Virgin Media launches 4G with Free Messaging on WhatsApp & Facebook Messenger

Virgin Media is offering its mobile customers free messaging on WhatsApp and Messenger and the ability to “rollover” unused data as it launches 4G in the UK.

A range of new flexible mobile plans available from today will give Virgin Media customers fast 4G speeds as standard and a range of features to satisfy even the most data-hungry of users.

Virgin Media mobile customers who take one of the new plans will be able to send messages, pictures and videos through WhatsApp and Messenger without eating into their monthly data allowance.

This free messaging will be available on all of Virgin Media’s 4G plans with no additional cost or process beyond downloading the applications.

To make sure no leftover data goes to waste Virgin Media has also introduced ‘Data Rollover’ into its new plans. This means that any mobile data remaining at the end of a month is transferred into the next month’s data allowance. To keep tabs on all of this data, customers will receive a text when data is being rolled over and another text when all the leftover data has been used.

Peter Kelly, Managing Director of Mobile at Virgin Media, said: “Virgin Media’s new mobile plans are fast, flexible and filled with data. By offering free messaging on WhatsApp and Messenger we’re making sure that Virgin Media customers never have to worry about messaging friends or family and if there’s data left over at the end of the month then we’ve got that covered too. With 4G our customers have a quicker way to browse, message, stream and play wherever they are.”

New flexible 4G plans

The new flexible 4G mobile plans start at £6 per month for a 30 day rolling contract with 300 minutes, unlimited texts and 300MB of data, up to £25 per month for a contract with 5000 minutes, unlimited texts and 20GB of data.

All Virgin Media 4G plans are available as either Freestyle or SIM-only contracts. Freestyle contracts split the plan and handset elements of a contract over a 24 month period to give Virgin Media customers the ability to pay the handset element off early to upgrade to a new phone.

Last month Virgin Media introduced a “Trade Up” scheme so that its customers can use the existing value of their phone to upgrade to the latest handsets.

On both Freestyle and SIM-only plans customers have freedom to move up and down plans each month depending on their data needs.

Connect to 250,000 WiFi hotspots

Alongside mobile connectivity Virgin Media customers can also download the Virgin Media WiFi app and make use of up to 250,000 WiFi hotspots available everywhere from airports and cafes to more than 250 stations on the London Underground. Virgin Media recently acquired Arqiva WiFi to bolster its out-of-home connectivity for people and businesses.

Mobile instant messaging continuing to rise in the UK

Research from the UK communications regulator, Ofcom, shows that data use on mobiles continues to increase. In 2015 total UK mobile data use was 873PB - a 63.7% increase compared to 533PB in 2014. In the same research three in five people (58%) in the UK said they were users of social networking sites, with the use of mobile instant messaging services like WhatsApp and Messenger rising by seven percentage points to 44% compared to 2015.*

Virgin Media was the world’s first virtual mobile operator when it launched as Virgin Mobile UK in 1999. Today Virgin Media uses EE’s network to provide its mobile services.

ENDS

Data Rollover

Our new 4G plans come with Data Rollover at no extra cost. When monthly mobile allowances refresh at the beginning of each month any data left over from the previous month is transferred. The data saved then gets used up before the inclusive data allowance.

Rolled over data lasts a month with no limit on how much someone can keep.

Prices for new 4G contracts

Freestyle contracts (which also contain a handset loan on top of the airtime prices below) have a minimum contract length of 24 months

SIM-only contracts can be terminated with 30 days’ notice

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. We’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises by the end of 2019.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business, we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company, with operations in more than 30 countries.