Phones 4U
 |
|
| Public | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Fate | Entered administration |
| Founded | 1987 (as Midlands Mobile Sales) 1996 (as Phones 4u) |
| Founder | John Caudwell and Brian Caudwell |
| Defunct | September 2014 |
| Headquarters | Newcastle-under-Lyme, England |
|
Key people
|
Tim Whiting (CEO) Phil Dobson (Deputy CEO) |
| Products | Home, mobile telephone equipment and services |
| Owner | BC Partners |
| Website |
www |
Phones 4u was a large independent mobile phone retailer in the United Kingdom. It was part of the 4u Group based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Since opening in 1996, it expanded to over 600 stores. On 14 September 2014, EE, Vodafone, Orange & O2, the company's final remaining suppliers, ended their contracts. The company entered administration (bankruptcy) on 15 September 2014 with PricewaterhouseCoopers appointed as administrators.
In 1987, John Caudwell and his brother Brian founded Midlands Mobile Phones, a wholesaler and distributor of mobile phones. The company became the Caudwell Group, whose high street retail arm was named Phones 4u.
On 26 September 2006, The Caudwell Group was sold for a sum of £1.47 billion to private equity firms Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson & Co. In February 2008, the group bought online retailer Dialaphone in a deal worth an estimated £9 million. In July 2010, Phones 4u partnered with electrical chain Dixons to place 49 concessions inside Currys and PC World stores. This number increased to over 100. However, following a merger between Dixons and rival phone shop, Carphone Warehouse, it was announced that this partnership would not be renewed.
The group was acquired by private equity group BC Partners in March 2011. The deal, estimated to be worth in the region of £700 million, was agreed several months after talks with a United States private equity owner ended.
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Wikipedia