Refurbished mobile specialists Envirofone and The iOutlet have been named Recommended Providers in the latest Which? survey of the UK’s best second-hand and refurbished tech retailers.

The consumer watchdog gathered feedback from more than 2,400 consumers, covering over 4,000 purchasing experiences across the UK’s growing used tech market. Retailers were rated on value for money, customer service, delivery, communication, product accuracy and range. 

Brands needed an overall customer score of at least 80 per cent and four stars or more for both value and service.to achieve Recommended Provider status, 

The iOutlet co-founder Matt Green said: “This recognition from such a trusted consumer organisation is a huge endorsement of the hard work and standards we’ve built over the years. Refurbished technology has become a real alternative to buying new, and this acknowledgment highlights the trust our customers place in us.”

Envirofone Director Sam Hargreaves added: “It’s a real endorsement of the standards we set for quality, customer service and sustainability. Recognition from such trusted consumer voices reinforces our commitment to making refurbished tech the smart, reliable choice for everyone.”

The Which? results reflect growing consumer confidence in refurbished smartphones and second-hand devices as credible and sustainable alternatives to new handsets.

Around 200 refurbishers, distributors, retailers and service providers will be discussing the future of the secondary mobile market will be under discussion at Circular Summit next Wednesday (October 22) at The Hilton Tower Bridge, London SE1. Click HERE to see who’s coming and to attend.

The new law was passed by the Cypriot Parliament earlier this year. It applies to all prepaid connections, including eSIMs and M2M cards embedded in IoT devices such as alarms, GPS trackers and smart meters. Unregistered SIMs will be automatically deactivated once the transition period ends on 10 November.

The measure is claimed to improve national security and support law enforcement by stopping anonymous numbers being used by criminals Cyprus had been one of the few EU states still allowing unregistered prepaid SIMs.

All prepaid customers must now be identified through official ID documentation. The process is free for consumers and does not require changing SIM cards or numbers. Mobile providers must roll out secure data-collection systems that comply with GDPR.

The reform aligns Cyprus with a growing regulatory trend across Europe. Greece, Italy and Spain already require prepaid SIM registration. The European Commission has this as part of its counter-terrorism and cybercrime strategies.

The prepaid segment of Cyprus’s mobile market, which has offered flexibility for tourists, temporary workers and cost-conscious consumers. Retailers serving tourists will need to include ID verification, while operators may need to invest in more robust digital onboarding tools to avoid bottlenecks.

The Office of the Commissioner for Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation says identity data must be handled “in full compliance with European privacy law” and used solely for authentication and traceability purposes.

The law could have spin-off benefits for operators by improving customer data accuracy, aiding in fraud prevention, churn analysis and marketing.

Cypriot mobile networks are expected to ad campaigns to inform prepaid customers of the new law.

The new store, located in the city’s Braehead Shopping Centre, opened was officially launched by former Scotland rugby captain John Barclay.

As with other Experience stores the retail format iis part of EE’s push to reinvent the in-store experience. The Glasgow outlet is one of more than 400 EE stores holding online safety appointments run with with Internet Matters, to help parents and children with safe device and internet use.

The Glasgow launch is the fourth EE Experience Store to open in 2025, as the operator presses ahead with a £3 million investment in its physical retail estate over the next 12 months.

The plan is to extend mobile coverage from aircraft flying 12 miles above the Earth, combining aerospace technology linking it to World Mobile’s decentralised telecom model.

“This partnership embodies the potential of blockchain and decentralised economics to reshape global connectivity,” said Watkins (main pic). “By combining token incentives with aerospace innovation, we can bring reliable internet to underserved regions at a scale never seen before.”

World Mobile operates a community-owned network where individuals run “AirNodes” and “EarthNodes” to provide coverage and earn World Mobile Tokens (WMTx). The network uses a mix of land-based equipment, satellite links, and TV white space spectrum.

World Mobile will draw on expertise from Stratospheric Platforms, a UK company that developed the world’s first hydrogen-powered, long-endurance aircraft for telecom services.

The company says each aircraft can cover an area of 15,000 sq km equivalent to around 500 ground towers using a with a 3-metre 5G antenna capable of delivering speeds of up to 100 Gbps and supporting 500,000 direct handset connections at once. The aircraft is fuelled with  liquid hydrogen, producing zero carbon emissions.

Trials with BT in the UK, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, and operators in the Middle East have achieved download speeds of up to 90 Mbps and latency as low as one millisecond. 

Protelindo already manages thousands of towers in Indonesia which is one of the most geographically challenging markets anywhere. World Mobile says its blockchain-based incentive model can deliver a scalable, self-funding way to reach areas where traditional mobile rollouts are too slow or costly.

The aircraft’s modular design also allows other uses, such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and public safety. Early rollout targets include remote Indonesian islands and underserved parts of the United States, with live demo flights and regulatory discussions planned soon.

WMS will link directly to the World Mobile blockchain, providing high-altitude connections to AirNodes and boosting on-chain activity. Each aircraft will expand the network’s reach, support its token economy, and advance its mission of equitable global connectivity.

World Mobile will add the stratosphere ststem to its network which already spans rooftops, ground stations, and satellites marking what Watkins calls “the next chapter of a people-powered network designed for everyone.”

The two companies have anmounced their European satellite joint venture, SatCo, which will be headquartered in Luxembourg anddeliver direct-to-device mobile broadband connectivity via satellite to mobile network operators across Europe, supporting both commercial and government use cases.

The service is expected to go live commercially in 2026, with expressions of interest already received from mobile network operators in 21 EU member states and additional European markets.

Exclusive distributor

SatCo will be the exclusive European distributor of AST SpaceMobile’s satellite broadband network, said to e the first and only space-based cellular broadband system designed to connect standard, unmodified smartphones.

SatCo aims to provide mobile broadband infrastructure that complements terrestrial 4G and 5G networks. It will enable coverage in remote areas such as mountains, rural locations, and offshore regions where traditional mobile service is often unavailable.

Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle said: “This is an important initiative for Europe. Our service will ensure that European citizens, businesses, and governments enjoy uninterrupted, ubiquitous mobile broadband connectivity across the whole continent. Europe can take the lead in new direct-to-mobile broadband technology.”

The decision to base SatCo in Luxembourg was driven by the country’s strong digital infrastructure and strategic location. The Luxembourg government has welcomed the move as a boost to the national space ecosystem and a step towards achieving the EU’s Digital Decade 2030 targets.

Lex Delles, Luxembourg’s Minister of the Economy, said the decision reinforced the country’s role as “a hub to deploy innovative solutions serving the whole EU single market and its citizens,” while Elisabeth Margue, Minister Delegate for Media and Connectivity, highlighted SatCo’s potential to enhance “ubiquitous coverage of mobile broadband connectivity” across the region.

AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan said the venture strengthens Europe’s digital independence: “Together, we are building secure, resilient cellular broadband infrastructure to serve Europe’s connectivity needs—anywhere, anytime.”

Trials have shown consistent 4G and 5G connections with download speeds exceeding 20 Mbps on a 5 MHz channel. A new generation of satellites, scheduled for launch in 2025, is expected to deliver peak data rates of 120 Mbps.

SatCo will integratenetwork earth stations with mobile operators’ terrestrial infrastructure, providing seamless switching between space-based and ground-based mobile signals. The model offers operators a turnkey wholesale service, giving them the tools to extend their coverage footprint without building out more ground-based infrastructure.

The joint venture was first announced in March 2025 and represents a key step in Europe’s ambition to lead in direct-to-device satellite connectivity while meeting growing demand for robust and secure digital infrastructure.

Women are 14 per cent less likely than men to use mobile internet, and the rate of mobile internet adoption among women is slowing, according to a new report from the GSMA. 

The gender gap report analyses data from 15 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), comparing women’s mobile access and usage with that of men.

It reveals that approximately 235 million fewer women than men use mobile internet in these countries. In total, 885 million women do not use mobile internet, Around 60 per cent of whom live in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mobile phones remain the primary means of accessing the internet for most people in LMICs, especially for women. Most women surveyed said mobile internet has a positive impact on their lives, helping them stay connected, support their livelihoods, and access critical services such as healthcare, education, and financial services.

Now in its eighth edition, the GSMA report finds that 63 per cent of women in LMICs are using mobile internet—a record high. However, substantial gender gaps persist.

“Between 2017 and 2020, the mobile internet gender gap narrowed significantly—from 25 per cent to 15 per cent,” the report states.

“However, progress stalled in 2021 and 2022, with the gap widening slightly. Encouragingly, in 2023 the gap narrowed again for the first time in three years, returning to 15 per cent. Today, it stands at 14 per cent, essentially unchanged. The gap remains widest in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, at 32 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively.”

Claire Sibthorpe, Head of Digital Inclusion at the GSMA, commented:

“It’s disheartening that progress in reducing the mobile internet gender gap has stalled. The data highlights the urgent need for greater focus and investment by all stakeholders to close the digital gender divide. This gap won’t close on its own—it’s driven by deep-rooted social, economic, and cultural barriers that disproportionately affect women.

“Our Connected Women Commitment Initiative shows that progress is possible. Since its launch in 2016, our operator partners have reached over 80 million additional women with mobile internet or mobile money services by addressing women’s needs and tackling the barriers they face.”

Generous trade-in offers are also available from other networks worldwide on the S25 Ultra. For example, in the USA AT&T is currently offering up to $1,000 in bill credits when you trade in an eligible device and activate the S25 Ultra on a qualifying AT&T unlimited plan.

EE’s offer us up to £528 for any eligible smartphone as well as 

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is the slimmest flagship in Samsung’s lineup, 5.8mm thick and weighing 163g, with a titanium frame.

Vodafone’s savings include £648 off Airtime and Device Plans, plus up to £360 for the trade-in an eligible phone by 29 May with Vodafone’s Trade-In Guarantee.

The trade-in allowance is subject to the device being eligible on the Vodafone Trade-In Tool and activating a new Vodafone Pay Monthly Airtime Plan. The trade-in value is redeemed either as a monthly airtime saving, a credit to a Vodafone account, or a **credit toward an existing Phone Plan balance.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Highlights

• Design: Ultra-slim and lightweight, featuring a titanium frame with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back

• Display: 6.7” Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate

• Camera: 200MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide rear cameras, plus a 12MP front camera

• Performance: Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 8 Elite chipset with 12GB RAM

• Battery: 3900mAh capacity with 25W Super-Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging, and Wireless Power Share.

• Other Features: IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and support for both eSIM and physical SIM.

Mobile UK, the group that represents EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone, wants the Government to focus on helping them improve mobile infrastructure.

Mobile Infrastructure Investment: The UK’s Route to Growth”  is a report by Assembly Research that shows that for every £1 spent on better mobile networks, the wider economy could benefit by up to £5. They say investing in mobile isn’t just good for phone users—it’s good for jobs, businesses, and the country as a whole.

The report recommends, implementing the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, a business rates holiday on new mobile infrastructure, evolving the UK’s net neutrality regime, supporting operators’ plans to switch off 2G services, and appointing digital champions to help expedite 5G rollouts , tackling not-spots via the Shared Rural Network programme., aligning with European policy reforms aimed at
Repurposing Above-Ground Level Facilities like buildings, towers, lamp posts, rooftops, or other elevated infrastructure, and adapting them for use in mobile network deployment, revising planning rules to facilitate network deployment

While the Government has done a lot to support broadband internet in homes, Mobile UK says it now needs to do the same for mobile phone networks.

The report suggests slashing red tape, making it easier to build phone masts and improve coverage, and offering tax breaks to encourage more investment. supporting the rollout of faster 5G networks, especially in rural areas. and helping switch off 2G networks.

Mobile UK head Hamish MacLeod said:

“The Government has identified growth as its top priority and called on the UK’s telecoms industry to help strengthen the economy. The Government must prioritise mobile infrastructure, enabling operators to accelerate investment in coverage and capacity. This will be fundamental to underpinning growth and fostering innovation throughout the UK economy, and the upcoming Spending Review and Infrastructure Strategy are key moments to demonstrate this commitment.”

At MWC today (Sunday) the manufacturer unveiled a three-step roadmap highlights HONOR’s commitment to innovation, openness, and collaboration, inviting industry partners to co-create an intelligent world that maximizes human potential.

In the UK and Ireland, the first phase of the HONOR ALPHA PLAN begins with the launch of the HONOR Magic V3, Magic 7 Pro, and Magic 7 Lite.

These devices, available through EE, Virgin Media O2, Three, Vodafone, and retailers like Argos and Currys, integrate advanced AI imaging technologies such as AI Motion Sensing Capture and AI Super Zoom.

To showcase AI’s impact, HONOR partnered with Manchester United and Snapdragon to restore historical images of Old Trafford, demonstrating AI Upscale’s ability to revive lost photographic details.

The HONOR ALPHA PLAN consists of three key phases:

1. Developing an Intelligent Phone – HONOR will collaborate with partners to create AI-driven smartphones that enhance user experiences with intelligent, human-centric innovations.

2. Expanding AI Ecosystems – The company aims to break industry boundaries by integrating AI into physical environments, fostering seamless connectivity between devices.

3. Advancing AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) – HONOR envisions co-developing AI capabilities that push human potential, bridging the gap between carbon-based life and silicon-based intelligence.

AI-Powered Innovations

The company showcased the world’s first GUI-based personal mobile AI agent, developed in collaboration with Google Cloud and Qualcomm Technologies. For dxample the AI assistant can book reservations while factoring in calendar appointments and traffic data, with international rollouts planned.

HONOR has ad eveloped AiMAGE, its AI-powered imaging technology. AiMAGE leverages both on-device and cloud-based AI models, enhancing image clarity by 50 per cent. Its cloud-based AI model, with 12.4 billion parameters, is said to significantly improves telephoto images, while an on-device AI kernel supports real-time processing. Collaborations with Google Cloud further enhance AI-powered image restoration.

HONOR’s file-sharing technology allows ultra-fast transfers across iOS and Android devices, while AI Deepfake Detection is set to be integrated into HONOR’s flagship smartphones and foldable devices.

“In the physical AI era, we must open industry boundaries and co-create an ecosystem that enables seamless collaboration,” said James Li, CEO of HONOR. “By working together, we can unlock the full potential of AI and drive technological advancements that benefit everyone.”

representatives from Google Cloud, Qualcomm Technologies, CKH Group, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone joined Li in a tree-lighting ceremony symbolizing collective efforts to build a robust AI-driven device ecosystem.

Industry leaders expressed their support for HONOR’s vision. “HONOR’s roadmap underscores the role of AI in transforming the device industry. We are excited to collaborate with HONOR to integrate our AI technologies and power the next generation of smart devices,” said Alex Katouzian, Group General Manager at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud, added, “Collaboration is essential in shaping an open AI ecosystem. We are working closely with HONOR to integrate Google’s Gemini AI models, unlocking new possibilities for users while prioritizing data security and privacy.”

Sustainability and Consumer Support

HONOR reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability, pledging to achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2040—five years ahead of its initial target—and full carbon neutrality across its supply chain by 2050.

The company also announced a seven-year support plan for its flagship Magic series, promising extended Android OS and security updates for European users.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/mwc-sunday-honor-will-spend-8bn-next-five-years-becoming-ai-leader/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/virgin-media-o2-begin-3g-switch-off-durham-april/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/virgin-media-o2-begin-3g-switch-off-durham-april/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2025 13:16:18 +0000 https://mncwp.tailrd.cloud/virgin-media-o2-begin-3g-switch-off-durham-april/ Durham will be the first location to lose Virgin Media 3G coverage in the company’s transition toward more reliable 4G and 5G announced in 2023. Vodafone, Three, and EE have already completed the switch-off, with O2 the last mobile network operator left to turn its 3G network off.  The switch-off is expected to have minimal

Durham will be the first location to lose Virgin Media 3G coverage in the company’s transition toward more reliable 4G and 5G announced in 2023.

Vodafone, Three, and EE have already completed the switch-off, with O2 the last mobile network operator left to turn its 3G network off. 

The switch-off is expected to have minimal impact on most customers, as the vast majority already use 4G or 5G devices.  Virgin Media O2 is contacting customers in Durham who rely on 3G-only devices, advising them to upgrade to 4G-compatible SIMs and handsets to continue using mobile data services.

Virgin Media O2’s 3G network is more than 20 years old and now accounts for less than three per cent of total data usage. Following an industry-wide agreement in 2021, the switch-off enables mobile operators to focus resources on next-generation networks. In Durham, the company has upgraded 4G and 5G masts over the past year, with additional enhancements scheduled for 2025.

Free 4G devices are being offered vulnerable customers and there are discounted options for other affected users. Customers who choose not to upgrade will still be able to make voice calls and enjoy text messaging but will lose mobile data services after the 3G network is turned off.

The switch off is a pilot for Virgin Media O2’s broader 3G decommissioning programme. Insights from Durham will guide the rollout across other area. Virgin Media O2 is collaborating with consumer advocacy groups, including the Good Things Foundation, to ensure vulnerable individuals receive adequate support during the change.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, commented: “Switching off 3G is an important milestone in modernising our network. By reallocating spectrum to 4G and 5G, we can provide faster data speeds, more reliable streaming, and higher-quality voice calls. Our priority is to minimise disruption, particularly for those still using 3G devices, by providing tailored support and effective communication.”

Customers using MVNO’s on the Virgin Media O2 network, including Tesco Mobile and giffgaff, will also be contacted to prepare for the switch-off.

According to research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, almost three million O2, Tesco Mobile, Giffgaff, Virgin and Sky Mobile customers don’t know if their phone is 4G or 5G ready, and more than 1.3 million say they still use a 3G handset.[2]

This means over four million consumers could lose access to mobile data if they don’t upgrade their devices or take the steps recommended by their providers.

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