Mobile phones could be banned in primary schools in parts of Merseyside if councillors agree to outlaw them in the new year.

A working group has been set up in Knowsley to review their use in all schools across the borough.

The Education, Training and Culture Scrutiny committee's recommendations will be considered in early 2006.

Teachers supporting the ban say phones can lead not only to bullying but are a distraction in the school day.

more (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4551556.stm)...

What do you think? Should they be banned in all schools?

Of course they should be banned. Didn't think they were allowed in school in the first place. They ban the wearing of make up and jewelry etc, so mobiles are just a fashion accessory in a similar way.

Why would kids need a phone in school anyway ?

Parents would argue that its for their children's safety on the way to and from school, thats why they allow them to takem into school.

They should not be switched on in schools and if a child is caught with their mobile phone switched on then it should be confiscated until the end of the school day.

My 12 year old has a mobile but doesn't use it now. The novelty lasted 5 mins I think !

I wouldn't let him take it to school anyway incase it got robbed off him.
Or he'd probably lose it or drop it !! :rolleyes:

They should not be switched on in schools and if a child is caught with their mobile phone switched on then it should be confiscated until the end of the school day.

Teachers have to be very careful when 'confiscating'. I'm sure somewhere, there is a point at which it becomes a 'theft' :rolleyes: although I cannot say this is a fact.

This really wouldn't surprise me

Parents would argue that its for their children's safety on the way to and from school, thats why they allow them to takem into school.

Thats when they might need it though, so let em have but just switch it off as soon as they get in school since they could use the schools phone.

Why?

Mobile TV is not a turn-on, BT trial finds

· Phone users prefer to listen to digital radio
· Results of survey likely to disappoint operators

Richard Wray
Friday January 13, 2006
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

Mobile phone users are more interested in listening to digital radio through their handsets than watching mobile television services, according to research unveiled yesterday, and are only willing to pay about £5 a month for the privilege of catching up with their favourite shows on a phone's small screen.

More (http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,,1685639,00.html)...

;)

WIRRAL and Chester are among the "hotspots" for mobile phone theft, it was reported yesterday. more (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17084164%26method=full%26siteid=50061% 26headline=mobile%2dstolen%2devery%2d12%2dseconds-name_page.html)

Have u ever had one stolen or maybe you have lost one or two? Ever dropped one down the toilet? What ever your story, weed like to hear them :gossip:

I remember Discodan saying he had one stolen.

Only ever lost/had one stolen & that was at a New Years Party. I was more than just worst for wears. I think ultimately it was stolen, but couldn't prove that the person I thought it was has stole it. Fortunately my contract was up for renewal 2 weeks later, so only had to survive for a matter of days before getting a free upgrade!

I'm now very careful with it, and also think twice about taking it out if I'm going for a heavy session!

I think I must be the last person left in the world who hasn't got one, or ever had one, or even wants a mobile phone. :neutral:

WIRRAL and Chester are among the "hotspots" for mobile phone theft, it was reported yesterday. more (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17084164%26method=full%26siteid=50061% 26headline=mobile%2dstolen%2devery%2d12%2dseconds-name_page.html)

Have u ever had one stolen or maybe you have lost one or two? Ever dropped one down the toilet? What ever your story, weed like to hear them :gossip:


I lost my last one so I bought a new one with Christmas money.

Yes I actually did drop my latest one in the toilet about 2 months ago! Was having a pee and it fell out of my pocket into the toilet just before I was ready to pee. :lol:

Luckliy it was ok when dried out.:PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Touch wood, I've never had one stolen, always kept it very close to me and never left it anywhere. I tend to drop them only when they are brand new so I scratch them straight away and never scratch it again, sods law I think.

Nokias tend to explode into pieces due to their removable covers.

Yup mine was robbed from under my nose in the herritage... first time ever. When I had my phone shop the amount of stolen phones brought in and turned away were about 10-15 a day.

The networks say you can not turn on barred phones but you would be suprised how many can be turned back on.. but no one does this anymore as it is a five year sentence when caught.. not if... WHEN

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=sim_only.viewsimonly

enjoy :)

Cheers for that Dan,

Read a an early post 'Stolen Phones' that you seemed to own a mobile phone shop - or have I read it incorrectly?

Just my phone contract is up and I'm contemplating changing to PAYG (don't make full use of contract anymore!). Need to keep my number tho, how easy is it to PAC to a PAYG sim? (Done it plenty of times in the past with contracts).

Cheers!

realy easy matey bobs... just get your pac code as usual there wont be any problems... unless you are on "3" they are ******s.

cheeeeers fella :PDT_Piratz_26:

realy easy matey bobs... just get your pac code as usual there wont be any problems... unless you are on "3" they are ******s.

Oh Oh - just gone back to 3 on contract - been with them before so know CS isn't quite what it should be (although does appear to have improved so far)...

Got the Vodafone SIM yesterday! Thats me and my old phone sorted for Leed Festival in August!

Cheers Fella!

The latest scam to trap unsuspecting consumers is mobile-phone switching.

Which, the consumer group says the scamsters have moved on to the phones and are cold calling consumers to try to get them to switch suppliers.

The caller pretends to be from your network supplier, but is in fact from a small mobile-phone retailer. They obtain your number using equipment known as a "random number generator" and then ask you to confirm your address. This is all they need to switch you to a different supplier.

Your existing phone company may then cut off your handset and you have all the hassle of reconnecting again.

Phone providers say they only ever call customers when their contracts are due to expire, so if you hear from a company at any other time, be wary. And never confirm your name and address unless you are sure you are dealing with your own provider. Genuine calls should always include security checks.

LIVERPOOL today emerged as the mobile phone capital of Britain. more (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/breakingnews/tm_objectid=17438292%26method=full%26siteid=50061% 26headline=we%2dre%2dall%2dmobile%2dcrazy%2d-name_page.html)

BE WARNED!

You risk a £1,000 FINE if you use your mobile while driving on the island! Focusses the mind a bit, eh?

That's if you get your mobile to work...

INFO (http://www.isleofman.com/tourisminfo/mobilephone.htm)

Mobile phone companies are promising to cut off a phone within 48 hours of it being reported stolen.

They will blacklist stolen handsets as part of an industry charter to combat theft of the devices.

Five companies have signed up to the initiative, which follows an 8% surge in robbery last year.

Police believe the increase has been fuelled by demand for hi-tech phones and other electronic goods.

Home Secretary John Reid said he hoped the mobile initiative would be the "first large step forward" in tackling the rise in street crime.

Mr Reid said: "The message to the criminals is that mobile phone theft is now a useless occupation.

"If you steal mobiles you will not be able to sell them."

Chairman of the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum, Jack Wraith, said a "normal, run-of-the-mill" case of theft would currently be blocked on all networks within 24 to 36 hours.

But the crucial aspect of the new move is that networks will be measured on their performance and figures would be published in an annual report.

According to the Home Office, there are 27 phone robbery hotspots in the UK.

They include Northampton Luton; Haringey; Islington; Lewisham; Newham; Waltham Forest; Enfield; Greenwich; Harrow; Lambeth; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; Liverpool; Manchester; Wolverhampton; Leeds; and Sheffield.

source (http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13535344,00.html)....

400 new jobs after broadband success
Jul 28 2006
By Tony Mcdonough, Daily Post

WARRINGTON-BASED telecoms provider TalkTalk (http://www.talktalk.co.uk/) has taken on hundreds of new staff to cope with a huge surge in demand for its "free" broadband service.

When the company, a division of mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse (http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/), launched the offer in April it only employed around 600 people at its purpose-built Birchwood site.

But the phone and broadband package has proved so popular - 476,000 customers have signed up - that it has had to take on another 400 people taking the total to more than 1,000.

Carphone Warehouse chief executive Charles Dunstone said the popularity of the service had created a customer service "nightmare".

More (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/business/news/tm_objectid=17465146&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=400-new-jobs-after-broadband-success-name_page.html)...