BT considering mobile internet service?

The Guardian says BT is considering setting up a mobile phone or mobile data service in partnership with T-Mobile and 3. It currently offers some mobile services as an optional extension of its broadband package.

Google G2 to launch by summer?

A successor to the Android-powered T-Mobile G1 mobile phone will be launched in May, according to an assortment of online rumours. The G2, made by HTC and codenamed Sapphire 2.0, won't have a slide-out keyboard but will apparently have a 3.2 megapixel camera. [Sources: Wired.com; PCWorld.com]

T-Mobile UK MD quits

T-Mobile UK managing director Jim Hyde is leaving the company at the end of March for a new job with telecoms company nTelos in the USA. He joined the company three years ago from T-Mobile's American business and has been with the Deutsche Telekom group for a total of 12 years. [Sources: Mobile News; nTelos press release]

New Motorola handset made from recycled water bottles

Motorola has announced the MOTO W233 Renew, which it's describing as the world’s first mobile phone made using plastics comprised of recycled water bottles - and the world's first carbon-neutral mobile phone (thanks to a carbon offsetting deal). The case is recyclable, the box is printed on recycled paper and there's a postage-paid recycling envelope in the box for your old phone (well, there is in the USA, where the Renew will be available on T-Mobile within the next few weeks). [Press release]

T-Mobile launches free ad-funded games

T-Mobile has become the first network in the UK to offer free games that are funded by advertising. Customers can access at least one new game per week by watching two advertisements before starting the game and two adverts after the game has finished. [Press release]

1 million T-Mobile G1 phones shipped this year

HTC says it expects to have shipped 1 million T-Mobile G1 handsets (and 3 million HTC Touch Diamond devices) by the end of 2008. The company's CEO denied rumours that it's been affected by the global economic slow-down and is planning to lay off staff. [Source: DigiTimes.com]

T-Mobile ad criticised by ASA

T-Mobile's "You won't find more minutes for £30. Guaranteed." press ad and brochure have had complaints upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority following an objection from Hutchison 3G, which has a tariff offering up to 1100 voice minutes for £27. A similar complaint about T-Mobile's TV ads was not upheld because it challenged consumers to "See if you can find more minutes for £30". [ASA adjudication]

Sky to run own advertising on mobile TV

In a contrast to the recent story about Channel 4 dropping its mobile advertising, Sky is to start selling its own advertising on its mobile TV channels offered via T-Mobile and Vodafone in the UK. [Source: NMA.co.uk]

Text bug revealed in T-Mobile G1 phone

The BBC and Wired.com have reported on a (potentially amusing) bug that affects the T-Mobile G1 mobile phone. Typing the word "reboot" in a text message soon after restarting the device causes the phone to... reboot. UK users should receive an update by tomorrow.

Mobile News podcast now online

The new edition of the Mobile News podcast is now available to download. Iain Graham talks to John Fannon about T-Mobile's recent channel review and its plans to change dealer commission payments. Mark Bridge and James Rosewell join Iain to discuss the latest mobile industry headlines - and there's a quick preview of the Samsung M8800 Pixon cameraphone. As usual, you can download or listen free at TheFonecast.com and on the Mobile News website... and you'll find us on iTunes and via RSS too.

The Mobile News podcast is presented and produced by Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge at TheFonecast.com

T-Mobile launches UK femtocell trial

T-Mobile is running a femtocell trial in the UK, Germany and Poland, according to a report on Unstrung.com.

Android G1 security flaw spotted

Security researchers say they've found a flaw in the Android-powered T-Mobile G1 smart phone. Charlie Miller of Independent Security Evaluators says he's notified Google about the flaw; Google has responded by saying it's aware of the problem and is working with T-Mobile and HTC to distribute its solution to the problem. Apparently the flaw centres on the phone's web browser, which could allow a rogue website to capture information entered on the keyboard when visiting other sites. [Sources: Press release; NYTimes.com]

T-Mobile drops over 500 independent dealers

T-Mobile has terminated 537 retailers - two-thirds of its independent dealer base - as part of the network's channel review. Having recently dropped distributor Fone Logistics, it says it also removed 34 direct Premier Partners, three direct Business Partners and more than 500 indirect dealers last Friday. T-Mobile currently connects via six distributors (Avenir, Data Select, Dextra, Elite, Hugh Symons and Redstone), 30 direct Premier Partners, 15 direct Business Partners and 200 stockists. [Source: Mobile News]

T-Mobile G1 to arrive in UK on 30th October

T-Mobile has said its exclusive Android-powered G1 smartphone will be available in the UK from Thursday 30th October, slightly earlier than previously suggested. 25,000 UK consumers have already pre-registered their interest in the device. [Press release]

Marketing man leaves T-Mobile

T-Mobile marketing director Phil Chapman is leaving the company next month. His job is losing its European focus to concentrate solely on the UK. Phil joined T-Mobile in January 2005 after a 23-year period working for Unilever. [Source: Mobile News]

1.5 million T-Mobile G1 phones already ordered

The T-Mobile G1, the HTC smartphone that runs Google's Android operating system, has apparently been pre-ordered by 1.5 million people in the USA, with about two million more phones ready for sale in high-street shops. [Sources: Pulse2.com and Fool.com]

New 'Mobile News' podcast now available

In this week's edition of the Mobile News podcast we're talking to Milind Kangle, CEO of Lycatel - the company behind new UK virtual network Lycamobile. There's also a quick preview of the forthcoming T-Mobile G1 and our usual look at the latest industry news headlines. As always, you can download or listen free at TheFonecast.com and on the Mobile News website... and you'll find us on iTunes and via RSS too.

The Mobile News podcast is produced by Iain Graham, Mark Bridge and James Rosewell from TheFonecast.com

T-Mobile and 3 sign BT backhaul deal

T-Mobile and 3 have signed a deal with BT Wholesale to link their base stations to the UK telecommunications networks, freeing them from managing the connections themselves. The deal - technically with the joint-venture partnership between T-Mobile and 3's network operations -lasts for 5 years and echoes similar deals with Vodafone and O2 earlier this year. [Source: FT.com]

T-Mobile lost information about 17 million German customers in 2006

Rather belatedly, Deutsche Telekom has admitted that its T-Mobile subsidiary in Germany had confidential data about 17 million customers stolen in 2006. The missing information included telephone numbers, dates of birth, postal addresses and email addresses. The company says it's now reinforced security procedures and has no evidence that the missing data has been misused. [Sources: Yahoo.com; DW-World.de]

New quarterly industry figures from Ofcom

Another quarter, another batch of UK statistics from regulator Ofcom. Apparently revenue across Vodafone, O2, Orange and T-Mobile fell by 1.6% in Q1 2008, with call volumes dropping slightly (0.23%) and messaging volumes increasing by 8%. Customers with 'pay monthly' constracts increased by 1.9% - a trend that's happened since the beginning of 2006. 'Contract' customers now account for 36% of all mobile subscribers, compared to 32% in Q1 2006. [Press release]