Dixons Carphone struck an MVNO deal with 3 UK, promising a service that will set the electrical retailer apart from rivals.

The intention is to offer a mobile connection for the smart home appliances the retailer sells in store.

In addition, Dixons Carphone aims to offer subscribers more flexibility than existing tariffs, according to a Financial Times interview with Graham Stapleton, CEO of Carphone Warehouse UK & Ireland.

“We will have something different from what is available elsewhere in the market with a more personalised service for the mobile customer that will let them tailor their price, minutes and data to their changing needs,” said Stapleton.

The new service is due to launch in the Spring.

Since their merger last summer, Dixons and Carphone have sought to present the new combination as a retailer for the post-Internet of Things (IoT) era.

In that context, becoming an MVNO adding connectivity to the physical products they sell makes sense.

Carphone split in 2010 from broadband provider TalkTalk, which runs its own MVNO operation.

This is the second MVNO deal in less than a week for 3 UK, following an alliance with Sky.

Such agreements could be used as ammunition by 3 UK owner Hutchison Whampoa as it tries to convince regulators that it should be allowed to acquire rival O2, a move announced at the end of January following speculation.