T-Mobile UK hasn’t done very well in the last few months. It’s not all its own fault – interest rates and the global economy haven’t helped – but that’s not stopped suggestions that the company could be sold.
Meanwhile, over in Canada, Bell Mobility has just taken over the other half of Virgin Mobile Canada to give it full control of the virtual network… and it’s signed a deal to let it keep using the Virgin brand.
Here in the UK, Virgin Mobile runs a virtual network using T-Mobile. Virgin’s got some Canadian dollars burning a hole in its pocket. Perhaps it’s in the mood for running a real network instead of a virtual one.
Yes, it’s all wild speculation. To start with, the cash from Bell Mobility wouldn’t make much of a dent in the overall asking price for T-Mobile UK. But, then again, a sizeable chunk of T-Mobile’s customers are on Virgin’s MVNO – and the quad-play combination of fixed-line phone, broadband, TV and mobile is an important part of Virgin Media’s strategy. You never know…
[Last year we spoke to Graeme Oxby, Virgin Mobile's MD, and to John Fannon, T-Mobile National Sales Manager for Independent Partners. Click the links to hear either of the podcasts]