Tesco (UK Supermarket) has launched a new service called ‘Talkwifi‘, which allows customers to make cheap mobile calls, via VoIP, over WiFi. The offering makes use of a service developed by Australian company Freshtel, and requires an app download to get things going. Once that is done, and the user is in a ‘free’ WiFi area, then calls can be made, at a pretty cheap rate (for how cheap, you’ll need to check the website here).

The service is currently restricted to only a limited amount of handsets, all of which are Series 60, WiFi-toting, Nokias – the E51, E81, N95, and E65. However, more handset support is due soon.

I favour WiFi for certain scenarios of mobile connectivity when I am out and about, but that’s all about the data – whether VoIP can and will run consistently, and suitably, is another question. Any IntoMobile readers regularly using their Mobile devices for VoIP are welcomed to input….

The Tesco Talkwifi site can be reached by clicking here

[Via: mobilenewscwp.co.uk]

Following relatively hot on the heels of Vodafone, Orange UK has announced plans to open 60 new stores through 2008, and into 2009. These will take up locations such as Southampton, Bristol, and parts of London – adding to the existing 338 shops. If that wasn’t enough, another 100 stores are set to get a facelift in the next 12 months!

The new and re-furbished stores will be based on the design of Cardiff’s flagship city centre shop, following its success since the opening last year. The stores will be designed to enhance the shopping experience, display our full product range from mobiles to laptops and to improve customer service, with a clean, stylish look and feel and open floor space. Features will include modernised displays for PAYM phones, making it easier for customers to browse and view the products on show as well as a dedicated space highlighting Orange only offers.

It seems like the battle for new and existing customers (on other networks) is going to played out at least partly on the shopfloor – with Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) announcing stores, now Orange, and other Operators surely making moves, this is going to be an interesting one to watch…..

[Via: Cellular News]

My favourite online shop, Expansys, have emailed to let me know that I can know pick up a WinMo 6 O/S Smartphone for under a ton! Yes, just less than 100 GBP (exc. postage) will see this little beauty making it’s way in to your ownership… highlighted features are:

• Operating System Windows Mobile™ 6 standard
• Integrated camera 2.0 megapixels
• Display 240X320, 2″ , 65K color TFT LCD
• Video Functions : MPEG4, WMV, H.264 , 3GP Both recording and playback
• Audio Functions : MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, AAC+ Music background playing
• Messaging : SMS, MMS, Email, MSN, Mundu IM
• WLAN 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth® 2.0
• USB 2.0
• Internal memory: 128MB Flash ROM + 64MB DDR RAM
• Extended memory: microSD™ Card supported up to 2GB
• Weight 90g

In a period where we are all tightening our belts, you could do a lot worse than this – if you fancy a piece of BenQ pie, then visit Expansys here.

O2 are currently advertising a SIM-only deal (which they call “simplicity”) on their website, which is £20/month, and includes 600 mins/unlimited texts. If that wasn’t enough, there isn’t a contract tie-in either. Obviously the deal isn’t unique as other Operators have this offering, but in a more general sense, I’d like to “open a question to the floor” if I may, with the IntoMobile readers….

Do you prefer a higher price, locked-in, contract period WITH a Mobile Device of your choosing, or, do you prefer the pretty much contract-less approach with the SIM-only deals being offered?

If you have a strong opinion on this (and I am sure our readers will!), then let us know by dropping a comment! If enough people respond, we’ll revisit the issue and see whether the lure of a new handset is enough to get you to tie-in to a (typically) 18 month contract at a higher monthly rate…..

Following up on Dusan’s post about the announcement of the Samsung i8510 (”INNOV8″), with 8MP camera, the uber-imaging device has now hit UK shores!

There are an extremely impressive set of specs (as you can see above), and Carphone Warehouse is offering the device on the Orange network with a £35/month Tariff over 18 months, giving the device for free!

This is one cameraphone we might have to try and get hold off, to see if those 8 Megapixels actually do deliver great images – for now though, you can find the official Carphone Warehouse page for the i8510 here.

Asda has made the next step in the supermarket prices wars by halving (yes, that’s right) it’s PAYG charges, as some of the more traditional rivals are raising theirs.

The supermarket group said that it would cut its flat-rate calls from 16p to 8p, with the price of texts falling from 5p to 4p, from September 1.

Asda has about 150K mobile customers, and is now claiming to be the cheapest Operator in the UK, which was a title previously held by Ikea. As mentioned previously, supermarkets are busy stripping their prices back, but the MNOs are actually raising theirs – tariff rises have been seen on O2 (NYSE: TEF), T-Mobile (NYSE: DT), and Orange, with Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) increasing theirs soon.

The supermarkets and suchlike are in this game for a loyalty kick-back with customers, whereas MNOs are under fire to try and plug the drop in earnings from recent issues such as the regulators capping prices.

It’s not just Mobile costs that the likes of Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are cutting – core foods such as milk have also seen their prices dropped, to try and lure cash-strapped customers. But Asda is still going to have to go some on the Mobile side, if it wants to catch the UK’s biggest MVNO, which is Virgin Mobile – it has around 435K customers.

[Via: Times Online]

VFUK has announced plans to roll out another 50 stores over the forthcoming financial year – which will take it’s total to 400. The stores are being designed so customers can experience services before purchasing, and the extra staff required to show those off and operate the shops will mean 200 more jobs – definitely a good thing.

The new stores will start to appear on the high street and in shopping centres from September starting with Bristol Cabot Circus and White City London in September and Liverpool One in October. It is planned that the majority of the new retail locations will be found, and work completed to turn them into stores by spring 2009.

Customers who are in a hurry will be pleased to know that Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) is also investing in store connectivity to speed along the tills and back office systems – meaning faster transaction times ultimately. The increased bandwidth will also see updating digital signage become more common.

I am all in favour of developments that mean I have a store nearer to me, which can speed me through the buying process – this sort of investment is only going to benefit the customer, which may well see Vodafone adding to it’s many millions of subs!

[Via: 3G.co.uk]

Following on from Will’s post, my fave UK mobile bits retailer Expansys has emailed me to tell me the Touch Pro is for sale, at the bargain price of £519.99! If that sounds a bit too much, they kindly point out that you can get it in contract, for a much-subsidised rate:

You can also get the HTC Touch Pro on an 18 month T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) Combi 30 contract for only £141.99. The T-Mobile Combi 30 contract will cost you £35 per month and includes 700 voice minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB wireless data

If you’d like to check things out at the Expansys site, go here.

Lebara Mobile (which is apparently a UK MVNO that provides lo-cost calls to the UK’s ethnice residents) has announced it has signed up to a partnership with Morrisons, one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains. This means that airtime from the MVNO will be sold through the supermarkets and petrol forecourts of Morissons locations.

I have to say, they are not an MVNO that has the greatest retail presence, but their website has some impressive awards and stats on it. Could we be seeing a new, leaner, kind of MVNO coming out to challenge the other more established players? Currently they address a niche market well, but only time will tell if they broaden out to become a true player….

[Via: Cellular News]

It’s been a while since I did it, so I thought I would re-visit the “Top 1o” handsets in UK retail – with information kindly provided by Mobile Choice UK. So let’s take contract devices first:

Not surprisingly the Tocco has made an appearance at the top of the chart, but it closely followed by Nokia (NYSE: NOK)’s star performers, the 6500 Slide, and N95 8GB. Nokia and Samsung also have a smattering of other devices each, comprising most of the rest of the Top 10.

As regards Prepay, it looks kinda like this:

Samsung again occupy the top of the chart, but after that, it’s Nokia and old favourite Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) all the way… a real mixture of older devices, plus newer budget ones in there too!

[Via: Mobile Choice UK]