Carphone Warehouse was founded in 1989 by Sir Charles Dunstone and Julian Brownlie with just £6,000 of personal savings, starting from a small office in Marylebone, London. From those modest beginnings the company grew into one of the UK's largest independent mobile phone retailers, eventually operating more than 530 standalone high-street stores across Britain. Its core promise is free and impartial advice – comparing deals across a wide range of UK networks to help customers find the best pay-as-you-go, SIM-free, or pay-monthly option for their needs. In 2014 the business merged with Dixons Retail to form Dixons Carphone, and standalone Carphone Warehouse stores closed in April 2020, with the brand continuing online as a trading name of Currys Retail Limited.
What sets Carphone Warehouse apart from carrier-owned shops is its network-neutral approach. Rather than promoting one operator's tariffs, the company compares deals from all major UK networks – including O2, Vodafone, EE, Three, and others – and offers unbiased guidance to help customers select the right combination of handset, tariff, and data allowance. This independent model is central to the brand's reputation and was reflected in its marketing throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Carphone Warehouse stocks a broad selection of smartphones and devices from leading manufacturers, alongside tablets and accessories. Customers can choose from:
Carphone Warehouse operates an email newsletter that delivers mobile phone deals, limited-time offers, and network promotions directly to subscribers. The newsletter covers new handset launches, upgrade reminders, and seasonal promotions, and is a popular way for customers to track price movements on flagship devices without visiting a store.
After floating on the London Stock Exchange in 2000, Carphone Warehouse expanded steadily, acquiring Tandy's UK stores in 1999 and later purchasing AOL's UK internet business in 2006. The broadband and home phone division was spun off as TalkTalk in 2010. The 2014 merger with Dixons Retail created Dixons Carphone, one of Europe's largest consumer electronics retailers. Changing shopping habits – with more than 68% of UK mobile contracts purchased online by 2019 – made the large standalone store estate increasingly uneconomical, and all 531 UK stores closed in April 2020.
The Carphone Warehouse brand continues to exist as an online-only retailer at carphonewarehouse.com, operating as a trading name of Currys Retail Limited. All standalone high-street stores closed in April 2020. Some mobile phone sales also take place within Currys stores.
The company was founded in 1989 by Sir Charles Dunstone and Julian Brownlie, who contributed £6,000 from their own savings to start the business from a rented office in Marylebone, London. David Ross joined as Chief Operating Officer in 1990 and was a key figure in the company's early growth.
Yes. In August 2014 Carphone Warehouse Group merged with Dixons Retail to create Dixons Carphone plc. In 2021 the parent company rebranded as Currys plc, consolidating its retail brands under the Currys name and phasing out the standalone Carphone Warehouse high-street presence.
Carphone Warehouse compares deals from all major UK networks, including O2, Vodafone, EE, Three, and various virtual network operators (MVNOs). Its selling point is that it is independent of any single carrier, allowing it to recommend whichever network and tariff best suits a customer's usage and budget.
Carphone Warehouse is still trading online (its high street stores closed in 2020). For current deals visit www.carphonewarehouse.com. This catalogue is no longer available through Catalink.
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