Virgin Media O2 creates single team to challenge fixed wholesale market
Leading UK operator places wholesale teams covering consumer and business segments into single structure
Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has announced it is bringing together its consumer and business wholesale teams under a single leadership structure in a business unit that will combine its current B2B2C and B2B2B teams.
With ongoing investment across its fixed and mobile networks, VMO2 believes it is well-positioned to deliver commercial models for broadband and mobile services in both the business and consumer markets.
Led by Julie Agnew, managing director of fixed wholesale and customer delivery, VMO2 says its aim is to create a “focused and simplified” fixed wholesale division offering a joined-up, single sales engine and interface for a wide mix of partners and customers with the scale, speed and service to challenge the UK wholesale broadband market.
The unit will offer access to the full-fibre networks of not only VMO2, but also its Nexfibre joint venture, which currently reaches more than seven million premises, and will support a range of wholesale partners across internet service providers (ISPs), resellers and enterprise carriers. By bringing together both consumer and business wholesale teams, VMO2 is confident the unit will be able to accelerate delivery timelines and reduce complexity for partners, enabling “a greater focus on the needs of the end customer”. The provider claims partners will continue to benefit from “record” levels of delivery performance, with added speed, coordination and focus, all delivered through a single dedicated team.
“With Virgin Media O2 and Nexfibre’s combined fibre footprint already passing more than seven million premises and our network upgrade activity continuing at pace, we’re laying the foundation for the next wave of connectivity innovation across the UK,” said Agnew. “By bringing together our wholesale teams, underpinned with decades of expertise, nationwide field capabilities and a scaled footprint, our team is uniquely well-positioned and ready to support our wholesale partners, and offer a viable alternative to the status quo.”
Diego Tedesco, executive director of fixed wholesale at Virgin Media O2, added: “The wholesale market is evolving, and there’s a clear demand for fresh commercial models that put the focus on the end-customer experience.
“I’m excited to begin this next chapter and to work to deliver the service, support and innovation our wholesale partners need to succeed,” he added. “With a unified, focused team, the right capabilities and commercial momentum, we’re ready to accelerate growth in both established and emerging markets.”
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VMO2 stressed that central to the business unit’s strategy will be the creation of a differentiated offering that VMO2 insists will be a compelling alternative to the status quo in the fixed wholesale market. This will be underpinned by a digital-first system architecture, and what are described as optimised customer journeys and processes.
UK mobile virtual network operator Giffgaff is already utilising Virgin Media O2’s wholesale capabilities, with the recent launch of a broadband service that offers consumers a range of symmetrical speed fibre broadband packages.
