Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

Just come off the phone from a friend who has been told that VM have completed phase I of a three phase programme to build their own mobile network.

Apparently, this is because of the restrictive practices being imposed on them by their current provider EE eg they stopped them offering unlimited data, being able to cap customers to prevent huge bills etc.

Not sure if this is in the public domain; has anyone else heard about this?

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

Yes and no. As part of the renewal with EE announced at the start of the year, Virgin are becoming a 'thick' MVNO, meaning they are taking on more responsibility such as billing and simcards etc:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/...less-contract/

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

I didnt know BT owned EE .....

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

They are not building their own network but doing more of the 'work' running over the top of the EE network.

There's an on-off thing running with Vodafone over an asset swap that would involve Virgin Media and Vodafone merging in the British Isles.

VM don't have the money to full-on build a mobile network, and Liberty Global aren't especially inclined to provide or guarantee it due in no small part to the issues with Lightning.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

When they needed to pay off some debt years ago, BT (IMO unwisely) sold off their mobile division.

To get back in the game they bought EE not too long ago.

Thanks for the replies everybody, I was led to believe that Virgin Mobile were building their own masts, laying their own cables etc to create their own network.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

They bought it in January 2016 for £12.5 billion.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

I can't say for sure it's not happening, it's just vanishingly unlikely. Liberty last I heard were rather unhappy with Lightning's progress, seriously behind schedule, and are extremely unlikely to green light another massive infrastructure program by VM running simultaneously.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

So it would seem.

I thought O2 was their mobile system (Cellnet when I last used it) but apparently they sold that to Telefonica way back in 2006.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

BT Cellnet demerged in 2002 (I was a Programme Manager there at the time), consolidated with other European mobile companies to become mmO2, which was bought, as you say, by Telefonica.

Re: Is it true that VM are building their own mobile network?
 

It did seem daft to sell off what was obviously going to be a growth market; maybe they were so cash strapped at the time that they had no alternative.

I vaguely remember getting a load of documentation/new share certificates when the two companies split and then eventually receiving some cash from Telefonica.