O2 (UK) first commercial General Packet Radio Service. BT Cellnet, together with BT Group's mobile telecommunications businesses in Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, was part of the BT Wireless division. This was spun off from the BT Group in 2002 to form a new holding company, mmO2 plc, which introduced the new "O2" brand for the businesses. In 2005, mmO2 plc was renamed O2 plc. O2 plc was purchased by the Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica in 2006 for £18 billion. Under the terms of the acquisition, Telefónica agreed to retain the "O2" brand and the company's UK headquarters. O2 plc became Telefónica
Institute of Science and Technology, UK Institute of Science and Technology, UK The Institute of Science and Technology is a UK-based professional organization which is a member of the Science Council and thereby authorized to award the designation Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), Registered Scientist (RSci) and Chartered Scientist (CSci). It was formed in 1948 as the Science Technology Association, became the Institute of Science Technology (IST)in 1954 and took its present name in 2007. The IST was formed specifically for science laboratory technicians, and continues to provide specialist qualifications in this area, up to Higher Diploma but has expanded the membership in line with developments in