Carphone Warehouse to establish own network

From next year, Ireland's mobile phone users will have another network operator to choose from.

Carphone Warehouse is teaming up with Three, following Three's buyout of O2 Ireland, and its new network will initially employ 50 new staff.

One of the conditions imposed by regulators on Three's acquisition of O2 was that the company would allow at least two MVNOs - mobile virtual network operators - to set up.

These networks "piggyback" on the existing wireless infrastructure of an existing network.

"It's brilliant news for the business and for the economy," said Managing Director, Peter Scott.

"It's 50 new jobs across a wide range from IT to telecall support to marketing and sales."