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+--- Thread: Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved (/showthread.php?tid=186)
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - RegularCapital - 14-04-2021
The Virgin Media/O2 merger (Liberty Global/Telefonica joint-venture) has been provisionally approved by the Competition and Markets Authority.
https://twitter.com/CMAgovUK/status/1382212697538854912
Lutz Schüler (Liberty) to be appointed Chief Executive Officer and Patricia Cobian (Telefonica) to be appointed Chief Financial Officer.
https://www.nationalconnectivitychampion.co.uk/telefonica-and-liberty-global-announce-ceo-and-cfo-for-proposed-uk-joint-venture-between-o2-and-virgin-media/
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - channelbox - 14-04-2021
Yes! This is great news. I remember first hearing the news on TV Forum back in May 2020 and being very excited (but I still knew that they had to get approval).
As a Virgin customer, it will be exciting to see what happens with the two companies after the merger.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - LTSC1980 - 14-04-2021
The problem for now IMO would be when if three Virgin Media channels in Ireland get rebranded. I hope they can bring back TV3.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - London Lite - 14-04-2021
Not much if anything will change for Virgin Mobile customers who are being migrated from EE to Vodafone as part of a MVNO contract signed with Voda before the merger was announced.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - AlfieMulcahy - 14-04-2021
Here's what the market share for each of the operators will look like after the merger:
![[Image: Screenshot_20210414-190001_Slides.jpg]](https://up.metropol247.co.uk/AlfieMulcahy/Screenshot_20210414-190001_Slides.jpg)
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - JetixFann450 - 14-04-2021
LTSC1980 post_id=6603 time=1618412731 user_id=848 Wrote:The problem for now IMO would be when if three Virgin Media channels in Ireland get rebranded. I hope they can bring back TV3.Can't wait for O1, O2, and O3.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - nwtv2003 - 14-04-2021
LTSC1980 post_id=6603 time=1618412731 user_id=848 Wrote:The problem for now IMO would be when if three Virgin Media channels in Ireland get rebranded. I hope they can bring back TV3.
I’m happy to be corrected, but I don’t believe the merger effects Virgin Media Ireland.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - channelbox - 14-04-2021
Slightly on topic, but when the merger happens, what brand do you think will survive? I'd like O2 to be used, the branding of O2 has always been a favourite of mine, and it would be a shame to see it be lost.
It is also easier to use, as unlike Virgin, a brand that is licensed from Virgin Group, the O2 trademark is owned by Telefonica, which allows the JV to use the name for free.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - AlfieMulcahy - 14-04-2021
channelbox post_id=6636 time=1618421626 user_id=1290 Wrote:Slightly on topic, but when the merger happens, what brand do you think will survive? I'd like O2 to be used, the branding of O2 has always been a favourite of mine, and it would be a shame to see it be lost.
It is also easier to use, as unlike Virgin, a brand that is licensed from Virgin Group, the O2 trademark is owned by Telefonica, which allows the JV to use the name for free.
I think O2's name would continue. They have a larger audience base and are more well-known.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - valley - 14-04-2021
AlfieMulcahy post_id=6611 time=1618415506 user_id=1048 Wrote:Here's what the market share for each of the operators will look like after the merger:Have you got a source for that graphic?
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - AlfieMulcahy - 14-04-2021
valley post_id=6650 time=1618424444 user_id=971 Wrote:AlfieMulcahy post_id=6611 time=1618415506 user_id=1048 Wrote:Here's what the market share for each of the operators will look like after the merger:Have you got a source for that graphic?
I created the graphic based on this data:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/387202/most-used-mobile-networks-uk/
It is based on polling rather than usage statistics because the last usage report (that I could find) was almost 3 years ago.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - Rdd - 14-04-2021
nwtv2003 post_id=6626 time=1618419658 user_id=1028 Wrote:It doesn’t, except in so far that it will no longer be attached to the U.K. operation and based on recent comments from Mike Fries in the media it’s likely they’ll be looking for a JV partner here also (O2 sold its Irish operation to Three a few years back, I’d imagine if that hadn’t happened the Irish operation would have been included too). Vodafone would appear to be the most likely candidate the trouble is that they know that too which could make negotiations over price tricky. Three haven’t shown any interest in TV and eir will be blocked on competition grounds even if they could get over their spats.LTSC1980 post_id=6603 time=1618412731 user_id=848 Wrote:The problem for now IMO would be when if three Virgin Media channels in Ireland get rebranded. I hope they can bring back TV3.
I’m happy to be corrected, but I don’t believe the merger effects Virgin Media Ireland.
The big thing is that, either way, it won’t make any more sense for the Irish and U.K. operations to have the same brand and a rebrand of the Irish operation is likely on the cards.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - RegularCapital - 14-04-2021
channelbox post_id=6636 time=1618421626 user_id=1290 Wrote:Slightly on topic, but when the merger happens, what brand do you think will survive? I'd like O2 to be used, the branding of O2 has always been a favourite of mine, and it would be a shame to see it be lost.
It is also easier to use, as unlike Virgin, a brand that is licensed from Virgin Group, the O2 trademark is owned by Telefonica, which allows the JV to use the name for free.
I said a similar sort of thing over on TV Forum, also Virgin Media has no retail outlets now, but O2 has shops everywhere so if the joint venture uses the O2 branding it would cost less to do so, they would only have to change some signage (such as vans) and the branding on the software used by set-top boxes and modems and integrate their existing systems together. Also very little would have to spent on brand awareness as everyone is already familiar with O2.
The JV won't affect Ireland which will be kept separate, O2 Ireland was sold to Three Ireland a few years ago. Virgin in Ireland could be renamed or revert to an older name such as Chorus if they wish to discontinue using the Virgin name.
What makes this awkward is this MVNO contract with Vodafone, but thankfully Virgin Mobile customers should be getting a near O2 experience as Vodafone and O2 mast share.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - AllWillBeWell - 14-04-2021
I always found it ironic that O2 network used to be BT Cellnet, yet BT did not buy it back and went for EE instead!
Would not be surprised if Sky and some other combination appeared and merged. Vodaphone and Three are looking a bit thin!
London Lite post_id=6608 time=1618414407 user_id=953 Wrote:Not much if anything will change for Virgin Mobile customers who are being migrated from EE to Vodafone as part of a MVNO contract signed with Voda before the merger was announced.
I'd imagine next time the contract is up (five years) Virgin Mobile will move over to O2? O2 the brand is sure to survive. BT seems to be slowly taking over the EE brand but extremely slowly despite saying both brands would survive.
Virgin Media & O2 Merger/Joint Venture Provisionally Approved - nwtv2003 - 14-04-2021
The funny thing is prior to BT’s ownership of EE, it was a joint venture with Orange, who absorbed France Telecom outright and T-Mobile, which was the mobile business of Deutsche Telekom.
Virgin Media oddly has many foundations in its history including NTL, Telewest, Cable & Wireless, NYNEX and Mercury Communications to name but a few.
It’ll be interesting to see which brands survive the merger, or whether a new name will be adopted.