Less than two years ago , Google and kicked off the Android revolution with the launch of the T-Mobile G1. The G1 was the first phone to run Google’s fledgling Android operating system and, just as with Google’s own brand , HTC took over manufacturing duties. The device launched exclusively on T-Mobile (though it was later released network free as the HTC Dream) and combined a full touchscreen interface with a slide out Qwerty keyboard. And now, T-Mobile look set to release a sequel in the near future with the T-Mobile G2.
A teaser site has popped up on the allowing eager punters to sign up for updates on the upcoming Android phone though the site gives little away in terms of specs. The only tidbit of information we can actually ascertain from the micro-site is that the device will operate on T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network in the states. Does this mean the wont make it over to this side of the pond? We’ll have to wait and see…
Well, time for some speculation. If we look at the original device, the G1, we can see that the HTC manufactured device sported a side sliding Qwerty keyboard and full touchscreen UI. Looking to the rumour mill, there is an upcoming phone that fits this bill; the (formerly the Vision). Could the T-Mobile G2 be a network specific version of the upcoming Desire HD Z? Well, with a rumoured 1 GHz processor, 3.7 inch AMOLED touchscreen, and a 5.0 Megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture on board, we certainly hope so. Stay tuned on the and we’ll bring you more on this story as it develops.
As you may or may not be aware, and have now merged and become one entity. When this was first announced, there was much speculation as to whether they’d operate as two separate brands or whether they’d become one merged brand and adopt a new name (T-Orange?)
The rumours and speculation have now been laid to rest as T-Mobile and Orange have officially announced their new moniker: . Yeah, that’s right, Everything Everywhere. Tom Alexander, Chief Executive of the newly merged company had this to say:
“The formal integration of our new company, Everything Everywhere Limited, is another major milestone and reflects the rapid progress we have made over the past nine months”.
“Today we have created the country’s biggest communications company, and as the new leader in the industry, it is our aspiration to give our customers instant access to the world around them, to everything everywhere, through both of our brands, Orange and T-Mobile”.
Through it’s two brands, Everything Everywhere how has a reach of over 30 million customers; about the same size as the population of Canada. We’re not disputing the fact that they are now technically the largest service provider in the UK, the numbers and statistics support this but, what we are struggling to get our heads around, is the name… Compared with the one or two syllable network provider names we’re used to, Everything Everywhere is quite a mouthful and a rather cumbersome moniker to have to repeat and frankly, sounds more like a company’s vision statement than a brand name.
Perhaps it’ll grow on us, but let us know what you think in the comments section below.
The and merger has been in process for a while now, and it can now be confirmed that the joint venture will be operating under the new name of ‘Everything, Everywhere’. The two firms will keep their existing trading brands and will continue with their own shops, marketing campaigns, propositions and service centres states Mobile Today. Everything, Everywhere will have the largest UK operator retail presence. Tom Alexander, the new CEO for Everything, Everywhere reveals his vision for the firm as “We are Everything Everywhere – it’s our name, our vision, and our ambition – and we run two of the UK’s biggest brands Orange and T-Mobile”. The company will officially be integrated on July 1, where roaming will be available across both networks.
The merger of T-Mobile and Orange will create a mobile operator with approximately 37% market share , which will out-do the current market leader Telefonica O2 which has 28% market share and Vodafone will fall into third place with 23% market share. Everything, Everywhere will have pro forma revenues of approximately EUR9.4 billion (?7.7 billion) and the merger will be controlled by both Orange-owner France Telecom and T-Mobile’s Deutsche Telekom. .
After months of battling for a merge to take place between and , the process has now been completed and they have now revealed their new brand name…
Soon both companies will ditch their current identities and together will be known as ‘TOM’, which is an acronym of T-Mobile Orange Mobiles.
This news, which became available from a confidential memo sent to Orange’s design agency Hugh Moss Peach Okun (HMPO), confirms that the new TOM brand will be launched in the UK alongside a a multi-million pound ad campaign that will be fronted by Tom Jones, who will be performing his hits to reinforce the theme ‘The power of Tom’.
It has been denied by Orange spokeswoman Avril Phurst that the Chief Executive of Orange had made a condition of his contract that the joint venture would eventually be named after him. She added that “this brand name was chosen because of its futuristic promise of ‘tom-orrow’”.
Other competing networks have also commented on the re-branding;
A senior spokesperson commented: “Are they mad? networks should have sensible names that describe what they do”.
In contrast to this comment, a source states “It’s a clever move. At least people won’t continually spell it wrong like they do ours.”
Virgin head of corporate comms, Hugh Phelfret said: “What’s in a brand anyway? Being named after inexperienced young girls hasn’t done us any harm”.
And finally also had something to say on the topic; “We’re probably not best placed to comment on why anyone would give a mobile phone company a meaningless identity that no-one understands’.
Keep an for any updates on this new identity and when you can expect to see the TOM brand rolling out in the UK.
Cast your minds back to September of last year and you may recall the news that UK networks . The proposed partnership would result in the UK’s biggest network with almost 30 million subscriptions which makes for scary reading the UK’s other major networks.
Following the initial talks, in November further cementing their commitment to the proposed merger. But, from here, it was out of T-Orange’s hands. The deal would need to be verified and approved by the European Commission meaning there was still a major hurdle to jump. Well scratch that as, on Monday, the European Commission gave the UK networks the green light for the proposed merger.
UK consumer groups including the Office of Fair Trading had voiced concerns that the merger would have a negative impact on competition but the Commission claimed that “the commitments offered by the parties remedy the identified competition concerns.”
So, what now? Well, a statement from issued shortly after the European Commission’s announcement noted that Orange and would work on integrating their combined 19,000 workforce. Tom Alexander, currently CEO of Orange UK, will take the helm as Chief Executive whilst Richard Moat, currently CEO of T-Mobile UK, will take on the role of chief operating officer. The board of the new joint venture company will comprise representation from both Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom who own T-Mobile and Orange respectively.
But what does this mean to all you Orange and T-Mobile customers out there? Well, for the immediate future, not alot. It’s expected that the T-Mobile and Orange UK brands will continue to operate independently for at least eighteen months after the merger. Longer term, could we see the and Orange Wednesdays make the move over to T-Mobile customers? And most pressing of all, what new name, if any, will this new giant adopt? Our money’s on Orange-Mobile (sorry T-Orange) but what do you reckon? Let us know in the comments below and keep an eye on the for more news.