A1c
20-11-2004, 03:43 PM
From The Guardian (19/11/2004):
Virgin Mobile, the mobile phone company majority owned by Sir Richard Branson, is planning to launch its own 3G service next year.
Virgin, which announced its first results yesterday since coming to the market in the summer, has been experimenting with the new technology for several months.
Under its network deal with T-Mobile, it is allowed to offer 3G services and intends to have a full range of products in time for next Christmas.
Tom Alexander, the chief executive, said the company, which also announced plans to pay its first dividend yesterday, intends to revamp its successful Bites suite of data services - spanning news, information, gossip and games - to produce Virgin Bites with 3G.
"We do not need to trumpet our 3G plans because we do not have to justify spending billions on a licence," he said. "We don't quite see it as a step change - we see it as a natural evolutionary step."
Earlier this month Vodafone unveiled its consumer 3G service - Vodafone Live with 3G - and plans to have a range of handsets in stores before Christmas. While its rival mmO2 has decided to hold off until next year, Orange and T-Mobile will have some 3G handsets in British stores in time for Christmas.
But Mr Alexander said he did not expect 3G to have an impact this festive season. "It's definitely not a 3G Christmas this year, it might be next year."
The end of the year is the busiest time for Virgin Mobile but this time the market is expected to be even more cutthroat as a new entrant, 3, aggressively chases customers with massively subsidised handsets and cheap deals.
"We won Christmas last year but this year we have got 3 being, from a normal person's point of view, quite crazy," he said. "For us it's about balanced growth, we will do well because it's a pre-pay and consumer market _ but we are not going to go crazy."
Virgin Mobile announced yesterday a 24% increase in revenues to £257m over the six months to the end of September with operating profit up 42% at £47.3m. It added 647,500 customers over the half year with a better than expected 360,000 additions in the second quarter. The company said it would pay its first dividend later this year, returning 40% of pre-exceptional net income. Analysts expect it to be worth 4p to 4.5p.
Virgin Mobile shares closed down 3.5p at 196.5p.
http://money.guardian.co.uk/businessnews/story/0,1265,-1354661,00.html
Virgin Mobile, the mobile phone company majority owned by Sir Richard Branson, is planning to launch its own 3G service next year.
Virgin, which announced its first results yesterday since coming to the market in the summer, has been experimenting with the new technology for several months.
Under its network deal with T-Mobile, it is allowed to offer 3G services and intends to have a full range of products in time for next Christmas.
Tom Alexander, the chief executive, said the company, which also announced plans to pay its first dividend yesterday, intends to revamp its successful Bites suite of data services - spanning news, information, gossip and games - to produce Virgin Bites with 3G.
"We do not need to trumpet our 3G plans because we do not have to justify spending billions on a licence," he said. "We don't quite see it as a step change - we see it as a natural evolutionary step."
Earlier this month Vodafone unveiled its consumer 3G service - Vodafone Live with 3G - and plans to have a range of handsets in stores before Christmas. While its rival mmO2 has decided to hold off until next year, Orange and T-Mobile will have some 3G handsets in British stores in time for Christmas.
But Mr Alexander said he did not expect 3G to have an impact this festive season. "It's definitely not a 3G Christmas this year, it might be next year."
The end of the year is the busiest time for Virgin Mobile but this time the market is expected to be even more cutthroat as a new entrant, 3, aggressively chases customers with massively subsidised handsets and cheap deals.
"We won Christmas last year but this year we have got 3 being, from a normal person's point of view, quite crazy," he said. "For us it's about balanced growth, we will do well because it's a pre-pay and consumer market _ but we are not going to go crazy."
Virgin Mobile announced yesterday a 24% increase in revenues to £257m over the six months to the end of September with operating profit up 42% at £47.3m. It added 647,500 customers over the half year with a better than expected 360,000 additions in the second quarter. The company said it would pay its first dividend later this year, returning 40% of pre-exceptional net income. Analysts expect it to be worth 4p to 4.5p.
Virgin Mobile shares closed down 3.5p at 196.5p.
http://money.guardian.co.uk/businessnews/story/0,1265,-1354661,00.html