Dixons Carphone signs deal with Hutchison Whampoa’s Three to offer mobile services
DIXONS Carphone has struck an agreement with network provider Three to offer mobile services that will also seek to help customers link up their devices and appliances.
Under the terms of the agreement with Three’s owner Hutchison Whampoa, the company will offer mobile contracts that will let customers tailor their price, minutes and data to their needs.
Customers buying connected devices such as laptops, tablets, TVs, smart watches and wearables, and appliances from Carphone Warehouse or Dixons’ Currys and PC World will be able to take out a contract at the same time.
The high street electricals and phones giant previously outlined its ambitions of exploiting the so-called Internet of Things – where household appliances and devices are connected to the internet.
It believes that becoming a service provider for the Internet of Things market could be worth up to £5bn to the company.
The mobile service, which has yet to be given a name, is expected to launch this summer. The company already sells mobile contracts for UK mobile networks EE, O2, Vodafone and T-Mobile.
The move comes amid huge consolidation in the sector. Hutchison Whampoa is in talks to merge Three with Telefonica’s O2, while Sky will launch its own service using the O2 network.