easyMobile.com - the discount mobilephoneco backed by no frills airline entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou - has taken off at last.

After refusing to comment on a press report earlier today about the launch of the service, the new discount cellco has now been officially unveiled.

And as reported, the cost of UK calls is 9p a minute while texts cost 3p. However, this is only a limited offer and from June, those charges will revert to 15p and 5p respectively.

"We are very pleased to launch our service in the UK, and I fully believe British consumers will be thrilled to be pioneers as customers of easyMobile.com," said easyMobile chief exec Frank Rasmussen.

However, Stelios used today's announcement to take a pop shot at mobile operator Orange, which is suing EasyGroup to stop it using the colour orange in its branding for the new service. Orange reckons easyMobile's logo and colour, both orange, are likely to confuse customers.

Speaking today Stelios said: "I think that is why Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd, the competitor owned by the France Telecom, is running so scared that they decided to take us to court over a spurious claim that we cannot use the colour orange.

"I have been using this colour for ten years and I will not stop using it now for anyone. Let the battle commence." ®

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