High street smartphone seller Carphone Warehouse is cutting out the middleman, announcing the upcoming launch of its own network, iD.
Following the likes of Virgin Media and Tesco Mobile into the realms of being a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), iD by Carphone Warehouse will launch next month.
Focussing on three core principles, iD deals will be built around 12 month contracts, feature monthly caps to avoid bill shock and offer inclusive roaming plans.
Full handset and tariff offerings have yet to be confirmed, although the network has announced its debut deal.
Starting in a couple of weeks, iD will launch with the Samsung Galaxy A3 offered up on a £19.50 per month, 12 month deal with 300 inclusive minutes, 5,000 texts and a 1GB 4G data allowance.
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He added: “In doing so we have identified some common challenges. People want greater flexibility from their plans and are fed up with the ‘one size fits all’ approach.
“We are also a generation obsessed with the mobile internet and accessing data and services on the move – things people are either paying too much for or just aren’t getting. Addressing these challenges forms the basis of the first wave of plans from iD.”
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One of iD’s biggest draws is its roaming offerings. Despite being based on Three’s network, iD will offer inclusive coverage for more countries than its host’s Feel at Home offering.
iD subscribers will be able to make use of their inclusive minutes from 22 countries, including 20 in Europe. By contrast, Three Feel at Home, a current leader in the market, currently covers ‘just’ 18 countries, including 10 European nations.
Despite iD not launching until an undisclosed point in May, Stapleton is already looking to the network’s future growth.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We know that there are lots more customer issues and frustrations with existing mobile plans that we’re eager to tackle.
“We want this network to be focused on the individual and we will continue to listen to customers over the coming months, asking them to help develop and evolve iD.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
