UK gets more phone numbers
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THE RASH OF VoIP services being peddled in the UK has meant that the country has to release a new batch of phone numbers. Telco watchdog Ofcom has barked that it would establish the prefix &quot;056,&quot; allowing
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Rip-off alert will give you a chance to hang up Telecoms regulator Ofcom has ordered that from September, callers to so-called "personal numbers", which start with the digits 070, must hear a warning on the call's cost for free before being connected if the call will cost more than 20 pence.â¦
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Not quite the usual conference call.
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Applications for asylum in the UK rose by 9% in the last three months, according to official figures.
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The official count of British tourists killed in Asia&#39;s deadly tsunamis has risen to 16 as the government put hundreds of phone operators to work fielding calls from those desperate for information.
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Ofcom calls for mass debate on central database Ofcom has issued a second document on number portability, recommending that customers be able to instantly move their fixed and mobile numbers between networks.â¦
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Vodafone has ushered in a new era in mobile communications with the launch of 3G (third generation) services in 13 countries, including the UK.
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PRAGUE- The number of mobile phones in the Czech Republic grew by 520,000 to 10.24 million in Jan-Sept this year, with each citizen having one mobile phone number.
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(InfoWorld) - The U.K. is considering letting mobile phone operators run 3G (third-generation) services on frequencies reserved for 2G services, a change that could mean better 3G coverage and lower costs for the public, the government's telecommunications regulator said Thursday. The move by the Office of Communications (Ofcom) follows the expected relaxation of a longstanding European Union (E.U.) restriction on how certain frequencies could be used. A consultation period started on Thursday and runs through Nov. 29. Other European countries are undertaking similar moves to liberalize their 2G spectrums, according to a spokesman for the GSM Association (GSMA), a trade group for mobile phone operators. A 1987 E.U. directive restricted use of the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrums second-generation services based on the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard, which at the time was intended to foster growth of mobile communications across Europe by ensuring a large market for common hardware. The European Commission has proposed allowing 3G in those spectrum ranges: It says the original directive is now stalling growth of 3G services. The proposal should become policy by the end of the year once it is approved by the European Parliament and the E.U. Council of Ministers, according to the Commission. Operators across Europe have been running 3G services in the 2100MHz frequency band for several years. But opening up the 900MHz spectrum is key, as the lower frequencies allow better penetration of buildings, Ofcom said. The signals also carry further, so in rural areas fewer mobile phone masts are necessary: Ofcom estimates that high-quality mobile broadband Internet services could be provided with 10,000 fewer sites per operator. In turn, consumers should see lower costs for 3G services, the Commission has said. Finland and France are already trialing 3G services in the 900MHz band, the GSMA spokesman said. Market analyst Ovum estimates 300 million people will have 3G connections in Western Europe by 2012 if 3G is deployed at 900MHz and 2100MHz. That's compared to only 235 million connections if 3G is restricted to only 2100MHz. About 50 million have access to 3G today. Operators will likely want to continue using the 2100MHz band, as it has a higher traffic capacity than the 900MHz band, and so is better for urban areas where there are more users. In the U.K., Vodafone Group and O2 (UK)Â use the 900 MHz spectrum but only for 2G services. Ofcom is suggesting letting the other operators, Three, run by Hutchison 3G UK; T-Mobile International; and Orange, to have access to that band. The spectrum would be auctioned, with Ofcom awarding licenses as soon as 2009 and services starting by 2010, the regulator said. Ofcom is also looking at removing some technology-specific restrictions from the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, which could happen next year.
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WASHINGTON -- Many cell-phone companies plan in the coming months to begin asking customers whether they want their numbers listed in a 4-1-1 database.
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The number of UK homes with internet access has gone up by nearly a million over the last year, figures suggest.
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Mobile phone giant Vodafone says it will introduce 10 new 3G handsets, many of which will be useable in both Europe and Japan.
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A cap on roaming fees is to be introduced later this summer.   The legislation means that callers will have better information on hidden charges they face when they make calls from another part of the EU.
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People in the UK used their handsets to access the net 15.9 million times in December, says a report.
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More than 1,000 new customers are effectively signing up for mobile phones every minute around the world.
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NTT DoCoMo has launched its i-mode cell phone service in Britain and Ireland through a deal with British company mm02. DoCoMo believes it eventually could gain 60 million users in Europe alone as the Internet service gains acceptance.
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New research from NOP, shows that more of the UK Internet population are progressing to broadband - with usage at 41 per cent up from 27 per cent just six months ago, and an increase in females using the internet.