Ikea will operate as mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and will be supported by T-Mobile network. Under the agreement with Mobile Partners UK Ltd, T-Mobile is providing IKEA with prepay services that will be available to IKEA FAMILY loyalty programme members, which currently have around 1.4 million members in the UK.

Jim Hyde, Chief Executive of T-Mobile UK, said:

“We’re delighted to have been chosen as the network behind the new Ikea mobile service. Our long experience in delivering white label services to MVNO partners and the independently assessed superiority of our network will ensure Ikea realises its ambitions to offer an exceptional value prepay service to members of its loyalty programme.”

Ikea will offer SIM card package as the UK’s lowest priced pay-as-you-go service, which will offer one low price of 9p per minute for calls and 6p for each text message at any time and any day. Family Mobile will be launched to Ikea Family members on 8 August. Prior to this, on 5 August, Ikea will present every one of its 9,500 Ikea employees in the UK with a special introduction to the package by giving them a free Family Mobile SIM card with £5 of pre-loaded credit and a mobile phone.

Family Mobile has been designed by Mobile Partners UK to be simple to use with no hidden costs. Members of Ikea Family will only pay for the air time they use with no fixed monthly payments and no minimum spend beyond an initial £10 of airtime purchased. Customers can keep their existing mobile number and can choose to have a household account with a number of SIM cards, allocating spend between registered members.

T-Mobile already has successful MVNO partnership with Virgin Mobile, world’s first Mobile Virtual Network Operator, launched in 1999.

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