The UK arm of flat-pack home furnishing chain, Ikea is launching a SIM only MVNO service, powered by the T-Mobile network. Under the agreement with Mobile Partners UK, T-Mobile is providing Ikea with prepay services that will be available to Ikea Family loyalty programme members in the UK. Currently there are 1.4 million members in the UK with new registrations growing daily.
Jim Hyde, Chief Executive of T-Mobile UK, said: WeÃ're delighted to have been chosen as the network behind the new Ikea mobile service. Our long experience in delivering white label services to MVNO partners and the independently assessed superiority of our network will ensure Ikea realises its ambitions to offer an exceptional value prepay service to members of its loyalty programme.
Ikea has positioned the SIM card package as the UKÃ's lowest priced pay-as-you-go service by offering one low price of 9p per minute for calls and 6p for each text message at any time and any day. Family Mobile will be launched to Ikea Family members on 8 August. Prior to this, on 5 August, Ikea will present every one of its 9,500 Ikea employees in the UK with a special introduction to the package by giving them a free Family Mobile SIM card with £5 of pre-loaded credit and a mobile phone.
Family Mobile has been designed by Mobile Partners UK to be simple to use with no hidden costs. Members of Ikea Family will only pay for the air time they use with no fixed monthly payments and no minimum spend beyond an initial £10 of airtime purchased. Customers can keep their existing mobile number and can choose to have a household account with a number of SIM cards, allocating spend between registered members.
Mobile phones will not be sold by Ikea, however Ikea Family members are able to purchase low-cost mobile phones through Mobile Partners UK Ltd.
Ikea is one of the world's largest charities - although that is for tax reasons, not philanthropic ones - as researched by The Economist in 2006.
Posted to the site on 4th August 2008
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/32845.php