the people’s operator starts as UK MVNO

Rating: The mobile network which makes a real difference, man Wow. Attending the launch of the UK’s latest MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), the people’s operator (TPO) was like being at some old-school hippie fest. This one reckons that it can really make a difference by giving 25 per cent of its profits to a charitable foundation. TPO couldn’t say which mobile network operator it has decided to go with but claimed it was the UK’s largest mobile network operator. So it has to be EE (formerly Everything Everywhere), then. There was also an amazing quote from Esther Rantzen.The MVNO kicked off today [Novmeber 19th 2012] with just a PAYG offering but promises to break into contract in 2013. It’s currently purely online – but its web site isn’t as user-friendly as it claimed. For starters, it doesn’t clearly explain how to enter a password that works. The password must contain a special character – it worked for us with ~, but doesn’t actually provide a list as guidance. Never mind because the whole thing is a brilliant idea. As they say, people can give to charity through TPO 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Rantzen attended to emphasise how charities such as hers (Child Line) are suffering in this harsh economic climate. Not only is money tight, but the demand for her charity’s services has risen dramatically post Jimmy Saville. She did, however, come out with a brilliant admission. Rantzen said she would continue to use a mobile phone even if it was eventually proven that phone usage was damaging to your health. She couldn’t remember how she ever had a social life without a mobile phone. Significantly, there’s a way whereby TPO customers can give a further ten per cent of the profits from their use of the network to a local charity. Once you got past the web site and ordered your free SIM card (regular or micro SIMs are available), you will receive a welcome pack through the post in a 100 per cent recyclable envelope. You then ring up TPO’s support centre and tell them the name of the charity or organisation which you wish to support. Only drawback is that at least five of you need to be TPO members before they will provide your charity with accepted status. TPO is very much like giff-gaff, where there are no High Street stores and calls and texts between TPO members are free. Otherwise it is 7.5 pence per minute or per text. The MVNO said it was hoping to do a deal with “the largest supplier of mobile handsets” in 2013 for a PAYG (prepaid) handset. That would be Samsung, then. We wish TPO the best of luck in its fund raising efforts. GoMobile News wonders whether funding your local Blues festival would count as a ‘good cause.’