Virgin Media 02

[Angelofayresome]

Got a bill of 02 the other week asking for over £55, I'm with EE not 02, has this got anything to do with Virgin Media? I received a SIM card from them with the package deal but never used it. I'm really confused, just asking if anyone else has had this as I have tried to ring 02 numerous occasions and keep getting cut off.

 

[atypical_boro]

Got a bill of 02 the other week asking for over £55, I'm with EE not 02, has this got anything to do with Virgin Media? I received a SIM card from them with the package deal but never used it. I'm really confused, just asking if anyone else has had this as I have tried to ring 02 numerous occasions and keep getting cut off.

Sounds like a scam?

 

[ThatFragranceGuy]

Ownership is complex

Merger with O2 and closureedit​

In May 2020, it was announced that the owner of Virgin Mobile, Virgin Media, was in talks with Telefónica, owner of the O2network, to merge the two companies. Following approval by the Competition and Markets Authority, the merger to form Virgin Media O2 was completed on 1 June 2021.[11][12] Virgin Media said that Virgin Mobile customers would see no immediate changes.[13]

In January 2023, it was confirmed by Virgin Media O2 that Virgin Mobile would close, with all customers moving from Virgin Mobile to O2; migration started in March 2023 and was completed in August 2023.[14]

On 31 August 2023, sales of new Virgin Mobile SIM only and device plans were stopped and the network ceased operations.

 

[Angelofayresome]

Thanks TFG but still non the wiser I'm going to go in an 02 store see what the craic is. As I keep getting cut off by 02.

 

[hosepipe27]

Virgin and o2 are in partnership so you are getting the benefits from both companies

 

[hosepipe27]

 

[supermfc]

If you get a package deal with virgin which includes an O2 sim, you are billed separately for your sim through O2. So you will receive a bill for your virgin TV, broadband etc and a separate O2 bill for your sim.

EDIT: I know this because i got a package in April which was TV, Broadband and O2 Sim. The total price I was given is split between virgin and O2, price depends on what tariff you are on etc. So although they have merged, you still get two separate bills.

 

[Angelofayresome]

My point is I never used the SIM

 

[changingman]

My point is I never used the SIM

I don't think that makes a difference. You are in effect tied into a contract with both O2 and Virgin and will be billed monthly by each, regardless whether you use or not.

At least that's the deal I'm on.

 

[ThatFragranceGuy]

My point is I never used the SIM

But if you took it out as part of the package, it might still be active regardless

 

[supermfc]

I think use is irrelevant, if your deal includes a £15 a month sim only deal, you pay that whether you've used it or not!

 

[SilentProf]

If the SIM is part of the package deal, there will be a charge for it whether you use it or not. It looks like that is now being billed by O2 directly with the Virgin payment being reduced accordingly.

 

[Angelofayresome]

O.k I'm gonna go in one of the stores to sort it out

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Same happened to me. It was part of a package I didn't want. Had to contact 02 and they cancelled it and refunded the payment they had taken. I think it was £11.
Virgin said that they couldn't cancel it.

 

[changingman]

I understood the "headline amount" (overall price per month) but hadn't realised xx% would come out to Virgin each month and xx% to o2.

It still worked out cheaper than just taking direct with Virgin (if it really did I'll likely never know).

A month later the SIM monthly cost went up around 12% (annual increase) but I guess that's covered in the Ts & Cs anyway.

 

[changingman]

Same happened to me. It was part of a package I didn't want. Had to contact 02 and they cancelled it and refunded the payment they had taken. I think it was £11.
Virgin said that they couldn't cancel it.

Did your VM stay the same price though? If I did that I'd be getting the service for £35 less than what was agreed (and in writing) when I was sold it.

 

[WindyNook]

Went to an O2 shop and halved my new contract fee. Now pay £14.50 per month.
Virgin contract sorted online again for less than half of what they were asking.
Just keep saying NO.
If you want to leave send them an email giving them notice then it becomes their problem.

 

[PooliePete]

Bit mad not to use the sim. If it's from the Volt/VIP package then you get everything included with it, including unlimited data. Get rid of the EE one and use that one instead.

 

[changingman]

Went to an O2 shop and halved my new contract fee. Now pay £14.50 per month.
Virgin contract sorted online again for less than half of what they were asking.
Just keep saying NO.
If you want to leave send them an email giving them notice then it becomes their problem.

Fair enough, I'll see this contract out and happy enough with what we're paying anyway. Hopefully Fibre UK (or whatever it's called) is ready by the time VM expires.

 

[Steer]

If you get a package deal with virgin which includes an O2 sim, you are billed separately for your sim through O2. So you will receive a bill for your virgin TV, broadband etc and a separate O2 bill for your sim.

EDIT: I know this because i got a package in April which was TV, Broadband and O2 Sim. The total price I was given is split between virgin and O2, price depends on what tariff you are on etc. So although they have merged, you still get two separate bills.

Yes. When I last renewed my Virgin contract, they forced me to open an O2 account and sent me a sim card that I didn't want or need. Because it was cheaper doing it that way for the package I wanted than doing it without a sim. Its ludicrous. The person in their sales dept who came up with this has got very confused, and needs to lie down in a dark room for a couple of hours to think about what they have done.