Introducing Volt – the new supercharged service from Virgin Media O2

[Chris_K]

UPDATE: We've seem some repeat questions and common issues being raised. We've added an update here so if you're experiencing issues, please read this first and see our post-weekend update here too.

Good morning all. What a week this is going to be! This morning we have introduced Volt to the world, the new supercharged service from Virgin Media O2. Our press release was published here this morning with notes and sources, but I've copied the juicy bits below.

Whether you're an O2 customer, a VM customer, both, or none, you can check out our handy website here which will show you how you can get supercharged.

Can I get Volt benefits for everyone in my household who’s on O2?

If you have Virgin Media broadband in your name, you’ll be able to get Volt benefits for all O2 Pay Monthly plans in your name, in your household. But we’re expanding this. Soon, anyone in your household with their own O2 Pay Monthly plan will be able to get Volt benefits through the household’s Virgin Media broadband account. Keep an eye on My O2 and you’ll see the option to activate Volt benefits when it becomes available to you, and you can also stay up to date by visiting https://www.o2.co.uk/virgin-media-o2

First joint product gives customers the best of both brands, with even greater value on UK’s fastest major broadband provider and award winning mobile network

• Volt marks the first major launch since Virgin Media and O2’s £31bn merger earlier this year
• Gig 1 broadband available for the first time in a bundle, combined with an unlimited data O2 SIM and TV favourites
• Existing customers simply need to register to get their services supercharged – for free
• Volt brings faster broadband speeds, double mobile data and discounts

London, UK: Virgin Media O2 is today lifting the lid on its first ever joint product, Volt, bringing together award winning connectivity and amazing entertainment from both Virgin Media and O2, to give customers even more from their services – more speed, more data and more value.

Virgin Media and O2 customers can now supercharge their services and reap extra rewards simply by being customers of both brands. Volt offers double the broadband speed, double the mobile data and discounts on connected devices when customers have or choose to take a broadband service from Virgin Media and a Pay Monthly plan from O2. What’s more, customers with an O2 plan can access exclusive rewards, perks and experiences from Priority – one of the UK’s best loyalty initiatives.

The new joint offering comes less than 150 days since Virgin Media O2 launched, building on the company’s momentum of almost 13 million gigabit premises passed and 5G coverage from O2 expanded to 210 locations. Volt highlights Virgin Media O2’s commitment to offer more choice, convenience and innovation with seamless broadband, entertainment and mobile services all available under one roof.

Exclusive Virgin Media O2 Volt benefits include:

• A broadband speed boost to the next tier available (e.g. 100Mbps boosted to 200Mbps)
• Double mobile data on all eligible O2 Pay Monthly plans (e.g. 10GB boosted to 20GB)
• Up to £150 off a connected device such as a tablet or smartwatch when taking a new O2 Pay Monthly Custom plan
• WiFi Pods available to bolster connectivity around the home
• Roaming in 75 countries including USA, Australia and Spain with O2 Travel

Volt is available to both new and existing customers, offering exclusive benefits to account holders no matter what broadband package or eligible Pay Monthly plan they take. Those new to either Virgin Media or O2 will be able to upgrade to Volt when they add relevant services to their connectivity line-up, while existing customers of both Virgin Media and O2 simply need to enrol via MyO2 to get their services supercharged – at no additional cost.

Jeff Dodds, Chief Operating Officer at Virgin Media O2 said,

“With Volt, we’re combining the speed and reliability of Virgin Media’s broadband and O2’s mobile networks alongside a variety of incredible perks to give our customers more.

“The launch of converged services in less than 150 days as a business is a huge milestone moment and demonstrates the momentum we have behind our commitment to supercharge connectivity across the UK. This is just the start.”

---

This exciting milestone for Virgin Media O2 means that consumers who do not currently take services from either brand can supercharge their package with Volt from the get-go, with new bundles containing an O2 SIM and Virgin Media broadband available on 18 month contracts. The new packages include the ‘Big Volt’ bundle, ‘Bigger Volt’ bundle and ‘Ultimate Volt’ bundle, all of which come with the exclusive Volt benefits and boosts to offer customers more. Pricing for Volt bundles start from £40 per month for 200Mbps Broadband (boosted from 100Mbps), Talk More Weekends and a 10GB O2 SIM (boosted from 5GB). The top Volt bundle (Ultimate Volt bundle) includes Gig1 broadband, an unlimited data O2 SIM, tonnes of TV favourites and two TV 360 boxes, available for £99 per month.

Supercharging small businesses

Small businesses and start-ups who take a Voom broadband service from Virgin Media Business and an eligible O2 Small Biz tariff can also supercharge their services, with 4G start-up and back-up, double mobile data and exclusive perks from Priority.

Virgin Media O2 is the leading converged challenger in the market, pairing O2’s award winning mobile network and the UK’s fastest major broadband provider to enhance connectivity for customers at home and on the go. With Virgin Media’s rapid gigabit broadband rollout and O2’s commitment to deliver 5G to half the UK population in 2023, Virgin Media O2 is just getting started.

[jonsie]

Just to say...my VM has my full name

My O2 account doesn't include my middle name

Volt has been applied to both accounts

I didn't need to upgrade my VM account so n price increase

I upgraded my O2 account sim only after Volt was applied

Volt has now been added to my upgraded sim also

[pgn]

---

@jonsie wrote:

Just to say...my VM has my full name

My O2 account doesn't include my middle name

Volt has been applied to both accounts

I didn't need to upgrade my VM account so n price increase

I upgraded my O2 account sim only after Volt was applied

Volt has now been added to my upgraded sim also

---

Well said that man!

[Rob48]

I just wish that the VM customer services man understood this. I explained to him several times that I have had both VM and O2 accounts for years and just wanted to link the two but he was adamant that the only way to get Volt benefits was to set up a whole new O2 account, get a new SIM and transfer my number. Which would then have left me with two O2 accounts, which would have created more problems - I have just ordered a phone for my daughter which would then no longer have been linked to my account!

I can only assume the VM guy wanted to get his new customer bonus or something.

[Rajevn]

How did you do it, was this through VM's WhatsApp CS or their Online Webchat?

[madasaf1sh]

@Rajevn 

Speak to them on the phone.. 0345 454 1111

[AndrewNB]

I'm not getting the option to get Volt. It says it's already active or not available. I'm with both O2 and VM

[MI5]

@AndrewNB 

You need to wait for it to be applied once requested.

Everyone get that meaningless error as you will see if you read through the post.

[BambinaJAS]

I will go over my experience with "Volt benefits"

I have O2 refresh 30gb on Samsung s10+

Virgin Media m350

Got a call from VM telling me about the benefits.   They told me that my speed could go up one level (m500) as I was in the Volt package now (as I also had O2).  I said sure I agree.

This happened in October.

Now its December and:

They moved me from m350 to m500 but I now pay £45/month instead of £40/month (so essentially I am paying £5/month extea for the Volt "upgrade")

None of my data for my O2 refresh has increased either.  It is still 30gb.  Not 60gb.

I feel like an idiot to be completely honest.  I was clearly a victim of misseling. 

Just want others in my situation to be careful.  They can promise X for "free" as a customer but the reality is completely different.

[MI5]

I didn't do anything with Virgin at all.

I clicked on my link in MyO2 to activate the volt benefits and around 14 days later my data doubled. A few days after that my Virgin router rebooted itself and when I checked, my speed was doubled on that too.

Avoiding any contact with Virgin was my priority but it all worked out OK for me.

I did however, have the need to call O2 customer service today and notice that they are routing calls through Virgin call centres too now, so that is most unwelcomed as all they try and do is sell you something rather than fix the issue you are calling about.

[pgn]

---

@MI5 wrote:

I did however, have the need to call O2 customer service today and notice that they are routing calls through Virgin call centres too now, 

---

Your Volt experience matches mine, broadly. What gave away the fact that calls to O2 CS are hitting VM Call Centres, out of interest?