Are O2 and Virgin merging?

Virgin Media and O2, two of the biggest names in the telecommunications industry, officially merged in a 50:50 joint venture between their owners Liberty Global and Telefónica.

Are Virgin and O2 connected?

Virgin Media and O2 have joined forces. And, together, we're going to supercharge the UK. We've joined forces with O2 on a mission to supercharge the UK. Our broadband and mobile networks already connect millions of people across the country, and together we're committed to doing even more to bring people together.

Has Virgin Mobile moved to O2?

But between inking the deal with Vodafone and moving customers onto its network, Virgin Media had found a new partner: O2. In a £31 billion deal completed in the spring of 2021, Virgin Media and O2 merged to create a quadruple-threat telecoms giant.

When did O2 and Virgin Media merge?

The company was formed in June 2021 as a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica through the merger of their respective Virgin Media and O2 UK businesses. It is one of the largest entertainment and telecommunications operators in the United Kingdom, with around 47 million customers in 2021.

Is Virgin Mobile closing down in UK?

On 6 November 2019, it was announced that Virgin Mobile would end their 20-year contract with BT and EE, and would use Vodafone's network from 2021, initially for five years.

Liberty Global CEO Says Virgin Media-O2 Merger 'Great for U.K.'

Is O2 part of Virgin Media?

We're combining the UK's favourite mobile network operator¹ with a broadband network offering the nation's fastest widely-available speeds². 1. UK's Favourite Mobile Network Operator: O2 ranked top out of EE, Vodafone and Three for NPS.

What will happen to Virgin Mobile customers?

In February, Virgin Mobile shuts down, and existing customers will be transferred over to Boost Mobile, another discount carrier that Sprint owns and operates — at least for the moment.

Do Virgin customers get O2 priority?

If you're a Virgin Media customer, you can download the Priority from O2 app and sign up to pick up a free coffee any day of the week at Greggs.

Which network does Virgin piggyback?

Why did Virgin Mobile move mobile network? Virgin Media is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) - an operator that don't have any mobile phone masts and, instead, piggybacks off the signal provided by one of the four providers that do (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone).

What network does O2 use?

These networks are giffgaff, Lycamobile, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile. If you're using one of these four networks, you'll get the same coverage as customers on O2.

Is Virgin pay as you go ending?

Virgin Media's Pay As You Go service is coming to an end by January 2022. "VIRGIN Media has announced they're axing their pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plans. The 123,000 affected customers will be given the option to change their tariff or move providers, according to a Virgin Media spokesperson.

Which network does virgin use in UK?

Network Speeds

As noted above, Virgin Mobile uses EE's coverage for 4G customers and Vodafone's for 5G ones. You can see speeds for both of those networks above, but we're focusing on Vodafone's, as all customers will eventually be moved to Vodafone's infrastructure.

Is Virgin Mobile finishing?

Virgin Mobile is to close down its pay-as-you-go (PAYG) services from January 2022 in a move that impacts 123,000 customers.

Is Virgin Mobile discontinued?

The Virgin Mobile USA service will be discontinued, and we are happy to announce that most of the existing Virgin Mobile customers will be transferred to our sister brand, Boost Mobile beginning in February.

Is O2 better than virgin?

The only major difference is in 4G data. Virgin Mobile can generally get you slightly better 4G reception out in rural areas than O2 can. But in more populated areas you'll notice little difference between them. We always recommend using their coverage checkers to see which network has better signal in your area.

Does Virgin still use EE?

In 2019, Virgin Mobile announced it was ending its deal with EE and moving over to the Vodafone network from 2021. That transition started happening in January this year, meaning that customers taking new contracts or upgrading to 5G services are now running on Vodafone's network.

Are Virgin and EE the same company?

Right now, Virgin Mobile operates as a virtual network, and after years of piggybacking on EE for 3G and 4G coverage, it's now running over to Vodafone for both 4G and 5G.

Who bought Virgin Mobile?

In addition to pulling from Best Buy and Walmart, it also took the Virgin Mobile brand out of Target in 2018 when Sprint ended that relationship. Sprint Nextel acquired Virgin Mobile in 2009 for $483 million and the Virgin Mobile brand is licensed from the Virgin Group founded by billionaire Sir Richard Branson.

Has Virgin Media been sold?

Merger with O2

On 7 May 2020, Liberty Global reached an agreement with Telefónica to merge their UK businesses, Virgin Media and O2, in a deal worth £31bn, subject to regulatory approval by the Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA approved the merger on 19 May 2021, and the merger was completed on 1 June 2021.

Are O2 stopping Pay As You Go?

O2 will no longer sell its 'Classic Pay As You Go' or 'International' Sims – which are traditional pay-as-you-go Sims where you top up with credit and are then charged for each minute, text and MB as you use it.

Does O2 Pay As You Go expire?

O2. On O2 Pay As You Go, customers will have their SIM card disconnected after six months of inactivity. You'll also lose your phone number and any unused credit remaining on your account at the time.

Why are Virgin Mobile changing SIM cards?

We've made changes so our network's even better than before. We've sent you a new SIM so that you can keep using our services and make the most of any new features. It's important you swap your SIM to keep your phone service running.

Why is O2 coverage so poor?

Network problems

There could be a number of reasons for problems with the network, including planned maintenance, bad weather or vandalism. You can also download and use our My Network app (if you have an iPhone or Android) to check the coverage and tell us about any problems.