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She said: “The key reason behind the growth of mobile accessories is the continued penetration of smartphones in the UK consumer market.

This is according to market research firm GfK, which valued the UK accessories market for the period at ?78.5 million.

Sales of mobile accessories in the UK market increased by 30 per cent during the first five months of 2012 to more than 5.4 million items sold.

“There remains to be even more potential for mobile accessories as there is further room to grow the attachment rates between the smartphone and accessory sales.”

Quarterly UK prepay sales are said to have fallen by up to 40 per cent in the past year.

GfK also said its research, which measures consumer spending on technology and technology-related goods, showed the number of handsets sold in the first five months of 2012 dropped by one million to 10.1 million year on year,tablette tactile.

GfK figures show sharp increase in popularity of mobile accessories but handset sales were down by a million compared to the same period last year

Baldock said this was down to a decline in sales of prepay and feature phone handsets.

Baldock attributed the findings to the growing number of smartphone handsets in the UK market and the fact customers are taking greater care of them as they are being tied into longer-term contracts.

Sales of phone cases, however, fell by five per cent year on year, although these still accounted for around 30 per cent of the accessories market.

GfK retail and technology UK account director Megan Baldock told Mobile News the growth had come from screen protectors, sales of which increased by 70 per cent year on year, and car-related accessories, sales of which rose by 10 per cent year on year.

“The consumer is using their smartphone for more applications and is tied into a contract for 24 months on average.

“There is no way we can levy the clawback, we’ll have to pay for it ourselves,” said one.

The clawbacks relate to O2 SIM cards distributed between January and May this year.

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Gateway fraud is said to cost operators more than ?100 million per year in lost revenues.

O2 SIM card distributors are facing clawback charges of up to ?1 million as a result of so-called fraudulent use of its international SIM tariffs by end users.

An O2 spokesperson said: “In May, we identified some activity involving the connection of SIM cards which were used in unauthorised gateways.

Dispute
Distributors who spoke to Mobile News claim O2 is penalising them for premium rate text messages that were sent on the SIMs something which is not in their terms and conditions and which they have never been charged for previously by O2 or other networks.

Legal action
Distributors say O2 typically provides a list of clawbacks within the first week of a new?calendar month. Money is then recouped from their reseller partners.

“We’re fighting this battle but for us to go legal against these guys will cost a lot of money, so people are weighing up their options.”

The O2 International SIM card launched last November for prepay customers, offering cut-price calls to mobiles and landline numbers.

But distributors who asked not to be named dispute the imposed penalties.

“After a thorough investigation, we are clawing back commission paid to distributors in respect of SIM cards used in this activity.”

Another added: “For many distributors, an annual profit of ?1 million is a real achievement and for them to lose this figure in one go is really detrimental,tablette tactile pas cher.”

Distributors ponder legal action against ‘profiteering’ operator over gateway fraud fines

“It’s a mystery as to why O2 is now classifying this as fraud when previously it wasn’t. They need to explain themselves as this is a serious amount of?money.”

One distributor said: “O2 has classed this as gateway fraud, but everyone in our market is adamant this isn’t. We’re providing the IMEI number it was topped up on but they’re dismissing that. In our contracts, premium texting is not classed as part of fraud.

They claim instances of clawback include when customers use their credit to pay for services such as placing a bet or even making charity donations.

O2 told its distributors the clawbacks relate to SIMs that have been used to commit ‘gateway fraud’ an act which occurs when free or low-cost calls and texts are channeled through a third party to reduce international fees.

O2 SIM distributors include Data Select Network Solutions (owned by Expansys), Elite Mobile, RP Europe, GK Telecom, Comm Sense and System Chytel.

Despite requests, O2 is yet to explain its reasoning to its partners, they claim.

Another added: “If premium messaging is now deemed as fraud, then why don’t they ban it from their network?

“They have made the distributors the scapegoats and profiteered from the issue.”

But due to the clawbacks dating back up to five months, they claim they will have to? pay the bulk themselves and? some are considering legal action against the operator.

Eligible customers need to visit their nearest Orange store with either their drivers licence, passport or PASS card ID to have U24 added to their account. Contract customers can also call Orange customer services. Once live, they will receive a text to confirm the U24 package has been added,tablette tactille, also containing a link to download the U24 app.

Customers under the age of 24 can make unlimited calls and texts to Orange and T-Mobile users, as well as use 1GB of data, for free in addition to their current price plan

Orange has launched an U24 app to support the offer, available from the Apple, Android and BlackBerry app stores. The app checks the customer’s address book and highlights those contacts that are with Orange and T-Mobile.

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Orange UK director of propositions Simeon Bird said:?“We’re pleased to be able to reward our younger customers with such a great offer. Whether they’re going away to university, or starting out in a new career, with U24 we’re hoping to make life a little easier, providing them with an extra mobile data allowance and the potential to call and text over 27 million people as often as they like – all for no extra charge.”

U24 is free for all new and existing contract customers on plans or ?15 a month or more and prepay customers who top up by ?15 a month or more a month, who are under the age of 24. The offer is in addition to a customer’s current mobile price plan.

Orange has launched its U24 offer, giving customers an additional 1GB of mobile data and unlimited UK calls and texts to anyone on Orange or T-Mobile.

Telmap Navigator made available as part of network’s starter pack for?Android users

Telmap chief marketing officer Motti Kushnir said: “We are happy to announce that Vodafone AppSelect in the UK is the first place that Android users can find and download our free Telmap Navigator app; offering Vodafone’s UK Android user base with a comprehensive location-based service that addresses all their needs while on-the-go.”

The app is currently rated at the top of the Vodafone AppSelect ‘best rated’ chart.

The app, which is featured in the network’s ‘starter pack’, will be promoted during the summer and allows users to use in-car navigation, features a text-to-speech function to aid with pronunciation of street names, and integrates with Facebook,tablette tactile pas cher.

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Location app Telmap Navigator will now be available for free to Vodafone customers through its Android AppSelect store.

In his time at the company, The Word also signed partnerships with Microsoft, BT Openreach, Sage, Mitel and Opal.

Evolve Telecom’s purchase of The Word see’s the Welsh-based dealer’s founder and CEO exit the industry

Evolve Telecom managing director Mark Gordon has taken over from Stiley in the daily running of the business as a result of the acquisition.

Evolve Telecom acquired The Word for an undisclosed fee last month. The purchase saw 15,000 Vodafone connections and 600 customers added to Evolve’s base, making it the second largest B2B dealer in the UK with 60,Tlphone portable pas cher,000 numbers across almost 3,000 customers.

The Word founder and CEO Huw Stiley has left the company and the industry after 27 years following its sale to fellow Vodafone platinum partner Evolve Telecom last month.

He led The Word to become one of 23 dealers and the only one in Wales to be awarded platinum partner status when Vodafone revamped its indirect channel structure in September 2010, rebranding Yes Telecom as Vodafone Partner Services (VPS).

Stiley (pictured) set up the Cardiff-based company in 1985. He was operations director for more than 17 years and in January 2002 became CEO.

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The workshops will take place in Glasgow on the 2nd and in Preston Brook, Cheshire on the 16th. Previous workshops have been held in Leeds, Slough and Borehamwood.

They have been organised to educate Avenir’s dealers and resellers on the full benefits of selling O2′s unified communications products.

Airtime distributor announces a further two dates next month following the success of previous workshops that were held in April and May

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Avenir Telecom managing director Andy Tow said:,Tlphone portable?“We are delighted that the workshops have proved so popular with our stockists.? We have a dedicated unified communications team to assist in every aspect of the process, as well as training, and they will be holding workshops throughout the UK so that all of our stockists will be able to attend one if they wish.”

Avenir Telecom has announced two dates in August for its next unified communications workshops. They will now be held regularly following the success of initial workshops in April and May.