MOBILE phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has announced plans to accelerate store openings after revealing full-year profits at the top end of forecasts.

Carphone said it would open 200 shops in the next 18 months, compared to the 150 it had previously planned.

The group expanded its store network by 12 branches to 1,214 in the fourth quarter, with more than 700 stores expected in the UK by March 2006 against more than 500 currently.

The group expects to recruit about 1,500 people in the next 12 months to work in the new shops and in its telecoms business.

Carphone, which manages customer accounts for mobile networks and sells mobile phone accessories and phone connections, said it expected the store openings and market growth to drive 15 per cent growth in mobile connections next year.

It said the mobile market had remained buoyant and the group had strengthened its position in it.

The group saw 29.6 per cent growth in overall mobile connections to 1.44m in the fourth quarter, with 32.4 per cent growth in the lucrative subscription connection business thanks to competition and more new handsets.

It said it also witnessed renewed activity in the pre-pay market, where connections increased by 45.5 per cent to 690,000.