Counting the cost of mobile calls

Phone companies are constantly dreaming up ways to increase our bills, writes Diarmaid Condon

MOBILE phones have become a necessity of modern living, but the animosity that exists towards service providers is remarkable.

In a perfect world, if you were looking to purchase a mobile phone, you should be able to visit the website or a shop of each operator, see which one offered the cheapest calls, pick a handset you like, and buy it from the operator offering the best value.