TalkTalk to launch TV and mobile phone services

TalkTalk is to launch new television and mobile phone services after identifying these as growth areas.

Carphone Warehouse chief executive Charles Dunstone outlined the plans yesterday as the company published documents about the demerger of its retail and telecoms interests, reported the Financial Times.

Dunstone said that while no final decisions had been taken on TalkTalk’s TV service, the telecoms firm was pushing ahead with its involvement in Project Canvas, the on-demand TV partnership between the BBC, ITV, Five and BT.

“We need to be able to deliver TV to people, and we need a platform to do that. I think Canvas is a really interesting opportunity for us,” he said.

TalkTalk, the telecoms subsidiary of Carphone Warehouse, is launching its mobile phone service later this year and is currently looking for a wholesale deal with one of the UK’s mobile network operators.

Carphone’s demerger will result in separate listings from March 29 for TalkTalk and New Carphone Warehouse, said the FT, which will hold a 50% stake in Best Buy Europe, a consumer electronics joint venture involving US group Best Buy.