 | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Newbury |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Mobile telecommunications |
| Parent | Vodafone UK |
| Website | talkmobile |
Talkmobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) operating in the United Kingdom on the Vodafone network. As a brand of Vodafone, the business is based in Newbury, Berkshire.
Launched as a postpaid MVNO by Carphone Warehouse in October 2007 using the Vodafone network, Talkmobile was one of two run by Carphone Warehouse. The other was Fresh Mobile, a prepaid MVNO using the T-Mobile network. Fresh Mobile was discontinued on 19 March 2010 in favour of Talkmobile. [1]
In November 2011, Carphone Warehouse sold Talkmobile to Vodafone in a deal worth £20 million. [2]
In July 2017, Talkmobile began rolling out 4G to its customers. [3]
The Talkmobile pay-as-you-go (PAYG) product was withdrawn on 31 August 2017. [4]
Talkmobile currently sell 30-day and 12-month SIM-only plans, which all have unlimited UK calls and texts. [5]
Virgin Mobile is a wireless communications brand used by seven independent brand-licensees worldwide. Virgin Mobile branded wireless communications services are available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Poland and Mexico. Virgin Mobile branded services used to be offered in Australia, France, Singapore, India, Qatar, South Africa and the United States.
Vodafone Limited, trading as Vodafone UK, is a British telecommunications services provider, and a part of Vodafone Group Plc, the world's second-largest mobile phone company. Vodafone is the third-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with 18.5 million subscribers as of February 2024, after O2 and EE, followed by Three. The country's first cellular phone call was made on the Vodafone network in 1985.
Tele2 AB is a provider of mobile and fixed connectivity, telephony, data network services, TV, streaming and global Internet of Things services, amongst others, to consumers and enterprises. It is headquartered in Kista Science City, Stockholm, Sweden. It is a major mobile network operator in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The company initially founded Tele2 Russia, but later sold all its operations, only leasing the use of its brand name.
Xfera Móviles, S.A.U., d/b/a Yoigo, is the fourth-largest mobile network operator in Spain and a subsidiary of the Spanish telecommunications company Grupo MásMóvil. Yoigo has a licence and its own cellular network for GSM/2G, UMTS/3G and LTE/4G technologies, and a national roaming agreement for usage of the 2G, 3G and 4G networks of Orange and Movistar.
Tesco Mobile Limited is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It is operated by British retailer Tesco, using the network O2 as its carrier except in Ireland, where the network operator is Three Ireland.
Virgin Mobile UK was a mobile phone service provider. The company was launched by Virgin Group and One2One in 1999 as the world's first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), initially using the One2One network. Virgin Mobile offered contract mobile packages, as well as mobile broadband services. It sold its services directly, as well as through price comparison sites.
Virgin Mobile France was a cellular telephone operator in France. It launched in 2006 as a joint venture between Virgin Group and Carphone Warehouse. The company operated as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), whereby it did not own or operate its own mobile network but instead used the network of Orange S.A. As of June 2014, the company was the largest MVNO in France, with 1.5 million customers, and had a market share of 1.3% at the beginning of 2014.
Asda Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the United Kingdom operated by Asda and using the Vodafone network. Asda Mobile is available in over 360 stores across the UK and online through purchasing either a SIM card or through an Asda Mobile handset.
TalkTalk Telecom Group plc is a company that provides pay television and Internet access services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2003 as a subsidiary of Carphone Warehouse and was demerged as a standalone company in March 2010. Its headquarters are in Salford.
Lebara is a telecommunications company providing services using the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) business model in the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland and Australia. Lebara provides pay-as-you-go and contract based mobile SIM cards in these countries, and its brand is also used under license in four other countries.
2degrees is a New Zealand telecommunications provider. Its mobile network launched on 4 August 2009 after nine years of planning. 2degrees offers prepaid and pay-monthly mobile services, as well as fixed-line phone and broadband services. 2degrees is the third-largest wireless carrier in New Zealand, with 1.3 million subscribers as of July 2015.
Lyca Mobile is a British mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) operating in 23 countries. The chairman is Subaskaran Allirajah and the CEO is Richard Schafer. The previous CEO Chris Tooley, was given a suspended prison sentence in 2023 for his involvement in an "elaborate money laundering system" in France.
GiffgaffLimited is an MVNO, marketed as a budget service provider and flanker brand of Telefónica UK. The stylised 'giffgaff' brand was founded by Gav Thompson a former marketing executive for Telefónica UK and was launched online only, on 25 November 2009.
EE is a British national mobile network operator and internet service provider, which is a brand within the BT Group. EE is the second-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with 21.7 million customers as of September 2022.
Mobile by Sainsbury's was a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the UK, operated by Sainsbury's between July 2013 and January 2016, using the Vodafone UK network.
Hutchison 3G UK Limited, trading as Three UK, is a telecommunications and internet service provider operating in the UK and based in Reading, England. It is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, a limited liability Cayman Islands company registered and listed in Hong Kong. Three is the fourth-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with about 10.3 million subscribers as of May 2023.
iD Mobile is a British mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) operating as iD Mobile Limited, using the Three network. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Currys plc, and its services were launched on 12 May 2015. Until April 2018, service was also provided in Ireland, again using the Three network.
SMARTY is a mobile telephone flanker brand operated by Hutchison 3G UK Limited using its Three UK branded mobile network. It aims to attract customers primarily looking for cheaper deals than those available direct from Three, by offering a monthly rolling SIM-only service, limited to online-only support. On some plans the operator offers to buy back unused data by means of a bill discount, a practice which is not widespread in the UK but is exhibited elsewhere such as by US carrier Ting.
