Best Buy and T-Mobile
We commented that this looks like bad news for Phones4U, but Shepherd didn't concur. "We have also announced today that we've cemented a long-term deal with Phones4U," he said. "When you look at the two businesses, they have very different customer bases."
Shepherd was keen to stress the importance of the extension of the Phones4U arrangement, and that it will continue to offer the full range of Vodafone mobile phone and mobile broadband packages.
Asked if the imminent opening of Best Buy stores in Europe - Best Buy is a part owner of Carphone Warehouse - influenced this decision, Shepherd said: "We're excited by the Best Buy plans but that wasn't a material consideration in making this decision."
However, with the Best Buy stores expected to focus on the mobile Internet sector, Shepherd was keen to stress how important that market is for Vodafone. "We believe mobilising your Internet life is the next phase for our industry," he said. "We have some big aspirations in mobile Internet."
We couldn't let the interview conclude without asking about T-Mobile UK, which Vodafone is rumoured to be considering buying. However, we weren't surprised when Shepherd said he had no comment to make on that rumour. We had to try.
What does seem to be clear is that the world's biggest mobile phone company has big plans for mobile Internet and its growing hardware ecosystem. It will be intriguing so see what further moves Vodafone makes in this direction.
