The Link (retailer)

The Link

Company type	Joint venture (1997–2006), subsidiary (2006–2010)
Industry	Retail (mobile phones and communication products)
Founded	October 1994 (1994-10)
Founder	DSG International
Defunct	September 2010 (2010-09)
Fate	Physical stores sold or rebranded; online site closed and redirected to Currys
Successor	Currys (online)
Headquarters	United Kingdom , United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Nick Wood (managing director until 2004, returned 2006), Elizabeth Fagan (managing director 2004–2006)
Products	Mobile phones, satellite navigation equipment, broadband Internet solutions, MP3 players, consumer electronics
Owner	DSG International (1994–2006), O2/Telefónica (2006–2010)
Number of employees	Approximately 295 stores at peak (2005) (2005)
Parent	Dixons Retail (until 2006), O2/Telefónica (from 2006)

The Link functioned as a UK-based online retailer specializing in mobile phones and communication products. As part of Dixons Retail, the leading consumer electronics retailer in the United Kingdom, it operated through a dedicated e-commerce platform offering mobile devices, satellite navigation equipment, and broadband Internet solutions.

Originally, The Link denoted a physical chain of mobile phone stores established in 1997, with ownership split between DSGi holding 60% and O2—then under BT Group and now part of Spain's Telefónica—holding 40%. In June 2006, O2 acquired full control of the retail outlets. Meanwhile, The Link’s website remained under DSG’s ownership and continued independently until its closure in September 2010, after which customers were redirected to the sister company Currys.

History

DSG International introduced The Link in October 1994 to address the increasing market demand for mobile phones and related communication devices. Although DSG sold mobiles through its other chains like Currys Digital and Currys, The Link was designed to focus exclusively on mobile sales. In 2004, managing director Nick Wood departed to lead Dixons, with Elizabeth Fagan, previously Dixons Group marketing director, stepping into the role.

By August 2005, The Link operated 295 branches across the UK, generating annual revenues of £428 million for the fiscal year 2004–2005. In September of that year, DSGi indicated a willingness to sell The Link; however, O2 was not prepared to relinquish its stake.

The company updated its marketing strategy by replacing the "Speak Easy" campaign with comedic sketches featuring characters from The Fast Show, filmed at their Waltham Cross location. Alongside a refreshed logo and revamped store layout, this rebranding emphasized music as a central theme to boost retail performance.

O2 acquires DSGi's stake

On 21 June 2006, DSGi divested its 60% interest in The Link to O2 for £30 million, including ownership of all physical stores. Post-acquisition, some outlets were rebranded under the O2 banner, while others were sold off to competing telecom retailers.

Following this transaction, Elizabeth Fagan exited in September 2006 to join Boots Opticians, with Nick Wood returning to lead The Link. Wood introduced a streamlined commission system, launched interactive phone displays within stores, and broadened the product portfolio by adding MP3 players and satellite navigation devices.

Out of the 295 stores, roughly half transitioned into O2 branches; many remaining locations were sold to other telecom retailers such as Orange, T-Mobile, Phones 4U, and Three—significantly expanding their retail footprint. For example, in Bexleyheath Shopping Centre, O2 shifted into former Link premises and transferred its previous locations to operators like Three.

A limited number of sites were either shuttered or sold to non-telecom enterprises including Costa Coffee. Most employees retained their positions under Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) regulations.

Transition to online-only sales

By 31 January 2007, The Link ended all physical store operations and continued solely as an internet retailer. Ownership of TheLink.com and TheLink.co.uk remained with DSGi following the sale of the brick-and-mortar business.

The websites maintained offerings of both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go handsets across multiple networks such as Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, and Three. Additionally, they provided mobile broadband services alongside consumer electronics like iPods, satellite navigation units, laptops, and LCD televisions—available either bundled with contracts or as standalone purchases.

In September 2010, The Link’s online presence was discontinued and visitors were redirected to Currys’ website.

Competition

The Link's primary rivals consisted of Phones 4U, Carphone Warehouse, and Dial-a-Phone, each providing a variety of network choices.

Additionally, it contended with stores owned directly by networks such as 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and Virgin Mobile. It also competed with prepaid-focused retailers including Woolworths, Comet, and Argos. This competitive environment contributed to The Link's delayed integration of Vodafone as a postpay network, which was eventually introduced in November 2001 and implemented in 2002.