Virgin Mobile customers will be migrated to O2 plans from March – what you need to know

This is the next phase in bringing all the Virgin Media and O2 brands together after their huge merger midway through 2021.

The move will apply to all Virgin Mobile customers – those with handset plans (phone and Sim) and those on Sim-only deals. Customers will be migrated across automatically and shouldn't actually notice much difference, as O2 has been powering Virgin Mobile's services since the end of last year, when it replaced Vodafone as the underlying network.

Customers will be gradually moved across over the next year, starting in March

From next month (February), Virgin Mobile will start contacting customers to give them 30 days' notice that their Virgin Mobile plan will soon become an O2 plan. These notifications will continue to be sent throughout the year, so there's no set date as to when you'll be moved to O2 yet. But Virgin Media O2 said: "By the end of 2023, all existing and newly-joined Virgin Mobile customers will have been moved to O2 plans."

It will all happen automatically – there is no need to replace Sims, port phone numbers or change billing dates or information.

If you pay by direct debit, don't cancel it

Once moved to O2, your direct debit will also be moved across automatically, so there is no need to do anything. If you have a Virgin Mobile Sim-only plan, it'll appear as 'O2' on your bank statement. But if you have a Virgin Mobile handset plan, it'll appear as 'Virgin Media' on your statement.

You won't pay any more on O2 – and will have your data boosted

All customers will receive unlimited texts and calls, and either double or unlimited mobile data. For example, if you currently receive 5GB a month data with Virgin Mobile, you'll receive 10GB a month once you've moved to O2. Those who currently have a 25GB to 50GB plan will get boosted to 100GB a month, and those on a 51GB plan or higher will receive unlimited data.

O2 has the same price rise policy as Virgin Mobile, so prices will continue to increase each April by the Retail Prices Index rate of inflation (announced in February) + 3.9%.

If you're currently locked into a contract, this will continue as normal and the end date of this will remain the same. If you're out of contract, check our Cheap Mobile Finder tool to see if you could save by switching.

You'll get access to O2 Priority benefits and keep free roaming

As you'll be an O2 mobile customer when you're moved across, you'll be able to access O2 Priority loyalty deals, which include free Greggs, free Odeon cinema tickets and free pub drinks. You'll also be able to roam in 48 destinations without any extra charges (subject to fair usage limits), something not now offered by the other big networks.

Don't want to be an O2 customer? You can cancel penalty-free

If you're currently locked into a contact with Virgin Mobile, but don't want to move across to O2, you will have 30 days from receipt of your migration notification to cancel, without penalty. So look out for it.