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Tag: vodafone

  • BYD triples European sales, Gucci faces backlash over AI slop – Tech Digest

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    Wayve, the self-driving car firm set to launch robotaxis on UK roads, has raised 1.5 billion US dollars (£1.1 billion) from investors including Uber, Microsoft and chip giant Nvidia. It has secured 1.2 billion dollars (£890 million) through a funding round backed by the major tech firms, institutional investors and car makers, with Uber investing extra funds to help deliver its driverless taxi plans. The Series D funding round, which is one of the largest ever for a British start-up, values the London-based business at around 8.6 billion dollars (£6.4 billion). Standard 

    Gucci is facing a backlash after using AI to generate images to promote its forthcoming show at Milan Fashion Week. The images have been posted on social media – where users have questioned how using AI instead of human models and photographers is in keeping with the fashion house’s claim that it celebrates “creativity and Italian craftsmanship.” “Bleak days when Gucci can’t find a real human Milanese grandmother to wear an outfit from 1976,” said one in response to an AI-generated image of a glamourous older Italian woman in a classic Gucci outfit. BBC 

    Analyst firm Gartner thinks talk of placing datacenters in space has reached “peak insanity,” because orbiting facilities can’t be run economically or satisfy demand for compute power on Earth. “Datacenters in space won’t analyze data on Earth for Earth applications for decades, if ever,” states a report published this week titled “Orbital Datacenters Won’t Serve Terrestrial Needs, So Focus on Earth,” penned by distinguished VP analyst Bill Ray.“Companies are wasting money by pouring funds into the orbital data center ‘bubble’ because the economics do not work,” the analyst wrote. Register

    The Dark Sky weather app, with its ultra regional forecasts and rain-stopping predictions, was the best I’ve ever used – until Apple acquired it, integrated into Apple Weather app for iPhone and then shut it down. At the time, the team behind the app joined Apple to ease the transition. Now they’re back on the scene hoping to fill the void left behind by the standalone Dark Sky app. The new iPhone app (which will come to Android eventually) is called Acme Weather. The major unique selling point is the “alternate predictions”. Stuff 

    For years, the conversation around online safety centred on the “stranger danger” of chat rooms. However, a new risk has now emerged: the AI chatbot’s simulated empathy. New research from Vodafone reveals the scale of this shift. According to its study of 11-16-year-olds, a staggering 81% are now using AI chatbots. Most concerning to experts, however, is the emotional weight these interactions carry. Nearly a third (31%) of these young users feel the bot is an actual friend and 33% have shared secrets with an AI that they wouldn’t tell their parents, teachers, or even their closest human peers. ShinyShiny 


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  • Ofcom data reveals EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone most complained about UK services – Tech Digest

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    Telecoms giants EE, TalkTalk, and Vodafone have been named as the most complained-about broadband providers in the UK.

    The latest quarterly data from Ofcom, covering July to September 2025, shows that customer dissatisfaction remains high across several major networks.

    While overall complaint volumes across the industry remained relatively flat compared to the previous quarter, broadband continues to be the primary source of frustration for consumers. EE, TalkTalk, and Vodafone each received 10 complaints per 100,000 customers for their broadband services.

    EE also topped the list for pay-TV complaints, while TalkTalk recorded the highest volume of grievances regarding landline services. At the other end of the scale, Plusnet and Sky performed significantly better, with Plusnet receiving the fewest broadband complaints at just 4 per 100,000 subscribers.

    Consumers “voting with their feet”

    Lisa Barber, Editor of Which? Tech, said:

    “For many broadband customers, these findings will come as no surprise. Our research consistently shows that larger providers are outshone by smaller rivals. Plusnet, which received the fewest complaints of the providers covered, is a Which? Recommended Provider.

    “Many of the biggest names in broadband have been letting customers down for too long. Delaying improvements and failing to offer a better service will only drive customers to companies that treat them better. Good-quality broadband isn’t a luxury – it is an essential. With plenty of competitive deals available, consumers have more power than ever to vote with their feet and switch.”

    Alex Tofts, broadband expert at Broadband Genie, noted that while industry-wide figures are steady, the persistent issues in broadband are concerning.

    “Broadband continues to generate more complaints than landline, mobile and pay-TV services,” Tofts said. “If other parts of the telecoms market can reduce complaint volumes, the question is: why can’t broadband?”

    Tofts also highlighted the financial benefits of moving to a new provider. “For consumers unhappy with their provider, switching remains a powerful option. 8.8 million broadband customers are currently out of contract and could save an average of £183.60 per year by switching to a new deal.”

    https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/latest-telecoms-and-pay-tv-complaints-revealed-q3-2025


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  • Vodafone and Three unveil ‘Share Index’: 40% of Brits would share a toothbrush! – Tech Digest

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    • Vodafone and Three UK unveil ‘The Share Index’, revealing what the UK is most – and least – willing to share, to highlight that their customers can now share each other’s networks automatically. 

    • Almost half (40%) of Brits would share a toothbrush, although 21% would never admit this publicly.

    • Three in ten (31%) couples wouldn’t share a phone charger with their other half. 

    A new study into British sharing habits has revealed a distinct divide in the nation’s willingness to go halves on everything from tech to toothbrushes.

    Published as ‘The Share Index,’ the research highlights that while people are increasingly protective of personal hygiene items, there is a significant demand for shared digital infrastructure.

    The data, based on a survey of 2,000 adults, shows that personal boundaries remain high when it comes to hygiene and technology. More than half of respondents (52%) refuse to share razors, while 46% draw the line at deodorant.

    Surprisingly, despite the intimate nature of the item, 40% of Britons admitted they would share a toothbrush, though 21% said they would never admit to doing so in public.

    Technology has emerged as a particularly contentious area. Over a third of the population (34%) refuse to share earphones. The study noted a gender divide in this category; while 86% of men are comfortable sharing in-ear headphones, 20% of women strictly avoid it.

    Charging cables are another source of domestic friction, with 31% of couples refusing to share a phone charger. One in five respondents admitted they worry their partner would simply not return a charger if it were lent out.

    The research was commissioned by Vodafone and Three UK to promote their new network-sharing initiative. Following the formation of VodafoneThree, customers from both providers can now access each other’s networks automatically.

    This integration currently includes 1,000 shared sites, with plans to bring a further 8,600 online within the first year.

    James Buckley and his wife and podcast co-host, Clair Buckley


    The Share Index: What Brits Will (and Won’t) Share


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  • Vodafone is testing an AI ‘actor’ to sell its products instead of paying a human to do it

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    Vodafone made a commercial starring an AI avatar posing as a real lady. This is interesting because Vodafone is a major global brand and not a fly-by-night TikTok company using a ridiculous deepfake of Jackson Galaxy to sell cat toys.

    The tells in the commercial are obvious and what one would expect. The AI avatar’s hair is a bit off, which ruins the charade that this is a real person. The physical mannerisms and speaking tone are also wonky. A facial mole moves around at one point. It’s AI. You know the drill.

    The company responded to a question on a message board as to why it couldn’t put “a real person in front of the camera” by saying this is simply an experiment. It said it was “testing different styles of advertising — this time with AI,” and that “AI is so much a part of everyday life these days that we also try it out in advertising.”

    This isn’t the first Vodafone ad to feature generative AI. It released a fully AI-generated commercial last year that spurred a bit of controversy, despite looking absolutely awful. Social media platforms are also becoming increasingly littered with AI-generated virtual influencers.

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    Lawrence Bonk

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  • Vodafone Idea announces new roaming plans for FIFA World Cup in Qatar; check details

    Vodafone Idea announces new roaming plans for FIFA World Cup in Qatar; check details

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    Indian telecom operator Vodafone Idea (VI), on Thursday, announced launch of international roaming plans for the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

    The telco’s new international roaming plans come with validity ranging from 7 days to 28 days, it said in a statement.

    “Vi is the only telecom brand offering the best and widest range of International Roaming (IR) packs starting from 7 Days to 28 Days validity giving its users a wide bouquet to choose from depending on the length of their stay in Qatar,” said the telco.

    Vodafone Idea’s new roaming plans are priced at Rs 2,999, Rs 3,999, Rs 4,499, and Rs 5,999 and offer local outgoing calls and to India of 200 minutes, 300 minutes, and 500 minutes each for the two top-end plans, respectively. All incoming calls are free, it added.

    In addition to this, these plans also offer 35 minutes of outgoing calls to the rest of the world, along with SMS limit between 25-100, depending on the plan.

    The company added, “The huge data bundled with the Vi IR pack allows users to roam freely and use more data during matches to stream live and post on social media.”

    Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea’s adjusted gross revenue (AGR) grew 17.93 per cent to Rs 7,356.54 crore in April-June 2022, revealed telecom regulator TRAI in its latest report.

    As on September 30, 2022, the company’s total gross debt, excluding lease liabilities and including interest accrued but not due, stood at Rs 2.2 lakh crore.

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