Orange and Vodafone plan to launch a landline service.

Orange:

Orange has joined forces with Cable and Wireless to launch and run a landline telephone service. It is to be aimed at businesses and then proposed to expand to the residential sector. The company plans to launch the service once Wanadoo has been rebranded.

Vodafone:

Vodafone has also got plans to launch a landline service which I predict as a disaster waiting to happen. BT and Vodafone joined forces together to provide the BT Mobile MVNO service. If Vodafone launches a new landline service, BT may well finish the deal and dump Vodafone as it will be a competitor, this is what is happening between SKY and BT due to the Easynet/UK online aquirement by SKY.

More info:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/20/vodafone_fixed/

I have had a conversation with Vodafone, and I was assured that they would not get involved with landline and / or broadband, and just concentrate with mobile telephony.

Brooke Bond

I think Vodafone should stay away from it. Its a bit late in the day for entering into the market unless it aquires an existing company.

However, since Orange already has Wanadoo, it could easily get its users to use the telephone service too.