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.”

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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.

[AlexanderMTTH]

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@Maria9 wrote:

Hi! I cant use my volt benefits on o2 as my name is too long and virgin media cannot change it on the system. Can someone help me out?

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I advise you to raise a complaint with them. Here's how: https://www.virginmedia.com/help/contact-us/complaints 

[Iguacu]

Really annoying, you speak to O2 they tell you to get you Virgin Media account name changed. You speak to Virgin Media and they say they won’t change the name of the main account holder. I thought that households would get the Volts benefits in short order. Why can’t they tell us what the expected timescale is?

[Pieman007]

Hold on - there is a lot of us in the same issue. A change in the main account holder on the VM side is treated as a termination of contract normally. I had this. I am a named person on the account and can do all the negotiations on a new contract with VM (have done for the past 15 years) but can't change the name so to pick up Volt benefits......this should be sorted in the next month or so.......

[Pleiades]

Yes, have had exact same thing.  I've run the account for yonks but my mother is apparently the main account holder (she's been in care home with dementia for years) and I'm struggling to deal with Virgin (not having got power of attorney, unfortunately).  I pay for the account at my address and have for at least a decade. O2 can't really help with getting it all synchronised and I don't blame them for that at all.

[Ml76]

As an existing VM customer, I've just joined O2 specifically to take advantage of this offer. 

Unfortunately when I tried to activate it I was presented with a page saying VM isn't available at my address. 

O2 customer service seems to be non-existent, and VM customer services are as unhelpful as ever, so it looks like my only option is to back out of my switch from Vodafone within the 14 days allowed under the distance selling laws.

This whole thing has been a painful learning experience.  

[frisd]

The opt in page for this offer isn't showing up in MyO2, is it even still available? I tried to sign up months ago only for it to tell me VM isn't available in my area when they literally have been my broadband provider for 2 years!

[pgn]

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@frisd wrote:

The opt in page for this offer isn't showing up in MyO2, is it even still available? I tried to sign up months ago only for it to tell me VM isn't available in my area when they literally have been my broadband provider for 2 years!

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This URL shows me the 3 options still - try it in a new browser, or use your browser's Incognito mode:

https://www.o2.co.uk/virgin-media-o2

[frisd]

If you are a VM and O2 customer it tells you to login to MyO2, which for me doesn't have any opt in page for Volt (incognito or not).

[pgn]

Mine takes me to a page that looks like this, as Volt is active for me (it has my address at the bottom as well):

If you are seeing the same, and Volt is not active on your VM or O2 (it will appear as a Bolt on, so:

in your MyO2 app), then reach out to O2 customer services, @frisd  - the Social Media teams will be on hand, just send them a message on Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG)

Good luck!

[frisd]

I don't have any notification about it being active or not in MyO2, I know they are not active as my data hasn't been doubled nor my speed increased. I also don't have any option for free bolt ons. 

Is there a normal email address I can email or phone number? I don't have any social media.