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The Phone Co-op, trading as ''The Co-operative Phone & Broadband'', ''The Co-operative Business Telecoms'' and ''The Co-operative Mobile'' is a consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom, which provides fixed, mobile telephone and internet services, including web hosting and broadband. It is 100% owned by its customer-members who democratically control the business and who share in its profits. This makes The Phone Co-op the only telephone co-operative in the UK. The co-op is a Social enterprise and was short-listed for UK Social enterprise of the year in 2015.〔http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/about/social-enterprise-awards/awards-shortlist-announced〕 The business has adopted The Co-operative brand, is a living wage employer and has been accredited with the 'Fair Tax Mark'.〔https://www.thephone.coop/about-us/news-and-press/2012/september/the-phone-co-op-adopts-the-co-operative-brand/〕 The business has over 27,000 customers, spanning individuals, businesses, charities, local authorities and other co-operatives, including Amnesty International, The Big Issue, Christian Aid, Central England Co-operative Society, the Centre for Alternative Technology, Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society, The Co-operative Group, The Council of the Isles of Scilly, Manchester City Council, The Midcounties Co-operative, Triodos Bank and UNISON. Alongside organic growth, The Phone Co-op has acquired other telecommunications businesses, most notably the telecoms business of Saga Group in 2010 and the broadband business of Namesco in 2014. The business provides its fixed line services through the network run by Openreach using Talk Talk ACS an LLU network and it provides mobile services as an MVNO on the EE mobile network. The Phone Co-op follows the widely recognised Rochdale Principles of co-operation, including the payment of a dividend to its members based on how much they spend with the co-operative during the year. The dividend is paid out of profits generated by the co-operative and for year ending 31 August 2013 was 2.5% of each member's spend.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.thephone.coop/membership/blog/2014/february/dividend-has-been-applied!/ )〕 In common with many other co-operatives, The Phone Co-op seeks to operate to high ethical and environmental standards, publishing extensive non-financial data in its annual report. It operates an affinity marketing scheme, where like minded partners receive a revenue share in return for introducing its supporters to The Phone Co-op's services. Participating organisations include New Internationalist, Positive News, The Soil Association and World Development Movement. The business operates a 'Co-operative & Social Economy Development Fund' which is financed through retained earnings to support the development of new social enterprises and co-operatives in the UK by investing in the new enterprises in the form of share capital. Over £300,000 has been invested in this way, with beneficiaries including Torrs Hydro, Go-op, Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative and the Birmingham Student Housing Co-operative.〔https://www.thephone.coop/about-us/who-we-are/development-fund/〕 ==History== * 1998: founded as SETCO (Social Economy Telecommunications Co-operative), incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. Initially, membership of the co-operative was reserved exclusively for other co-ops and charities. * 1999: rule change opened membership to the general public in August. SETCO renamed itself The Phone Co-op and converted into a co-operative society incorporated under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts. * 2008: receives the UK Government-sponsored Enterprising Solutions Award for Best Social Enterprise 2008. * 2010: acquired the telecoms business of Saga Group, including approximately 8,000 residential customers. * 2012: awarded the Green Award of trade body, The Federation of Communications Services, for the fourth year running.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.fcs.org.uk/FCS%20Awards/2012%20Awards.aspx )〕 * 2012: concluded a brand licensing agreement with Co-operative Brands Limited to use The Co-operative brand with three specific sub brands, ''The Co-operative Phone & Broadband'', ''The Co-operative Business Telecoms'', and ''The Co-operative Mobile''. * 2013: Finalist in ''Overall Social Enterprise of the Year'' category at the 15th Social Enterprise Awards.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/about/social-enterprise-awards )〕 * 2013: Accredited as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage Foundation.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.livingwage.org.uk/employers-list-region )〕 * 2013: Partners with the UK charity Community Network to take over its teleconferencing platform, allowing the charity to focus on serving its clients. * 2014: launched a Pay As You Go (PAYG) SIM card in conjunction with The Co-operative Group, to compliment the existing postpaid mobile service. Available in approximately 3,800 branches of The Co-operative Food. * 2014: acquired the broadband business of Namesco. * 2014: became the UK's sole stockist of Fairphone FPU1 ethical smartphones. * 2014: invests £500,000 in public transport social enterprise HCT Group. * 2015 partners with Fairphone to release their second generation modular smartphone in the UK.〔https://www.thephone.coop/media/453457/150921_fairphone_the_phone_co-op_preview_news_release.pdf〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Phone Co-op」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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