Virgin Media Community

[PaulH001]

Sorry if this has been covered before...

I have been with Virgin Mobile for years. Yesterday my mobile switched off and on again and the signal bars now have EE next to them.

I've read about EE customers being switched to Virgin, but not the other way round.

Is it because Virgin are now using EE to relay their service? Or, if I use the phone now, will I be billed by EE?

Thanks....  

[JitteryPinger · Accepted solution]

It's because Virgin are in the middle of transferring mobile customers from the EE network to Vodafone's network.

have you tried rebooting your phone to see if the issue rectifies itself?

[PaulH001]

Thanks Matt - I did reboot my phone but the EE is still there next to the bars.

The first sentence helps a bit, but I'm still not sure why I'm on the EE network. I am a Virgin Mobile customer and do not wish to be billed by EE! 

[JitteryPinger · Accepted solution]

So the Virgin Mobile network is what is known a a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, this means that it operates by Piggy backing off another network, in the start it used T-Mobile which then became EE and now the contracts with BT (EE's owner) are coming to an end and a new deal between Virgin and Vodafone has been done so that Virgin customers can connect using Vodafone's network.

Virgin Mobile does not currently operate its own signal infrastructure (masts)

All billing regardless of this is with Virgin Media.

[PaulH001]

Thanks Matt, that explains it well.

Cheers, Paul