Ofcom to apply freephone rules to mobile calls December 12, 2013 MOBILE calls to businesses or services using freephone numbers will be free from 2015 as part of new rules unveiled by Ofcom yesterday. Freephone numbers 0800, 0808 and 116 will be made free from mobiles under the plans, and the pricing of 08, 09 or 118 numbers will be made clearer for callers. “These changes [...]
Here’s what you need to know about changes to Ofcom’s call charges December 12, 2013 The Office for Communications (Ofcom) is ringing the changes when it comes to the cost of calling businesses and services. Call charges are going to become clearer for consumers, said the regulator, as it announced "major changes to telephone charges" this morning. The changes will come into effect in June 2015, allowing adjustment time for [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 11 December 2013 December 10, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES First Group attacked by US activist FirstGroup, the UK bus and rail operator, is under attack from one of its biggest shareholders, which has called for the sale of its US businesses to pay down debt. Sandell Asset Management, a hedge fund with a stake of about three per cent, has written to [...]
O2 refuses to back Maria Miller’s plan to cap stolen phone bills December 3, 2013 CULTURE Secretary Maria Miller plans to cap bills on mobile phones that are lost or stolen at £50 and work with mobile operators to eliminate roaming charges across Europe by 2016. EE, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone all joined Miller in support of the plan – that includes a commitment to Ofcom’s ruling in October [...]
Lord Blackwell is set to be Lloyds Banking Group’s chairman November 28, 2013 SCOTTISH Widows boss and Lloyds Bank board member Lord Blackwell is poised to take over the chairmanship of the group, it emerged last night. The City veteran is to take over from outgoing non-executive Sir Win Bischoff, who announced his intention to resign earlier this year. The handover is expected to take place early in the [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 27 November 2013 November 26, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES RBS faces possible criminal probe The Serious Fraud Office is considering a criminal investigation into allegations Royal Bank of Scotland defrauded companies by forcing them out of business, amid growing pressure on the bank over its treatment of SMEs. The SFO has conducted interviews with former executives of UK firms affected by RBS’s [...]
Kcom chairman to become CEO as profits fall on continued investment November 26, 2013 Communications and IT provider Kcom says it is to split the roles of chairman and chief executive, as its transformation programme, which it started in 2008, is almost complete. The company also said that executive director Kevin Walsh is to retire, after 14 years with the business. In a separate report, the Yorkshire-based business reported [...]
Switch on for UK’s new local TV network November 25, 2013 COMUX switched on its TV Network Operations Centre today, ahead of the launch of 18 new local TV channels this year and a further 28 next year. “Local businesses will also have access, in many locations for the first time, to an attractively-priced local TV advertising network,” said Local TV Network chair Nigel Dacre. Comux, [...]
Royal mail failing to meet targets says Ofcom November 22, 2013 The Office of Communications (Ofcom), has warned recently-privatised Royal Mail that it must meet its delivery requirements if it is to avoid fines. Royal Mail failed to achieve its requirement of 93 per cent delivery of first class letters the day after the they are posted, instead reaching 91.7 per cent. The figures were revealed [...]
Vodafone’s build plan promises 77,000 new 4G sites by 2016 November 12, 2013 Vodafone has said today that by March 2016 it'll provide access to 89,000 4G sites, adding 77,000 to its current 12,000. The big network growth push comes as part of the telecom company's Project Spring, a £7bn investment funded by the proceeds of its $130bn (£81.7bn) Verizon Wireless sale. Vodafone announced this morning in its [...]