News
Virgin Mobile brings you the web in your pocket for 30p per day
01/12/2008
From 8 December, Virgin Mobile customers can explore the world of the mobile web for just 30p a day (that’s cheaper than a bag of crisps). Virgin Mobile’s new unlimited* mobile internet access rate coincides with an enhanced mobile web portal branded Virgin Media, bringing the world of news, music, video, games and entertainment straight to your pocket.
The 30p daily charge, which is up to three times cheaper than most other networks**, will enable both contract and pre-pay customers to keep in touch with the world more than ever before, and to visit any website.
Virgin Mobile customers can now have the internet in their pocket, where they’ll be able to keep up-to-date on ever-growing social networking sites Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, as well as check email on Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo! Mail and also access the online phenomenon that is YouTube anywhere they go and on a rate that won’t rack up huge bills.
Research shows that currently only 7% of mobile phone users in the UK actually access the web from their mobile (GfK Research panels Sept 08).
Graeme Oxby, managing director of Virgin Mobile commented: “As handsets get smarter and faster, mobile web usage has increased significantly and more customers than ever are using their handset to connect them to the internet when they’re not at home.
By providing unlimited access at a highly competitive rate, we are giving all our customers the opportunity to use the internet on their phone, without having to worry about racking up huge bills or working out complicated price structures.”
The enhanced portal is Virgin Media branded and will focus on music, video and games downloads as well as a deep range of editorial content in key areas such as news, sports, music, entertainment, TV and movies.
Virgin Media’s new mobile portal will also feature Yahoo!’s industry-leading mobile search service, Yahoo! oneSearch™. The service has been specifically designed for mobile users, returning relevant results directly in the first screen and removing the need to click through millions of links to get the answer you need. Yahoo! oneSearch will provide Virgin Media’s customers with information on virtually any topic –- from news, financial information and weather, to Flickr™ photos to lottery results, travel information and much more. Yahoo! oneSearch will also display relevant music, ringtones, video, games and other content available within the store.
To introduce the new mobile portal to customers, Virgin Media has secured exclusive interviews with the likes of Leona Lewis, Mark Wahlberg and Kanye West. The storefront component will allow customers to purchase full track music, ringtones, video, games such as FIFA ‘09, pictures and animations. Virgin Mobile has confirmed more than 150 content partners, ranging from Sony BMG, Sony Pictures, Disney, Hallmark, Universal to EMI, Warner Music Group, Glu and EA.
Commenting on the new site John Conlon, marketing controller, digital services at Virgin Mobile said: “Whether you’re checking the Saturday football scores or who’s added you as a friend on Facebook, you’re guaranteed to find what you need with ease on our site.”
For more information on Virgin Mobile’s new Mobile Web rates and new Virgin Media site visit virginmobilepeople.com/30p/.
-- ENDS --
For press enquiries:
Jackie Antas or Jessica Carlin at Borkowski on 020 7404 3000
NOTES TO EDITORS
*There will be a fair use policy of 25MB, and after reaching this limit, customers will be charged £2 per MB.
** Competitors Data Rates and Packages - see PDF
About Virgin Mobile
Launched in 1999, Virgin Mobile is the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator and uses T-Mobile's network. With 4.4 million customers, Virgin Mobile is part of Virgin Media and the group is the first to be able to offer 'quadruple play' to customers: mobile and fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600, on the web at virginmobile.co.uk or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores, zavvi, The Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4 U, Currys, Currys.digital, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, Woolworths, web retailers Dial-a-phone plus hundreds of independent mobile phone dealers, and available via Littlewoods Shop Direct Home Shopping, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
