Mobile companies took five years to inform victims

Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile took five years to tell customers their voicemails had been hacked by the NOTW, they admitted to the Leveson Inquiry yesterday.

The networks found that 156 subscribers were victims after the paper's royal editor was arrested in 2006, but fears about prejudicing the police investigation meant Orange and T-Mobile did not tell customers until last July. Vodafone told victims only last month. O2 told its 40 customers five years ago.