an instant messaging service over the phone. 3 has over 10 million registered users in the UK.

Oxby said: We have been watching with interest how quickly the super-connected generation has adopted instant messaging on their mobiles. Our decision to offer this service free will allow all of our customers to benefit from our mobile Internet service.

Windows Live Messenger is available free for life for 3 contract customers and free for pre-pay customers until December 2007.

Safran responds to Motorola

Sagem parent Safran has issued a response to reports that Motorola is interested in acquiring the French handset maker.

The company said it was pleased to see that a major player in the market has publicly recognised the quality of its mobile phones division.

The company said: A potential link-up with another mobile phone maker is only one possibility to ensure the sustained success of the business. In the current context Motorola remains a competitor to Sagem.

Two weeks ago Motorola head of mobile phones Ron Garriques said the company was looking at Sagem shares with interest sending Safran sky high. Subsequently Motorola sent out a statement saying that Garriques comments were a general comment and not a plan of action.

Vodafone strengthens board

Vodafone has appointed two non-executive directors Nick Land and Alan Jebson to its board from December. The move is seen by pundits as an effort to create a mood of consensus and put earlier in-fighting firmly in the past for the network. Jebson retired this summer as group chief operating officer of HSBC and is a former colleague of Vodafone chairman Sir John Bond. Land recently retaired as chairman of Ernst and Young.
Bond said: Nicks financial expertise and experience of dealing with major corporations in many parts of the world will be invaluable to us and Alans knowledge of international information technology systems including his experience of CRM [Customer Relationship Management] and data mining as well as his financial background will be a great asset for Vodafone.

Carphone snags BT Internet ads

The Carphone Warehouse has won out in a spat with BT over the advertising of its Total Broadband service.

Press ads taken out by BT offered free evening and weekend calls over the Internet for a monthly charge of 9.99 for the first six months. Small print stated that the offer was limited to new customers who took out an 18-month contract. CPW complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that stating evening and weekend calls as free was misleading of BT.

The ASA upheld the complaint.

VAT conference line-up extends

Lacey director of accounting consultants FAR Consulting joins other top VAT experts such as Dr Mike Cheetham (Bond House) and Will Southcott (Dass Solicitors) at the one-day event to be held at the Kingsway Hall Hotel in Central London.

The conference is a follow-up to the similar sell-out event held last November. The agenda will cover issues such as resolving loss of banking facilities fighting retention of VAT refunds and coping with HMRC investigations.

To book a place log onto mobilenewsconferences.co.uk or call Sarah Clacey on 020 7324 3509.

Carphone on strong half year revenues

Carphone Warehouse has released strong half-year results as it announced a possible pan-European deal with Vodafone. However one-time costs dragged the bottom line down into negative figures.

The fixed line to mobile phones business recorded a 40 per cent growth in its financial half-year sales. It made 1.8 billion in revenue in the 26 weeks ended September 30 up from 1.2 billion in the same period the year before.

Pre-tax profits were massively down on last year however to a 4.7 million deficit due to start-up losses of over 45.1 million attributed to the companys free broadband offer.

On the retail side total connections grew 34.4 per cent to 4.34 million. Subscription connections were up 17.1 per cent to 1.82 million and pre-pay connections rose by59 per cent to 2.28 million. SIM-free sales fell by 2.7 per cent to 241000. Retail like-for-like growth was 12.1 per cent.

Carphone CEO Charles Dunstone said: This has been a busy six months. Our distribution business has maintained its momentum opening 143 new store and benefiting from the dynamism of the mobile market and customer demand.

Dunstone was quick to downplay the decision by Vodafone to give Phones 4U an exclusivity deal on consumer contracts. He used the results as a platform to announce that he was in talks with the network over a pan-European framework agreement.

He said: Subsequent to our announcement on October 12 we have been actively engaged with Vodafone regarding the development of a Pan-European framework agreement. It is intended that this agreement will encompass subscription and prepay connections where appropriate.

3 to launch Sky Mobile TV

3UK has struck a deal with BSkyB to deliver mobile TV services over its network.

The neteworks customers will be offered up to 27 Sky Mobile TV channels including news sport music entertainment and documentaries. The service is a mix of made-for-mobile and as-live programming.

Three specific service packs are available each focused around news and sport entertainment and music. Each one is priced at 5 per month for unlimited access subject to 3s fair usage policy.

However the network plans to offer the service free for the first month of launch.

The service will be launched by the end of the year a 3UK spokeswoman confirmed.