Oyster looks to Voda rivals after axe

Terminated Vodafone dealer Oyster is understood to be looking to Meteor and 3 to forge new partnerships.

Oyster, owned by Irish entrepeneur Emmet Memery (pictured), was terminated by Vodafone just before Christmas following a 12-year relationship. Sources claimed there was a disagreement over €4 million (£3.7 million) Oyster owed the network, though Vodafone would not comment beyond confirming there was “no longer a commercial arrangement” between the pair.

The Vodafone partnership is said to have accounted for two-thirds of Oyster’s 2007 turnover of about €47 million. The Irish press has also reported that Oyster could be in talks with Eircom Mobile, a business MVNO operated by fixed line provider Eircom. Oyster had a network of 27 dealer partners who used Oyster to connect to Vodafone. About half of these have been signed direct to Vodafone. Oyster recorded 83,000 mobile customers in 2007.