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Sainsburys Mobile closing down.
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jonmorris
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by japaul:
“Some accurate numbers

At the end of 2014:

Virgin Mobile 3.05 million
Tesco 4.42 million”

(off topic) Virgin did very well when SRB owned it and they had an incredible arrangement with T-Mobile, that saw Virgin getting paid a small amount per month for every active sub.

Suffice to say, Virgin didn't rush to cut inactive SIMs and gave them out like candy. When I was at What Mobile, every review phone had a SIM and a few to give away, and they loved competitions to give more away. They all had £5 of credit pre-loaded, so it was probably possible for some people to never pay a penny - just chuck one SIM away and activate another...

I always wondered how they managed things when T-Mobile renegotiated the deal and that money went, and suddenly Virgin had a lot of inactive subs affecting their ARPU....
Redcoat
14-10-2015
****! I just asked for a PAC looking to transfer to Sainsbury's on Monday evening! Guess I'll be staying with Lyca for a little longer, though Tesco looks like the alternative beyond that.
sdduk
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by BKM:
“Tesco Mobile was under scrutiny by the new CEO and was, at one time, rumoured to be under threat of closure itself. Is it now on a solid long-term footing?”

I think the reason Tesco have not sold the mobile side is
1, They are 50% owned by O2
2 They wouldn't get a lot of money for it and it wouldn't even make a dent on the Tesco debt.
So keeping it they are still making some money and not losing it.
SkipTracer
14-10-2015
I was in Sainsbury’s last night and they still had their PAYG phones on the Sainsbury’s network on sale.

A network closure notice comes up when you call for a balance from your Sainsbury’s mobile on 40775 so no more top up from me.
IceNume
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by LION8TIGER:
“Got the text 10 minutes ago to say it won't be available from 15th January. Thats Ovivo, Sainsburys ....... where next ? I have a 3 sim so probably there.”

TalkMobile https://talkmobile.co.uk/order-payg-sim/

Vodafone network. Similar pricing.
jonmorris
14-10-2015
How many times has Sainsbury's tried and failed to get into mobile? I can remember back to their amazing scheme that compared all the tariffs and put you on the right one (or something similar), a bit like Orange tried to do - although there you had to do the leg work yourself I think.

No doubt Sainsbury's will be back next year with a tie-up with another carrier and we'll see how long that lasts.
japaul
14-10-2015
That was Sainsbury's One which launched in 2001 on O2.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/978350.stm

It only lasted a couple of years (so about the same time as their latest effort). All the subs (~60000) transferred to O2. Just as it closed, Tesco Mobile launched...
SkipTracer
14-10-2015
Just had a text on my Sainsbury sim that said something like being “sorry for letting you down but we will add £5 credit to your Nectar card and give double points until July 16”.

As I’ve only got about £5 on my sim and another 3 months to get rid of it I think I’m going to be quid’s in.
petef
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by IceNume:
“Any similar Vodafone MVNOs?

8p per minute
4p per text”

Talkmobile Essentials is 8p / min, 4p / text, 25p / day for 25 MB.

Other Vodafone MVNOs include talkxtra, Kontakt, Lebara and SMART UK.

Details are listed at my site.
--
Pete Forman
http://petef.22web.org/payg.html
alanwarwic
14-10-2015
Seems they hope to continue mobile. I wonder if Three will be amenable to a link up.
clewsy
14-10-2015
I wonder if Tesco will try and nip in and get the customers then?

It's a shame something couldn't have been sorted with another network if this has got to the point of no return.
petef
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by moox:
“Their website doesn't talk about plans anymore, just what SIM free phones they sell.

It's a shame as they are basically Vodafone but without the same rip-off PAYG rates as Vodafone.

I'm guessing they'll be handing out PACs but what about any credit? I assume they can't take that away”

They say that credit will indeed expire on 2016-01-16.

When Asda announced they were going to void credit when they changed MNO they ended up doing a U-turn. Sainsbury’s must be aware of that story so don’t hold your breath.
petef
14-10-2015
The report of this in Computer Weekly states that other Vodafone MVNOs are not affected.

http://www.computerweekly.com/news/4...-joint-venture

Quote:
“Contrary to reports that circulated earlier in the year, Vodafone's spokesperson told Computer Weekly that the operator had no plans to exit the MVNO business altogether.”

--
Pete Forman
http://petef.22web.org/payg.html
jonmorris
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by petef:
“They say that credit will indeed expire on 2016-01-16.

When Asda announced they were going to void credit when they changed MNO they ended up doing a U-turn. Sainsbury’s must be aware of that story so don’t hold your breath.”

You'd hope so, but given Sainsbury’s seems to do more harm than good with its loyalty schemes, nothing would surprise me.

I can't think of another store where giving me a voucher can actually make me angry!
lost boy
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by IceNume:
“TalkMobile https://talkmobile.co.uk/order-payg-sim/

Vodafone network. Similar pricing.”

Wholly owned by Vodafone too, so there shouldn't be any messy closure in the future.

Originally Posted by alanwarwic:
“Seems they hope to continue mobile. I wonder if Three will be amenable to a link up.”

That would be good. Or EE, if they don't mind 'sharing' with Asda Mobile.
daydotz
14-10-2015
Are any MVNO on Vodafone safe mobile by sainsburys was a 50/50 venture talk mobile is the same

I was looking at giffgaff but tesco lite sounds better
japaul
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by daydotz:
“Are any MVNO on Vodafone safe mobile by sainsburys was a 50/50 venture talk mobile is the same ”

Vodafone own 100% of Talkmobile
clewsy
14-10-2015
It looks like that is the real question. Suspect not though now as if they can get rid of what is a more branded one, what else will go.

Let's hope Tesco mobile continue and doesn't go the same way, howveer suspect they are a much bigger player in the market. Looking at the data published on here, customer wise they must be the 5th largest network in the UK?

I bet Tesco and Asda are glad they were not using Vodafone.
japaul
14-10-2015
Sainsbury's saying they have 150,000 customers. Not a great total.
corf
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by clewsy:
“
I bet Tesco and Asda are glad they were not using Vodafone.”

Asda were, they had a messy switchover to EE
petef
14-10-2015
One member of my household has a Sainsbury’s PAYG SIM.

A general tip for unused credit when you are about to use a PAC is to find a suitable charity which accepts donations via SMS. I don’t see why Sainsbury’s should pocket it.

--
Pete Forman
http://petef.22web.org/payg.html
sdduk
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by japaul:
“That was Sainsbury's One which launched in 2001 on O2.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/978350.stm

It only lasted a couple of years (so about the same time as their latest effort). All the subs (~60000) transferred to O2. Just as it closed, Tesco Mobile launched...”

Don't even remember sainsbury's ever having a mobile business before.
I have had a mobile phone from the start in the late 80s early 90s when they were like bricks my first phone was a Vodafone Brick and then i switch to cellnet which was a bit smaller, i've had Orange,One2one, btcellnet all the way to nowadays which i now have 3, O2, T-Mobile/EE Ive even got the new Freedompop sim.
But never new about sainsbury's and Btcellnet joining up.
alanwarwic
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by japaul:
“Vodafone own 100% of Talkmobile”

Maybe with PAYG ususually looking like a monthby month contract they simply want rid of standard PAYG.

Whereas Three do a 3,2,1 PAYG Talkmobile charge 40,14,10 PAYG.
clewsy
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by corf:
“Asda were, they had a messy switchover to EE”

Oh yes remember people talking about that now. So the writing was on the wall really then for Sainsburys. You would have thought they would have changed networks, unless it just simply was not worth all the hassle.
d123
14-10-2015
Originally Posted by petef:
“One member of my household has a Sainsbury’s PAYG SIM.

A general tip for unused credit when you are about to use a PAC is to find a suitable charity which accepts donations via SMS. I don’t see why Sainsbury’s should pocket it.

--
Pete Forman
http://petef.22web.org/payg.html”

Sainsbury's appear to have a refund process in place from what I've read. Contact the 03xx number they have and it can be requested.

Quote:
“What will happen to any credit I haven’t spent by 15th January 2016?

We would ask that you try to use all your credit before 15th January as it will no longer be possible to use this credit after that date. In the event there is outstanding credit you are unable to use please call our support centre team on 0333 313 1150 for help and assistance.”

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