Cellular phone company T-Mobile has launched a new initiative to get people to recycle their old cell phones in Britain.
The move comes after research by T-Mobile and MORI IPSO found that there are 52 million unused mobile phones in the country, The Sun reported Monday.
Under the new initiative, T-Mobile is calling for Britons to send in their old phones, whether they work or not, and possibly even get paid for their efforts.
Each phone could be worth up to $160 for its previous owner or a charity of their choice.
“With a stockpile over 52 million handsets sitting redundant at home, there is an opportunity for all mobile phone owners to get their share of this $1 billion,” said Devine Kofiloto, Principal Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media. “The issue of mobile phone recycling has been discussed across the industry for several years – now is the time for people to realize that they can do their bit and raise money either for charity or themselves at the same time.”
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The first directory of Britain’s 40 million mobile phone numbers will be available this year.
The service, to be provided by Connectivity, will work like existing 118 directory services, with customers paying to access their desired number.
Despite the widespread use of mobile phones in Britain, no complete directory of numbers exists. Although mobile phone operators keep details of contract customers, pay-as-you-go customers are not required to hand over personal details when they sign up. The mobile operators’ data are further sullied because the person registered with the phone might not be the user.
Mobile directory services ? which are already common in Scandinavia where fixed lines are dying fast ? have also been held back in Britain by consumer concerns about privacy.
Raj Raithatha, Connectivity’s chief executive, said: “Fixed-line services are becoming less and less relevant. However, we tend to carry around in our mobile phone the numbers of maybe only 20 core friends.”
Connectivity, which has received £17 million funding from the venture capital companies 3i and Esprit Capital Partners, said it recognised potential safety and privacy concerns and had put safeguards in place.
The company will seek permission from every mobile user on its list by contacting them over the next couple of months.
In addition the mobile numbers of those aged under 18 will be kept off the Connectivity register.
Unlike existing 118 services, users will not be connected directly to their requested number. Instead, an operator will ring to ask permission to put the call through.
The company has outlined its plans to the regulators Ofcom and Icstis, but has not revealed its pricing yet.
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Shares of Apple Inc. rose more than 3 percent on Thursday as investors bet on strong demand for its media-playing iPhone, almost a week after its U.S. launch, and speculation mounted over plans to sell the device in Europe.
Analyst estimates for iPhone sales in its first weekend run as high as 700,000 units and investors are expecting that momentum to continue.
AT&T Inc., the exclusive U.S. provider for the phone, said it had virtually sold out of the device in that time, though neither company has provided sales data.
“The stock is obviously anticipating very very strong sales for the iPhone and very good follow-through sales,” said Andy Hargreaves of Pacific Crest Securities. “The stock isn’t going to be a one-month wonder.”
Apple has said it will start selling iPhones in Europe this year and in Asia in 2008, but gave no further details.
European media reports this week have said Apple may be close to deals with carriers in France, Germany and Britain, a three-country strategy that would mimic the launch of its popular iTunes online music store in Europe in 2004.
Apple shares have increased more than 50 percent since the company unveiled in January the cell phone that combines Web browsing with the music and video playing capabilities of its best-selling iPod device.
“People are anticipating strong sales to continue through next year,” said Hargreaves. “If you don’t believe that’s true then definitely the stock is expensive. we’re kind of on the side that the momentum will continue.”
Hargreaves has a 12-month price target of $130 for the shares. That does yet not include full expectations for events such as widening iPhone distribution to electronics retailers including Best Buy.
Hargreaves said he expects Best Buy to start selling the phone in time for back-to-school shoppers.
Investors are also keeping close watch for news on how quickly Apple is able to replenish stocks of the phone and indicators of its financial impact. Research firm iSuppli said on Tuesday the phone would generate a 55 percent profit margin, after hardware and manufacturing costs.
In Europe, wireless operators including Vodafone Group Plc.,T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom and Orange, owned by France Telecom have been cited as potential iPhone partners.
Telefonica’s 02 said on Thursday that it had not signed a deal with Apple after reports that it was poised to clinch the first European agreement in what would be a blow to Vodafone, which operates in multiple countries.
“It would be a somewhat of a disappointment” if Vodafone did not reach a deal with Apple since it is such a large carrier size, Hargreaves said.
Apple shares were up $3.18, or 2.5 percent, to $130.35 on Nasdaq in the early afternoon, after trading as high as $131.75 earlier in the session. AT&T shares were down 31 cents to $41.19 on the New York Stock Exchange.
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Mobile phone firm O2 is on the verge of agreeing to become the exclusive seller of the Apple iPhone in Britain.
It is planning to launch the phone in the run-up to Christmas.
Apple will limit iPhone’s European launch this autumn to Britain, France and Germany. It will then launch in other parts of Europe and Asia next year.
There has yet to be official confirmation of the O2 deal. A spokesman today said that O2 had “not signed a deal with Apple”. Apple also declined to comment.
The European iPhone would operate on slower 2.5 generation mobile networks, not the 3G infrastructure of companies such as Vodafone.
The handset, which was launched in the United States on Friday, comes with a built-in iPod music player and an internet browser.
The touch-screen phone is likely to cost around £400 on top of a long-term contract with the mobile operator as it will not be subsidised — standard for the British market.
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Vodafone Group posted a narrower full-year loss on Tuesday and forecast strong growth in emerging markets, pushing its shares to five-year highs.
Vodafone said it had a net loss of 5.43 billion pounds ($10.77 billion) in the year to March 31, down from 21.9 billion pounds a year earlier, as it cut costs in western Europe and saw strong growth in emerging markets such as Turkey, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Revenues increased 6% to 31.1 billion pounds ($61.7 billion) from 29.4 billion pounds a year earlier.
The company said that tough competition in mature European markets like Britain and Germany would continue to drive down profit margins in those markets.
“In Europe we are driving voice and data growth but these drivers are being offset by price pressures and regulatory conditions,” said CEO Arun Sarin.
The European Union has decided to cap mobile phone roaming charges, which Vodafone estimates will cost it about 200 million pounds ($400 million) to 250 million pounds ($500 million) next year.
However, Sarin said he expects to see strong expansion in high-growth, emerging markets, such as Turkey and India, where the company has recently made acquisitions.
Sarin added that Vodafone had made solid progress on its efforts to cut costs and stimulate growth.
The company forecast an adjusted operating profit in the coming year in the range of 9.3 billion pounds ($18.4 billion) to 9.8 billion pounds ($19.4 billion).
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UK-based mobile business solutions provider Telepartner said it has received $7 million in VC funding, which includes the acquisition of the mobile asset management division of Telecommunications Systems to form a new company with bases in the US and Britain. The deal was put together by New Venture Partners.
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T-mobile offers cash for old cell phones
