Mobile phone firm to roll out new store format

The owner of merged mobile phone companies T-Mobile and Orange has defied the retail gloom by announcing plans to open 30 stores under a new format by the end of the year.

Everything Everywhere said yesterday that the stores would create 150 jobs and will be opened in locations where there are gaps between its 720 Orange and T-Mobile shops.

The outlets, which will be branded Everything Everywhere, have been designed to offer high levels of service, allowing customers to download applications directly to their smartphones, and will sell tablet computers as well as phones.

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They will also offer mobile phone battery recharges - even for people who do not subscribe to either company - phone repairs, and a place to "hang out and go online" using free wi-fi.

A trial of five stores showed that the new format helped boost footfall by 25 per cent compared to other types of communications outlets, the company said. It has not disclosed locations for the new stores.

Everything, which is owned jointly by Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, will continue to trial other formats, including stores branded with both Orange and T-Mobile colours, and concessions in other stores.

The Hatfield-based firm, which was formed last year and has 27.7 million customers, has yet to decide whether to keep both brands or to merge them. Earlier this year, it posted a small drop in sales and earnings in its first annual results.