GOOGLE, Apple and Facebook must help pay for the billions of dollars of network investments needed for their bandwidth-hogging services, phone operators say.

Royal Dutch Shell was among those making share gains on the FTSE 100 Index today in a buoyant session for commodity stocks.

Stronger commodity stocks and a results-day boost for Royal Dutch Shell helped lift the London market today.

Everything Everywhere - the company behind merged mobile phone brands Orange and T-Mobile - has returned to growth in the third quarter, albeit by the slimmest of margins.

HUNDREDS of thousands of strikers marched in cities across France yesterday for the second time this month, protesting against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to hike the retirement age to 62.

Britain's largest mobile phone operator is to be created this week as the proposed merger of Orange and T-Mobile is expected to win approval from European regulators, it was reported today.

The deputy head of France’s main telecoms company has quit amid mounting criticism of the firm’s failure to deal with a spate of employee suicides.

France’s government has ordered an official to monitor France Telecom’s health and safety meetings, following 23 suicides among company employees since February 2008, the labour minister said today.

FRANCE’S national phone company held a mass emergency meeting yesterday to discuss a wave of staff suicides blamed on redundancies and cuts.

France’s national phone company held a mass emergency meeting today to discuss a wave of staff suicides blamed on redundancies and cuts.

Mobile phone giants Orange and T-Mobile today revealed plans to join forces in a tie-up which will create a new market leader in the UK.

Orange and T-Mobile owner Deutsche Telekom have agreed to merge their UK businesses to create a mobile phone giant with around 28.4 million customers, it was announced today.

A potential bidding war for mobile phone operator T-Mobile was in prospect today after reports said O2 owner Telefonica was eyeing the business.

Vodafone is considering a bid to buy T-Mobile UK in a deal that would create Britain’s biggest mobile phone operator, it was reported today.

EIRCOM said the weak economy is putting pressure on the company as it reported a 27% fall in operating profits to €69 million in the third quarter of the year.

Online gaming company Goa is creating 400 new jobs in Dublin, it was announced this afternoon.

Vodafone has today announced several changes to its organisational structure and new senior management appointments.

Broadcasting giant BSkyB is mulling a €2.5bn bid for Spanish pay TV platform Digital+, a report said today.

Mobile phone giant Orange said today that it planned to axe up to 450 jobs under an overhaul of the UK business.

Telecoms giant Vodafone saw shares soar to a six-year high today, helping lift the wider London market by 1.5%.

The UK chief executive of mobile phone company Orange is today reported to be leaving his post following a management shake up.

The mining sector put pressure on the London market today as falling metal prices offset cheer from retailing giant Marks & Spencer.

Banking stocks were under pressure today after Halifax Bank of Scotland sparked concerns over difficult trading in its mortgages arm.

Telecoms group Orange today highlighted the impact of tougher competition on revenues from traditional services such as voice calls in the UK.

Mobile phone company O2 today said it added 474,000 customers in the UK in the second quarter, reinforcing its position as one of Britain's fastest-growing networks.

The European Commission has unveiled plans that would force telecommunications providers to share broadband infrastructure with rivals and extend regulation in the sector to new areas such as text messaging.

Mobile phone company Orange today unveiled an assault on the UK internet market by offering free home broadband from next month.

ONE of Europe’s most advanced light and fibre optics technology research centres was officially opened in Cork yesterday.

EU regulators in Brussels today cleared Virgin Mobile Holdings and Carphone Warehouse Limited to launch a new mobile phone service in France.

The boom time for the telecoms industry returned to haunt Vodafone this week when it unveiled what is believed to be the biggest write-off in UK corporate history.

Orange announced today it is to be the first mobile phone operator to move into the landline market in the UK with the introduction of a fixed line service for businesses.

FRENCH stocks including France Telecom SA gained yesterday. Michelin & Cie. fell after targeting a 2006 operating margin that will be about the same as last year.

The owner of mobile phone operator Orange today said it will axe 17,000 jobs in a bid to reduce costs.

SPANISH telecom giant Telefonica yesterday said that a majority of shareholders in mobile phone firm O2 had accepted its €25.7 billion takeover offer.

Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica today said that a majority of shareholders in UK mobile phone firm O2 had accepted its £17.7bn (€25.7bn) takeover offer.

French antitrust authorities slapped record fines on the country’s three mobile operators today after a four-year investigation found that Orange, SFR and Bouygues illegally shared sales data and conspired to undermine competition.

The prospect of a bidding war for telecoms giant O2 receded today after the owner of T-Mobile ruled out joining the race.

Mobile phone group O2 looked set for Spanish ownership today after Telefonica struck a deal worth £17.7bn (€26.1bn).

FRENCH stocks climbed, paced by companies whose earnings or sales beat estimates, including Alcatel, France Telecom, Pernod Ricard and Arcelor.

TELECOM giant Cable & Wireless is the target of a £4 billion (€5.96bn) takeover bid being prepared by France Telecom, it was reported yesterday.

Investment managers expect economic growth to remain at current levels within Europe this year, according to a new survey by Mercer Investment Consulting.

The French government today said was to sell a 17.7% stake in Air France-KLM, the world’s largest airline, in a move that would help the state reduce its debt and scale back its influence on the Franco-Dutch carrier.

Telecoms giant British Telecom today announced the sale of its stake in one of the world’s largest satellite companies for £363m (€518.2m).