O2 move

[Hodgie1953]

I moved from O2 to VM because the reception was poor at home and non-existent where I holiday.  I’ve just returned from holiday having had little or no reception and it’s now poor at home.

Has the move to O2 been completed?

if so, is there anything I can do apart from move to EE?

regards

[DJ_Shadow1966 · Accepted solution]

Hello

Although Virginmedia and O2 have merged you mobile service has not changed you will either be on EE or Vodaphone, the change to O2 has not affected the mobile service this information is the FAQ at https://www.virginmedia.com/news/virgin-media-o2

Regards Mike

[Andrew-G]

You could splash out around £300 on a proper, regulations compliant mobile signal booster.   That'd permanently sort out a weak signal at home, though it won't help with other coverage issues.  Search "waveboosters", but speak to them before ordering to understand how it works, whether it will meet your needs, how to install it, and how it will work with "virtual" mobile networks like VM, Sky, IDnet, Tesco and others, as well as whether the booster can cover different providers.  I believe at any one time a compliant booster can only serve a single network - some are permanently hard coded to that one network, some are switchable.  

Three hundred quid sounds a lot, but is only the cost of a mid-range mobile, or a third the price of a flagship mobile.  And avoid cheap crap on eBay, Amazon and the like - if it's cheap it either doesn't work, or it isn't legal (commonly both), despite what the vendor will promise on their granny's life.  

[ashpole]

@JoeKingVM1 Another topic for your pinned list - the relationship of EE, Vodafone and O2 with regard to VM. Just realised that Three is missing from this love triangle!

[enlli]

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@ashpole wrote:
@JoeKingVM1 Another topic for your pinned list - the relationship of EE, Vodafone and O2 with regard to VM. Just realised that Three is missing from this love triangle!

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Simples. All Virgin Mobile customers to be migrated to Vodafone by the end of the first quarter 2022 when Virgin's relationship with EE is to end. 

The five year agreement with Vodafone is to be kept in place long term. No decisions  have been taken as how the two networks are to be amalgamated . Do they go with with keeping Virgin's very ramshackle core network with its present 3.5 million customers or go with O2 and its 35 million customers, finally getting rid of their Belgian SIM cards

Just remember if Virgin are involved it is bound to be totally screwed up. 

[ashpole]

LOL! Love it!

[ALF28]

mobile phone piggy back networks

I have trouble over the years with this network switching, I still have my locked orange phones which are scrap (merged with EE), having moved to a supermarket mobile they are also switching network  to Vodafone from EE in September, so I am looking to switch to a new mobile company but as I use payg the choice is limited to a few, not sure if virgin do payg, I just use  dumb phone so will be looking for payg sim  where the credit does not expire after a month (light call/text user no data)

I know someone who switched to virgin as they could not get a signal at home but then they will be changed to another network and so complex that virgin are to use Vodafone and yet merging with 02, the mind boggles., I think Liberty global own both Vodafone and virgin media?

Not sure whether to use three, 1pmobile, virgin, giffgaff, tesco, lebara etc. or to pay more and go ditch the piggy back virtual networks and use EE, O2, Vodafone, Three which means a monthly sim cost. I have heard good report about giffgaff, but they are online only with no phone helpline.

I could stay with my present supermarket mobile, but the reviews are getting so bad lately form customers since the network switch and a poor call centre.

I was once with Vodafone years ago, they were expensive then 2003 , so may call in the local shop to ask about a sim package.

If joining virgin mobile would it be EE or Vodafone, would not want to be switched.???

Or is it cheaper to use the Virgin Vodafone virtual network than go direct with Vodafone?

alf28

[Akua_A]

Hi @ALF28,

Thank you for your enquiry. As you mentioned our virtual network does piggy back off other providers. We are unable to confirm which provider as this is dependant on many variables. 

We are also unable to provide comparison on if this is cheaper than going to the provide directly.

Please let me know if you need any further help regarding this.

Many thanks,

[japitts]

As a very broad-brush rule of thumb, a virtual provider will be cheaper than one of the big-4 network operators. Or to put it differently, it's rare for a network operator to cost less than a virtual provider. MVNO's also tend to target the budget end of the market.

It's an individual customer's choice whether you want to pay more to get network-operator levels of service.

[enlli]

Virgin no longer do PAYG. Real, old fashioned PAYG are getting rarer and rarer.

I think you said you had an old phone, so it is likely nothing that runs on 3 will work as they have no 2G signal.

You are limited to Giffgaff which can be used as PAYG and will not swap networks as they are O2 owned.

Most of the others are 30 day rolling.

1p Mobile needs a £10 top up every 120 days to keep it running.