Phones 4u

Phones 4u was a large independent mobile phone retailer in the United Kingdom. It was part of the 4u Group based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Since opening in 1996, it expanded to over 600 stores. On 14 September 2014, EE, Vodafone, Orange & O2, the company's final remaining suppliers, ended their contracts. The company entered administration (bankruptcy) on 15 September 2014 with PricewaterhouseCoopers appointed as administrators.

History

In 1987, John Caudwell and his brother Brian founded Midlands Mobile Phones, a wholesaler and distributor of mobile phones. The company became the Caudwell Group, whose high street retail arm was named Phones 4u.

On 26 September 2006, The Caudwell Group was sold for a sum of £1.47 billion to private equity firms Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson & Co. In February 2008, the group bought online retailer Dialaphone in a deal worth an estimated £9 million. In July 2010, Phones 4u partnered with electrical chain Dixons to place 49 concessions inside Currys and PC World stores. This number increased to over 100. However, following a merger between Dixons and rival phone shop, Carphone Warehouse, it was announced that this partnership would not be renewed.

Telephone

A telephone, or phone, is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into electronic signals suitable for transmission via cables or other transmission media over long distances, and replays such signals simultaneously in audible form to its user.

In 1876, Scottish emigrant Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be granted a United States patent for a device that produced clearly intelligible replication of the human voice. This instrument was further developed by many others. The telephone was the first device in history that enabled people to talk directly with each other across large distances. Telephones rapidly became indispensable to businesses, government, and households, and are today some of the most widely used small appliances.

Paul Epworth

Paul Epworth (born 25 July 1974) is an English music producer, musician, and songwriter. His production and writing credits include Adele, Florence and the Machine, Coldplay, Cee Lo Green, Foster the People, U2, John Legend, Lianne La Havas, Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars, Plan B, Crystal Castles, Friendly Fires, Bloc Party, Annie, Chapel Club, Primal Scream, The Rapture, Jack Peñate, Kate Nash, and Maxïmo Park amongst many others. On 12 February 2012 at the 54th Grammy Awards, he won four Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, Album of the Year (Adele's 21), and Song of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Rolling in the Deep"). He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside Adele, for "Skyfall". His sister Mary Epworth is a singer and songwriter. He is a member of the Music Producers Guild. He also has a record label, Wolf Tone, whose artists include Glass Animals, Rosie Lowe and Plaitum. He has won 'Producer of the Year' at the BRIT Awards three times, the most recent in 2015.

Q Force

Q Force is a fictional marine military unit originated and designed by Palitoy as part of the Action Force range of 3 3/4 inch action figures and vehicles; similar to the G.I. Joe action figures and featured in the comic book series Battle Action Force.

Graphic Representation

A marine-based unit, and therefore without the scope for variety of characters and vehicles, Q Force was the smallest of the Action Force ranges.

Described in promotional material as:

the unit was introduced as part of the second generation of Action Force (see Action Force – second generation (1983)). In contrast to the First Generation releases and Q Force's fellow units Z Force and SAS Force, the figures and vehicles moved away from the camouflage of their real-world equivalents (i.e. naval greys and light blues) and were painted in bold yellows, reds and dark blue.

The Battle Action Force back stories that accompanied the release of the figures (see Battle Action Force tie in), were less extensive than were the case for the SAS Force and Z Force ranges - the SAS Force for example featured in nearly twenty separate storylines, Q Force in contrast had seven.