Volt Megaguide

[Chris_K]

O2 and Virgin Media, two of the UK’s most iconic brands combining 46 million+ broadband, mobile, phone, and home subscribers, have come together to give the UK more choice and better value. And if you're a customer of both O2 and Virgin Media, it's time to supercharge your world.

Faster Virgin Media broadband. Double O2 mobile data. On us. We're better, connected.

This guide will give you all the info you need to ensure you're fully informed on Volt, who's eligible, and how to apply it to your account.

Get these exclusive benefits for being with both Virgin Media and O2

1. Broadband speed boost: Virgin Media broadband speed boost to the next available level (if you don’t already have the fastest speeds in your area)
2. Double data: Double data on every eligible O2 Pay Monthly plan in your household
3. Roam freely: Use your phone in 75 destinations worldwide at no extra cost
4. WiFi pods: Black-spot busting WiFi Pods if you find any WiFi blackspots at home
5. Tech treats: Up to £150 off an additional connected device, such as a tablet, laptop or smartwatch

At present, you need to be a customer of both O2 mobile and Virgin Media broadband, with both accounts under the same name and at the same address. However, from 12 April 2022, we’ll be introducing 'premise matching', meaning you’ll just need to have the same address on both your O2 and Virgin Media broadband accounts to be eligible for supercharged benefits.

If you're an existing Pay Monthly customer of O2 but you're not with Virgin Media yet, you'll need to get broadband from Virgin Media. Or, if you're already a Virgin Media broadband customer but you're not with O2, you'll then need to get a Pay Monthly sim or mobile with O2.

• If you’re a current O2 only customer, check Virgin Media’s Volt packages here
• If you currently only have a Virgin Media account, then why not send us a message on Facebook or Twitter and one of our team will be able to chat through all the options available to you

You can opt in for Volt benefits from the My O2 app. Once you're in the app, go to 'Offers', then 'Supercharge your world with Volt', then tap 'See what you can get. From here, simply fill in the details you're asked for and within 14 days you should have your benefits applied on both your O2 and Virgin Media accounts.

We've gathered together some of our top FAQ's but if you have any other questions, we have more covered in our dedicated FAQ's page.

I think I should be eligible for Volt, but I can’t see the offer to activate my Volt benefits in My O2

Spoiler

If you think you should be eligible for Volt benefits but aren’t seeing or able to select the offer in My O2, then please make sure your name and address match on both your O2 and Virgin Media accounts. If you think everything’s correct and still aren’t seeing the option to activate your benefits, then please get in touch by calling 202 from your O2 mobile.

Which customer service team should I contact?

Spoiler

We’ll still bring you the same level of customer service you expect from O2. If you want to discuss Virgin Media products like TV or broadband, you'll need to speak to Virgin Media's customer service team.

I'm having issues applying my Volt benefits

Spoiler

O2 and Virgin Media will contact you separately when your Volt benefits have been applied, these will come through at different times and could be on different days. Virgin Media confirmation usually comes after O2 and it can take up to 14 days for the Virgin Media speed boost to be active on your account.

Just to let you know, your O2 tariff name won’t change but your new data allowance and any changes to your roaming Bolt Ons can be seen in My O2.

If you're having problems joining O2 or applying your data boost, you can contact us on one of our Social Media channels for help - we're on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you'd prefer to contact us another way, you can find our other contact info here. If your issue is with joining Virgin Media or applying your broadband speed boost, hopefully our FAQ's up above (or here for full FAQ's) will help.

I’ve got Virgin Media broadband at my address, but it’s not registered in my name, can I get Volt benefits?

Spoiler

Right now that means you’re not eligible for Volt benefits because your name and address both need to match across your O2 and Virgin Media accounts, but don’t worry, we’re changing this. Very soon, you’ll be able to get Volt benefits through your household’s Virgin Media broadband account – and so will anyone else who has their own O2 Pay Monthly plan who lives at an address with an active Virgin Media broadband service.

Keep an eye on My O2, you’ll see the option to activate Volt benefits when it becomes available to you.

See Volt terms and conditions.

What happens to Volt benefits if I upgrade or change tariff?

Spoiler

When you upgrade or change a tariff on your O2 account, your Volt benefits will drop off temporarily. These benefits will be re-applied within 14 days.

While you're applying for your Volt benefits, we're aware of some very specific circumstances in which you may experience an issue or see an error. We've highlighted these here so you're aware of the solution, or what to do next. If you're still having issues not covered by the below, then please do reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and we'll get things sorted for you.

My O2 Activation error?

Spoiler

Once you've signed up and if you're new to O2, you’ll be able to access and manage your account 24/7 via My O2. To get started, you first need to activate My O2 via the activation link we automatically send you via email and by SMS. Unfortunately, the link on the SMS isn't currently working, so we need to ask you to please use the activation link included in the email we send you within 14 days. If you’ve not done this within 14 days and the link expires, contact us via our Social Channels where we can help (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram)

Volt Unavailable error?

Spoiler

If you see the screen / error below then it likely means you already have Volt benefits, or VM service is not available in your area. However, if VM is available or you already have VM, then this may be a small conflict or error on our side. If you’re impacted by this, please contact us here (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) and we'll get this sorted for you.

Double data not showing via My O2?

Spoiler

If you've signed up for Volt benefits you should receive a separate communication from both O2 and VM once your O2 data allowance and VM broadband speeds have been adjusted. Please note that these communications may arrive at different times so don't worry if you receive one and not the other – this could arrive several days later. If you still don’t have your O2 data benefits within 7 days of applying, please contact us here (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) so we can check this over and get it sorted for you. If you still don’t have your VM speed benefits within 7 days of applying, please contact Virgin Media here so they can check this over and get it sorted for you

Being a Volt customer comes with a few extra bells and whistles too, as if the faster Virgin Media broadband, and double O2 mobile data wasn't enough...

• Priority -  Is our way of saying thanks. It's exclusive to O2 & Virgin Media customers and brings you great offers from high street brands, tickets, and experiences, as well as access to the best in entertainment. You can get Priority Tickets to thousands of gigs and events across the UK, up to 48 hours before general sale. Get the free app for quick and easy access to Priority whenever you like.
• 5G - Fast, reliable and mobile. It’s time to 5G your life. The power of 5G gives customers a faster and more reliable connection, downloads without delay and buffer-free streaming, on the go. But it’s so much more than that. More help and advice here. Use our network checker to keep tabs on the O2 network in your area.
• Roam freely - Going on holiday? We cover roaming in our Europe Zone as part of our Tariffs. So your data, minutes, and text allowances will work in our Europe Zone, just like they do at home. Check out more here. You can also check our Roaming Megaguide which will give you all the info you need to ensure you're fully informed on allowances, costs, options, and what to expect when you travel abroad, even if it's outside of Europe.
• Extras - When you take out a new phone, tablet or pay monthly sim only on eligible tariffs and/or devices, you'll get to hand pick an extra for up to 12 months*, on us. Whether you’re into TV and movies, music, meditation, books, or audiobooks, or you want to keep in touch with loved ones overseas, you can find an extra that’s perfect for you. More details here.
• Spread the cost - Get the latest tech from O2 without draining your bank balance. Just like buying a new phone, you can now spread the cost of your device into affordable monthly payments. And with 0% APR, the price you see is the price you pay. More information here. 

If you have any questions not covered above, please register an account here on the O2 Community if you're not already a member, and reply to this thread with your question and our knowledgeable members will do their best to help. Alternatively, contact us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

[viridis]

Well, as a 10 year user of virgin, and a god knows how long user of o2, I must give my most recent experiences with "volt benefits"

My o2 data was doubled, from the already overwhelming 30gb to 60gb on 3 switch up plans. On my 2 tablet tarrifs which generally sit in the house on wifi, they got doubled to 10gb.

These benefits, for me were of little use, but I see how some can benefit from it.

My virgin broadband was 1gig anyway, so I technically could drop down to 500 and get it doubled to 1gig but that's not quite how virgin are doing it, they now do a 1gig volt package which works out a little more than a 500 as it includes a sim, but with their most recent price rise, it works out to be more or less the same as my current 1gig line which comes in at £62 a month.

The wifi pods are impossible to order, ive tried numerous times to get my 3 free WiFi pods because the router is pretty much a garbage can with antennas, but so far after a solid year of trying, I've got one... which regularly connects to the weakest speed but stronger signal, and happily spreads a solid 30mb a second round the upstairs, that's of course when it's not overheating and resetting.

Then there's the biggest miss-sold perk of all... tech treats.

The website, the pop ups and the terms all state this:

"Take out a phone on a new O2 Custom Plan and get up to £150 off an additional O2 Custom Plan for a connected tablet, laptop or smartwatch – just give O2 a ring or pop into an O2 shop to claim your discount."

You have zero idea how many times I've enquired about this. I've tried and tried to get a discount that im apparently entitled to, but either the o2 shop have no idea about it, the customer service have no idea or the shop tell me it ended in 2021?

So what the actual fudge is the deal? Is it just BS?

I've spent the last 6 months trying to get my discount off a galaxy watch5 pro, and each time it's a different story. It's flat out false advertising and in the end I just gave up and got the sodding watch anyway. Will I pen a review? No, why the heĺĺ would I, I've spent months trying to get some mythical discount that was apparently part of me being a customer of o2 and virgin, I should now write a review advising others to do the same? Sod that.

So with all the "benefits" in mind, and solely on the fact I'd be more open to negotiating with virgin I'd I actually got what I was told I'd get, I'm dropping virgin. I told them I want to leave and they set a date in a month's time and informed me if i change my mind and want to stay, I could....

Then the spam calls 8 times a day start...

why the hell would i?

[madasaf1sh]

@Nick33 

The best people to ask are Virgin as not seen that before...  or ask on the VM Community https://community.virginmedia.com 

[Nick33]

Thanks, just posted there. Virgin directs you to o2 for all Volt questions hence coming here first.

[madasaf1sh]

"Take out a phone on a new O2 Custom Plan and get up to £150 off an additional O2 Custom Plan for a connected tablet, laptop or smartwatch – just give O2 a ring or pop into an O2 shop to claim your discount."

I had totally forgotten about this, and like you haven't found anyone who knows anything about this offer, either on the phone or in a shop..

Might give CS a call if I get bored and ask how the hell you are meant to claim it. 

[viridis]

I've tried. They just either don't know... or don't care

[viridis]

@Chris_K 

You have any idea how a customer can claim their tech treats volt benefit

[Flaviu]

Hello,

My doubled Mobile Data from Virgin Package is not activated after 24 day 

Please check this issue 

Thank you

@Martin-O2 

[Cleoriff]

@Flaviu 

We're just customers like you but it sounds as if you need someone to access your account which can't be done from here

Give O2 a call on 202 or 0344 809 0202 (Contract) OR 4445 or 0344 809 222 (PAYG)

Or you can message O2 on Facebook ( https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter ( https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram ( https://o2uk.co/O2CIG), hopefully they should be able to help.

[madasaf1sh]

@Flaviu 

This is a customer to customer forum, with no o2 advisors on it, so if you send them a message on Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG), or you can call 202 from your o2 phone, they will be able to have a look.