Hosted on the EE network, the new offering from Phones 4u will actually carry the name “LIFE Mobile” and will be sold in stores from March. Initially it’ll be a 3G service but a 4G offering will be made available “by the end of the year”.
It’ll be interesting to see how the data plans are priced up when they start offering that EE-supplied 4G too.
Phones 4u have indicated that all price plans will include data “as standard” and a marketing campaign will launch in March to publicise LIFE Mobile.
Tim Whiting, group chief executive at Phone 4u, stated..
The launch of LIFE Mobile is a very significant step for the Phones 4u business… We are delighted to be extending our longstanding partnership with EE in order to add LIFE Mobile to the extensive range of products and services available at Phones 4u.
EE have said that ..
Today’s agreement demonstrates EE’s commitment to expanding opportunities for new and existing MVNOs. LIFE Mobile takes EE’s portfolio of MVNO partnerships to 25, cementing EE’s position as the largest MVNO operator in the UK.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so do drop your comments in below. Will you be interested in LIFE Mobile?
Update – Full press releases below..
PHONES 4U ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF ‘LIFE MOBILE’
NEW MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK FROM PHONES 4U, TO RUN ON EE NETWORK, AVAILABLE TO CUSTOMERS FROM MARCH
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 22 ND JANUARY 2013: Phones 4u today announces that it is launching LIFE Mobile, a mobile virtual network that will run on EE’s 3G network, with plans to roll out 4G services later in 2013. In development for over 12 months, LIFE Mobile will launch in March 2013 and has been designed to address the evolving needs of Phones 4u’s customers, who see their mobile devices as an integral part of their daily lives and look for as much choice and flexibility as possible when deciding what devices and plans are best suited to their individual requirements. Life Mobile, will offer a wide range of great value tariffs and services that include data packages as standard, reflecting the changing nature of customer usage.
Tim Whiting, Group Chief Executive said:
“The launch of LIFE Mobile is a very significant step for the Phones 4u business. Our strategic vision is based upon an unrelenting focus on building ever-stronger relationships with our customers, which we believe is fundamental to our on-going business success. This focus delivered record revenue growth in 2012, a year in which we opened more than 100 stores across the UK. We are delighted to be extending our longstanding partnership with EE in order to add LIFE Mobile to the extensive range of products and services available at Phones 4u.”
“Our customers see their mobile devices as an integral part of their daily lives. LIFE Mobile will enable us flexibility and creativity in designing propositions to give our customers even further choice. We will sell both 3G, and later in 2013, 4G LIFE Mobile tariffs alongside our existing network propositions and are confident the new network will play a key role in driving further growth for our business.”
Marc Overton, Vice President of Wholesale and M2M at EE, said:
“We’re delighted that EE has been selected as Phones 4u’s MVNO partner, giving us the opportunity to further build on our longstanding and successful relationship. By choosing the EE network, Phones 4u will guarantee its LIFE Mobile customers access to the UK’s widest 3G coverage, as well as the UK’s only 4G network later in 2013. Our ambition is to provide 4G to key industry players by the end of 2013, and we feel this will open up a world of opportunities for both new and existing partners alike.”
Full information on the tariffs and services available on LIFE Mobile will be announced in the coming weeks. From March, LIFE Mobile will be available to customers in every Phones 4u store on the high street, including all 150 Phones 4u store-in-stores in Dixons’ Currys and PC World outlets, as well as by phone and online.
Phones 4u selects EE as UK MVNO partner for the launch of
‘LIFE Mobile’· EE signs Phones 4u as its 25th UK MVNO
· MVNO set to launch in March 2013, offering customers access to the UK’s largest and fastest 2G and 3G network
· Phones 4u to offer 4G on LIFE Mobile later in 201322nd January 2013, United Kingdom: EE, The UK’s most advanced communications company, has announced that Phones 4u, one of the UK’s leading independent mobile retailers, will launch an MVNO on its network in March. LIFE Mobile will offer a wide range of great value tariffs and services that include data packages as standard, reflecting the changing nature of customer usage. The strategic partnership takes EE’s portfolio of MVNO partnerships to 25, and demonstrates EE’s commitment to expanding opportunities for new MVNOs across the UK.
EE offers the UK’s only 4G network, and the widest 3G and 2G coverage in the UK. EE will make 4G available for LIFE Mobile customers later in 2013.
The MVNO agreement is an extension of EE and Phones 4u’s longstanding and successful partnership. EE has been selected based on the strength of its network, its strong industry reputation, and its flexible and technologically advanced MVNO platform, which will allow Phones 4u to launch its service in the UK within months.
Launching in March, the new MVNO will have broad appeal and will offer a variety of tariffs and services that allow customers to choose the right deal for their mobile life.
Marc Overton, Vice President of Wholesale and M2M at EE said: “We’re delighted that EE has been selected as Phones 4u’s MVNO partner, giving us the opportunity to further build on our longstanding and successful relationship. As the largest MVNO operator in the UK, we believe in providing our customers with a choice of deals to meet their needs, and our partners are a key part of our growth strategy.”
“By choosing the EE network, Phones 4u will guarantee its customers access to the UK’s widest 3G coverage, as well as the UK’s only 4G network later in 2013. Our ambition is to provide 4G to key industry players by the end of 2013, and we feel this will open up a world of opportunities for both new and existing partners alike.”
Tim Whiting, Group Chief Executive at Phones 4u, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend our longstanding partnership with EE in order to add LIFE Mobile into the wide range of products and services available at Phones 4u. Our customers see their mobile devices as an integral part of their daily lives. LIFE Mobile will enable us flexibility and creativity in designing propositions to give our customers even further choice. We will sell LIFE Mobile alongside our existing network propositions and are confident the new network will play a key role in driving further growth for our business.”
I’m always interested in a operator that provides a cheaper alternative to the mainstream. I used to be on Tesco PayG, I am now with Virgin. I don’t use my phone for many calls, mainly texts and a bit of data. So, Virgins £7pm deal is perfect for me, 150mins, unltd texts and 500meg data. I would think that P4U will be trying to get in on some of this action.
Yes, I kind of thought the same. The MVNOs appear to offer slightly more tailored contracts for those with below-average requirements. I’d like to see big data + small calls/texts personally, for around £15 per month SIM only. Something like 3GB + 100 mins and 100 texts – or maybe even 1GB with accumulating rollover data for the same price (so you could build up about 5 – 6GB and use it in one month). That would be really useful for the likes of me, and I don’t doubt quite a few others.
I tend to be attached to Wifi most of the time, but occasionally I’m out and about and need to use a lot of data. I tend to come unstuck with current contracts, especially if I’m away from wifi for a few days in a given month.
I like the sound of your Virgin contract though – that’s about the closest I’ve seen to what I use – £7 a month is a total bargain.
” I’d like to see big data + small calls/texts personally, for around £15 per month SIM only.”
Take a look at the Three SIM only rolling contracts: 200 mins, 5,000 txts and uncapped all you can eat data for £12.90
Yes indeed, Three do:
All-you-can-eat data, 200 minutes, 5000 texts for £12:90
and Virgin do:
250 minutes, Unlimited texts, Unlimited Mobile Web for £15
Both of those are 1 month rolling deals, not 12 month tie-ins.
For a little bit more (£10pm)you can get a 1gig data package:
250 minutes
Unlimited texts
1GB Mobile Web
That is a one month rolling too.