O2 / Virgin Merger Talks

[Oxygen87]

I know that according to the news article I read on Google News, they are only in talks but should an O2 and Virgin merger happen, would this benefit existing O2 customers? I was a T-Mobile customer when the T-Mobile / Orange merger (EE) was happening and it was not a good customer experience at all. Customers faced a hike in plan costs, forced to change plans, upgrade deals were poor, loss of signal when they were switching over the networks. Customer services went down the pan, billing was always wrong. SIM card changes left Orange customers without a phone number as the porting process went stupid and all customer perks were lost such as the once famous Orange Wednesday's. I don't think I can face going through all of that again! I know that Virgin have their own network infrastructure and that they don't just use EE's anymore which is why they are saying when they move over to Vodafone next year that customers won't have to change SIM cards.

I'm wondering what your thoughts are as customers? Would you be happy about this? I'm personally not a fan of Virgin. I guess time will tell what actually happens.

[TallTrees]

Well I think it would need to be looked at
Most mergers are considered by appropriate authorities @Oxygen87

[jonsie]

Well the European Commission who blocked the O2-Three merger is out of the equation....

[Anonymous]

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@TallTrees wrote:
Well I think it would need to be looked at
Most mergers are considered by appropriate authorities @Oxygen87

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@TallTrees 

I don't think they are going to raise any objection to it.

The O2/Three merger was blocked on the basis it would have reduced the number of operators (that is, those who own and operate a physical radio network) from 4 to 3 as Virtual Network Operators (VNOs) are a 'side hustle' to allow operators to sell unused capacity on their networks to sweat these assets.

Just like with the BT/EE merger, Virgin changes from being a VNO to part ownership of a network operator (or in BT's case, full ownership)

BT gained a mobile network and EE gained access to a vast fixed network.

Virgin gains a mobile network and O2 gains access to a fibre infrastructure which is expanding and can be used to support a 5G rollout.

However, things aren't so good if you are on PAYG.

PAYG completely disappeared from Virgin's site some time ago so depending on which party is in control this could be the same with O2 as they'd much rather you'd sign up for a bundle.

And then there's the MVNOs that run on O2......

Not sure this is a good thing unless you're a Virgin Customer that's in an area where EE coverage isn't great but O2's is.

[Oxygen87]

So how would this affect the 5 year contract that Virgin Mobile has entered into with Vodafone to run their MVNO? Virgin Mobile is set to switch from EE to Vodafone next year.

[Anonymous]

If you think O2 CS is bad.. Virgin is even worse.. and not even in this country.. unless you want disconnecting that is.. then someone from these shores answers!

[TallTrees]

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@Anonymous wrote:
If you think O2 CS is bad.. Virgin is even worse.. and not even in this country.. unless you want disconnecting that is.. then someone from these shores answers!

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🥵  

I could be used to that though TALKTALK who don't talktalk any more most reps are oversees

• like maybe the Virgin isles 

[Oxygen87]

I praised O2's customer service... EE and Virgin both have bad customer service.

[Oxygen87]

@TallTrees I've had little dealings with TalkTalk's customer service while I've been with them over the past 4 years. I once had to report that my phone line had come down and that was sorted the next day. BT however were a complete nightmare!

[TallTrees]

Hello @Oxygen87
Well TT and I have always somehow managed to get through some very unpleasant difficult situations of their making over the past 17 years ie data breach with their managing agents Wipro in India.. that was not good ..my name, address telephone number etc gone to scammers...
I suffered telephone calls every day ....day in day out it went on longer because the original scammers sold the names etc on!!
I have never been able to answer my landline since. Then after that and Along with a new Broadband package I was given an inclusive complementary mobile plan, I bought my own mobile...sort of some mean compensation for 2years of telephone hell. Then before contract up they denied the mobile part of the contract and started to charge extra for it TT having decided to close their mobile operation and do a deal with o2 for their customers.
TT treat their customers in an appalling manner
but up to now I have been able to achieve some reasonable outcome Why am I still with them? Better the devil you know.
This may change though contract up in September this year. My contract is very straightforward just BB nothing else.
Now BT well now ... I hate BT I'll never give them any business again. Now you've heard my experience with TT you'll really know how much I hate BT.

[Oxygen87]

@TallTrees I've been quite happy with my service from TalkTalk. My landline has always had spam calls, long before I was with them. BT sell on phone numbers, I'm sure of it. I ended up with a BT landline full of spammers and scammers then a BT owned EE mobile number full of the same! I never received any of the sort on my mobile number with T-Mobile or the early days of EE before BT got their mits on it! I don't think there's a company I hate more than BT!