Virgin Media and BT today have announced a new five-year Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement. It replaces an existing MVNO agreement with the BT Group subsidiary EE and extends its exclusivity through until 2021.
The full agreement covers both voice and data services.
Peter Kelly, Managing Director of Virgin Mobile, said: “This winning combination with EE will give Virgin Mobile even more control and firepower to deliver innovative services to the UK mobile market. Virgin Mobile customers want fast speeds, flexibility and plans packed full of data – we’re going to continue to deliver.”
Virgin Mobile was the world’s first virtual mobile operator when it launched in 1999. It is one of the largest MVNOs in the UK with 3 million subscribers.
Gerry McQuade, CEO of Wholesale and Ventures, BT, said: “This has proven a successful relationship for both parties for many years and, as we enter a period of further technological change in the mobile market, we are very pleased to renew and extend our 17-year-old relationship. As the largest wholesale provider of telecommunications services in Europe, BT values the economy of scale that Virgin Media brings to our network.”
In November 2016 Virgin Mobile launched fast 4G in the UK. It combined this with innovative new services that give customers free messaging on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and the ability to “rollover” unused data.
It faces new competition from Sky Mobile alongside the UK’s established networks that also include Vodafone and O2.
