O2 to scrap "rules of engagement" blocking dealer upgrades

It's reported that O2 is going to scrap its "rules of engagement" from 5th January 2009. The rules, which have been applied in various forms since October, stopped dealers from upgrading O2 customers. [Source: Mobile News issue 428]

Credit crunch causes mobile users to change upgrade plans

Mobile application developer GetJar has just published the results of its first Mobile Attitudes poll, which shows that mobile phone users around the world are delaying plans to upgrade or buy new handsets because of the global economic crisis. 78% of users worldwide are delaying plans to upgrade or buy a new mobile phone, and 76% are cutting the amount they spend on mobile usage. When asked whether they’d reduced spending on mobile phones in the previous 12 months, more than half hadn’t reduced their spending at all or had cut it by less than 10%. [MobileAttitudes.org]

Consumers waiting longer before upgrading

Mobile phone manufacturer Qualcomm says customers are now waiting longer before replacing their handsets. CEO Paul Jacobs said that consumers in Japan and South Korea were holding on to their phones for up to two years. [Source: WashingtonPost.com]

This week's free podcast now online

This week's free podcast from TheFonecast.com takes its usual look at the latest industry news and gossip from the last 7 days, including an interview with Adrian Foot of 'The Phone Shop' about the controversy surrounding 3's alleged advice to its dealers. We also review the Nokia N82 and James Rosewell investigates unlocking & firmware upgrades. As always, each weekly broadcast can be downloaded automatically by including us in your RSS reader or by using iTunes.