A big year of awards success for The Big Phone Store in Wolverhampton

It’s been a big year for The Big Phone Store - and it’s not over yet.

Founded by Steve Athwal in 1999, the Wolverhampton-based store has won a raft of awards including two at the Express & Star Business Awards 2026 this summer.

The company, which sells refurbished mobile phones, tablets, smart watches and accessories as well as carrying out repairs at its premises at Wednesfield Business Park, Waddens Brook Lane, has been making waves in the industry for putting sustainability at the heart of its operation, as well as its innovation strategies which have contributed to its growth.

The business, which employs more than 40 people, has put a big focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and this has helped to improve and streamline its interactions with customers, as well as helping the company to develop and grow without the need to employ more staff.

As well as launching an AI agent to help customers, The Big Phone Store has recently launched an app which allows customers to buy or sell a device and test their own device.

The new technology comes amid a momentous year for the business which went home with the Sustainability award as well as an accolade for Growth and Innovation after the Express & Star Business Awards, at The Halls Wolverhampton in June.

The double win came shortly after the company’s lead technician Sunil Shrestha won the micro soldering competition at the Gadget Repair Expo in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Operations director Lydia McGann said: “We hadn’t started entering awards until this year.”

She told how the business has really started to come into its own in the tech world - as companies and the country work towards net zero goals - making the idea of refurbished devices much more appealing.

She said: “We didn’t have to go out of our way to be green - we just are.”

And she added that buying refurbished tech means “the savings for consumers are huge”.

The company has recently perfected work to repair scratched and cracked mobile phone screens with its high tech re-glassing section. Other phone and tech companies have also collaborated with the business which carries out around 600 repairs a day, as well as leasing and selling stock to corporates.

Lydia said: “There’s no one that does everything in-house like we do…processing, diagnostics, repairs and retail - and we have an AI team.”

Wolverhampton born and bred managing director Steve said of the business’s run of recent successes: “I’ve been doing this for more than 25 years - I’ve always done this but it’s only over the last three to four years that we've been recognised."

He added: “There are two factors driving it. “The cost of living crisis - newer devices are becoming more expensive; and the environment - organisations are working towards net zero targets.

“So we’re providing the solution to the majority of problems people face.”

He said the company’s success to date has been down to having such a strong team of talented staff. He said: “The team is everything - without the team we wouldn’t have achieved what we have.

“When you want to achieve something great - it takes more than one person.”

He said he was delighted with this year’s award wins - especially the double whammy success at this year’s Express & Star Business Awards. He said: “To win two was fantastic. I know we were up against a lot of tough competition.”

The award wins, however, will not mean the business can now rest on its laurels.

Steve said enthusiastically: “The thing that really drives me is we’ve only just started.”

The Big Phone Store is now looking forward to the Mobile Industry Awards 2026 having been shortlisted for five accolades at the awards - one of the most prestigious awards programmes in the UK mobile and telecoms industry - recognising excellence across manufacturers, mobile networks, retailers, service providers and technology companies.

The business is in the running to be named Best Recycling Service and Refurbishing Service, Sustainability Initiative of the Year, Retailer of the Year (High Street and Online), Best Repair Service and Best Place to Work (Under 1,000 Employees).

Lydia said: “What makes this particularly special is the calibre of the businesses we're standing alongside. Across the awards, finalists include household names such as Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, EE, VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, Virgin Media O2, BT + EE, Barclays Tech Pack, musicMagpie, Likewize and many others.

“In our own categories we're competing directly against major national brands including VodafoneThree, musicMagPie, Likewize, Samsung and Mazuma Mobile, while our Best Place to Work nomination sees us alongside respected businesses from across the mobile sector.

“For a Wolverhampton-based independent business to receive five finalist nominations alongside some of the biggest names in the global mobile industry is something the whole team is incredibly proud of. It reflects years of investment into refurbishment, repairs, sustainability, customer service and, just as importantly, creating a workplace where our people enjoy coming to work.

“As a business, we've always believed refurbished technology deserves to be recognised alongside new technology, and these nominations are another step towards showing that independent companies can compete with some of the largest organisations in the industry.”

The winners will be announced at the Mobile Industry Awards ceremony in London on September 18.

As if that wasn’t enough - the business has been shortlisted for four awards at the Circular Tech Awards 2026 taking place in Berlin on Saturday September 5.

The Big Phone Store has been named a finalist in the Trade-in Retail, Online Retailer Smartphone, Industry Business Excellence and Refurbisher Smartphone categories.