News 2002
Virgin Mobile attracts 2 million customers in record time
02/10/2002
- Total customers 2,013,382 (30th September 2002)
- 232,300 net connections in Q3 2002 (36% up on 171,367 in Q2 2002)
- Customer numbers up 70% year on year
- Turnover to exceed £1/4 billion in 2002
Virgin Mobile has broken UK sales records to reach 2 million customers in under 3 years, and today announces strong third quarter results. The landmark achievement has confirmed its position as the world’s most successful MVNO, and fastest-growing network in Europe. Virgin Mobile acquired 232,300 net new customers during July, August and September of 2002, up 36% on the previous quarter, and increasing its customer numbers by over 70% year on year.
By comparison, it took more than 4 years for Orange to hit 2 million customers, T-Mobile in excess of 5 years, and O2 and Vodafone well over a decade to grow to the same size Virgin Mobile is today – at just 2 years and 10 months old.
Virgin Mobile
| Launch date | November 1999 | |
| Reached 2 million by | September 2002 | |
| Time taken | 34 months |
Orange
| Launch date | April 1994 | |
| Reached 2 million by | December 1998 | |
| Time taken | 56 months |
T-Mobile
| Launch date | September 1993 | |
| Reached 2 million by | January 1999 | |
| Time taken | 64 months |
Vodafone
| Launch date | January 1985 | |
| Reached 2 million by | June 1995 | |
| Time taken | 125 months |
O2
| Launch date | January 1985 | |
| Reached 2 million by | August 1995 | |
| Time taken | 127 months |
Virgin Mobile is expected to attract 2.25 million customers by the end of the year, with revenues reaching in excess of £1/4 billion.
Virgin Mobile’s Sir Richard Branson said: “The astonishing fact about Virgin Mobile reaching 2 million customers is not that we achieved this figure, but that we did so in record time. It proves Virgin Mobile is hugely popular with the British phone-buying public.
“Our success is set against a turbulent mobile marketplace. Since our launch in November 1999, billions of pounds have been wiped off the value of our competitors, and many established names in telecoms have collapsed.
“Instead, Virgin Mobile has thrived and prospered, thanks to the dedication of its staff and its great value services. We have invested £200 million efficiently and have acquired two million profitable customers – I defy any other mobile network to beat that achievement!”
| Virgin Mobile - Customer Numbers | Q3 '01 | Q4 '01 | Q1 '02 | Q2 '02 | Q3 '02 |
| Net Additions | 172,089 | 264,359 | 164,223 | 171,367 | 232,300 |
| Cust Base (m) | 1.181 | 1.445 | 1.610 | 1.781 | 2.013 |
| % Est Mkt Share | 2.70% | 3.22% | 3.48% | 3.80% | 4.25% |
| Net Connections Quarterly Growth | 19.72% | 53.62% | (37.88%) | 4.35% | 35.56% |
| Customer Base Quarterly Growth | 17.05% | 22.38% | 11.36% | 10.65% | 13.04% |
| Customer Base Yearly Growth | 181.22% | 114.17% | 86.03% | 76.51% | 70.46% |
| Virgin Mobile - Financials | |||||
| Turnover per Quarter (m) | £46.8 | £57.0 | £57.9 | £65.8 | £75.4(est) |
| Turnover Quarterly Growth | 21.9% | 1.7% | 13.4% | 14.6% |
