Virgin Media dumps BT's mobile network to hop into bed with Vodafone

Broadband and cable business Virgin Media has inked a five-year deal with Vodafone UK to provide its network to more than three million customers. The mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal will replace Virgin Media's current agreement with BT, which expires in late 2021 and began in January 2017. Lutz Schüler, Virgin …

[KittenHuffer]

I am sooooo looking forward to this ...... NOT!!!!

As a VM mobile customer I am confident that VM will carry out this move without a hitch ...... NOT!!!!

And I expect that VM won't raise the cost of my mobile well above the rate of inflation ...... NOT!!!!

And that they will be responsive and eager to help on their customer abus ..... I mean customer service lines ...... NOT!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I am sooooo looking forward to this ...... NOT!!!!

Your post took me back a few decades to the 90s

[jimbotheitbod]

Re: I am sooooo looking forward to this ...... NOT!!!!

NTL by a different name is still NTL... now Virgin won't even have the breadth of the EE network or speed to sell its services. Woedafone may be the end of NTLMobile.

[Cynical user]

Re: I am sooooo looking forward to this ...... NOT!!!!

Absolutely - there's consistent reports on the VM Forums of provisioning-level issues with SIMs dropping to "No service", roaming not working, and number porting especially.

Of course customer forums will always have the bad examples rather than "it's working great" but still.

[rhydian]

Well that's me looking for a new provider...

Pretty much the only reason I went for Virgin Media was their MVNO agreement with EE/BT which meant decent 4G coverage locally (North Wales is rubbish for most networks) but without dealing with EE prices or customer abuse. Also, virgin mobile SIMs would work with EE's signal booster boxes.

[Cynical user]

Re: Well that's me looking for a new provider...

I sympathise, I truly do. But anyone who wants to be on a particular network really is best off choosing a deal with that particular network. Virtual operators good for being cheap&cheerful, and not a great deal else.

Without knowing where you are specifically, it's quite possible that EE would give you even better 4G coverage if there's 800Mhz in your area.....

[rhydian]

Re: Well that's me looking for a new provider...

I was with Orange/EE, but their pricing for a SIM only 4G connection is ridiculous and their customer service was utterly crap.

Virgin's customer service is also crap, but its much, much cheaper, so its worth bothering with.

[Anonymous Coward]

Expensive broadband provider links up with expensive mobile phone provider.

[MatthewSt]

Website Update

Considering their website boasts "Faster 4G on average than Vodafone, O2, Sky and Three" they're going to have to remove at least one name from that list!

[paulf]

Re: Website Update

They'd probably just swap Vodafone for EE because Marketing.

[dca1]

Been with Virgin Mobile for 3 years now

Unlimited calls, texts and 6gb data which rolls over. £8.20/month. I think I've had down time twice in those 3 years. I can't really complain about their service, especially for the price.

I'm happy to sit on this plan forever as it goes up by inflation, or to grab another one whenever they next have an appealing deal. I rarely use the 6gb though.

[Anonymous Coward]

Bit disappointing

Had really good service with Virgin mobile - £25 a month for unlimited everything, including tethering. Couple of long car journeys last month and the kids tethered their tablets so used >30Gb that month with no issues. Hopefully that won't change, but anecdotally Vodafone signal isn't as good here as EE so likely will have to move

[ICL1900-G3]

WTF?

"We want our customers to have a limitless experience". What the fuck does that mean?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: WTF?

Marketspeak, doesn't mean anything beyond 'I must increase sales this month'

[Bob Vistakin]

One link explains all you need to know

https://www.google.com/search?q=vodafone+worst+customer+satisfaction