Carphone announces figures and plans

The Carphone Warehouse has announced its quarterly trading update for October, November and December 2008, as well as revealing its plans for the next 15 months. UK like-for-like revenue (compared with the same period in 2007) was up 8.3%, with European like-for-like revenue up 6.5%. In the next 12 months it plans to open the first Best Buy 'big box' stores in the UK and will be conducting an efficiency review alongside its current structural review. [Press release]

Carphone co-founder quits

David Ross, who co-founded The Carphone Warehouse, has resigned after admitting that he'd used his shares to guarantee personal loans. Although none of the loans are in default and Mr Ross doesn't currently plan to sell any of the shares, he has broken stock exchange rules by not admitting his actions. Mr Ross owns almost 20% of the company's shares. [Sources: Press release; Telegraph.co.uk; ManagementToday.co.uk]

Carphone not selling Hugh Symons

The Carphone Warehouse has decided not to sell Hugh Symons Communications. It put HSC on the market earlier this year but says it's now growing and is essential to Carphone’s operations. [Source: Mobile News]

Carphone confirms broadband business review

The Carphone Warehouse has published its half-year results. Excluding figures from Best Buy Europe, which now manages the Retail and Distribution business, group revenues were £697 million compared to £711 million in the same period last year. The biggest surprise - or not, depending on whether you heard the rumours at the weekend - was that the board is reviewing the Group’s structure, which may lead to the retail and broadband businesses being separated. They'll tell us more in Spring 2009. [Press release]

Carphone planning to sell TalkTalk?

There are reports that The Carphone Warehouse is soon going to announce plans to split its fixed-line phone and broadband business from the rest of the company. It's expected that the split will take place towards the end of next year. [Sources: TimesOnline.co.uk; Telegraph.co.uk]

Nokia Comes With Music to launch on 16th October

The Carphone Warehouse has announced that it'll be offering Nokia's Comes With Music service from 16th October. The service will initially be available with a version of the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic phone for £129.95. This includes a year of unlimited music downloads from Nokia's online music store, which will offer tracks from all four of the biggest music labels: EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner. Nokia also announced its first-ever touch-screen phone, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, an a new version of the S60 operating system to support it. [Comes With Music press release; S60 press release, 5800 press release]

Nokia unlimited music deal to launch in UK

Nokia's 'Comes With Music' unlimited music download service is being launched in the UK through The Carphone Warehouse. Customers who choose the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic 'Comes With Music' edition will receive a year of unlimited access to any tracks from the Nokia Music Store, with the ability to keep all downloaded tracks even when their subscription ends. More information will be available next month. [Press release]

Prepay 3G iPhone launch confirmed

O2 has announced that the 3G iPhone will be available on a prepay tariff from 16th September. The 8GB model will be £349.99 and the 16GB will be £399.99. It’ll be available from O2 stores, The Carphone Warehouse and Apple stores. The price includes unlimited web browsing and WiFi for the first 12 months, with additional use charged at £10 per month. [Source: Mobile News]

Carphone Warehouse considering new commission plan

Carphone Warehouse staff may swap commission for a profit-sharing scheme, depending on the results of a trial in the London area. [Source: Mobile News]

Andrew Harrison leaves Carphone board for Best Buy

Carphone Warehouse UK chief executive Andrew Harrison is stepping down from the Carphone Warehouse Group board to take a position on the Best Buy Europe board. He will remain in his existing role and will also take charge of the Best Buy Europe joint venture. [Source: Mobile News]

Carphone Warehouse publishes quarterly figures

The Carphone Warehouse Group has released quarterly trading figures for April, May and June 2008. [Press release]

Carphone to drop Vanilla Mobile web service

Vanilla Mobile, the "white label" fulfilment service from The Carphone Warehouse, is to cease trading from 22nd August. It offered dealers a complete web-based sales operation, including credit checking and handset supply. Dealers who used Vanilla Mobile are being offered the opportunity to join affiliate schemes via e2save and OneStopPhoneShop, two other Carphone Warehouse companies. [Source: MobileToday.co.uk]

Carphone dumping Mowbli?

Animated mobile phone Mowbli is apparently being dropped by The Carphone Warehouse when the company rebrands in August. [Source: Metro.co.uk]

Mobile Life report published

The Carphone Warehouse has published its Mobile Life 2008 report (called ‘The Connected World’); the fifth annual report in conjunction with the London School of Economics. Amongst the 'mobile' stuff in it this year:

• 94% of British youngsters own mobile phones compared to 80% in the US
• Youngsters in the UK and the USA consider their mobile phone to be their best friend, preferring it above TV
• 17% of UK adults said they owned two or more mobiles, compared to 11% in the US
• 24% of US adults and 17% of UK adults have sent/received email on their phone
• 14% of adults have checked news or weather reports online via their mobile phone
• 13% of British teenagers have had to change their number to stop unwanted texts or calls compared to 6% in the US
• 14% of British teenagers reported having a mobile phone stolen compared to 9% in the US
• 15% of adults in the UK have reported a mobile theft versus 7% in the US

[Web site; PDF]

3G Apple iPhone for sale

The new 3G Apple iPhone is now on sale in the UK at O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores. And in the USA, a number of reviewers - including David Pogue from the New York Times - have received preview models.

Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy merger is OK with OFT

The Office of Fair Trading has said it won't be refering the Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy joint venture to the Competition Commission because there's currently no overlap in the UK between Best Buy and the proposed merged business. [Carphone Warehouse press release; OFT decision]

Carphone co-founder sells £32 million shares

Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross has sold 15 million company shares at £2.17 each. The shares have all been bought by the Carphone Warehouse Employee Share Ownership Trust. Mr Ross still owns around 19.5% of the company. [Press release]

Housing market affects Carphone Warehouse

The Carphone Warehouse has released its annual results, announcing a 12% increase in group revenue and a 75% increase in profits before tax. However, it also said it had connected fewer broadband customers than expected, pointing out that many people only changed supplier when moving house... and fewer people were moving. [Sources: Carphone Warehouse; TimesOnline.co.uk]

Carphone co-founder gets Olympic role

Carphone Warehouse co-founder and non-executive Deputy Chairman David Ross has been been appointed as the London Mayor's representative on the London Olympic Games Organising Committee. [Press release]

Carphone Warehouse launches payment card

Just when you thought there were no more surprises to come from The Carphone Warehouse, the company has announced that it'll be launching a payment card in August. Customers will use their mobile phones to transfer cash from their bank account to the card - and will then be able to purchase items from a wide range of retailers worldwide. [Source: Mobile News]