Three could buy O2 ireland?

kn

The 02 brand is to be retired progressively over the next 2 years and it will then all trade under the 3 name only.

kn

krudler wrote: »

8 months? long time to wait and find out if you're being made redundant, cant see 3 keeping an expensive call centre here when they already have one in India though, or at least downsizing it considerably.

Call centre, management, and lots of the retail network are toast once the merger is approved I'd imagine.

flazio

kn wrote: »

The 02 brand is to be retired progressively over the next 2 years and it will then all trade under the 3 name only.

So what will become of the O2 concert venue? Will they incorperate it's old name and rename it 'The 3 Point Turn' :P

SpaceTime

They could also just retire both brands and rename as Hutch or something.

The "3" brand is a bit confusing anyway as loads of people think it's "3G" and we're moving onto 4G

...

I don't think this is a good omen either but the whole '3' network appears to have gone down this morning. Check out their talk to forum!

I can't make/receive calls or access data right now and it seems like nobody else can either.

kn

cookie1977 wrote: »

Despite the fact that over the past few years O2 have lost customers and market share every quarter yet last quarter according to comreg they grew their revenue by market share against the odds by almost 2%. If this isn't price gouging it's remaining customer pool I dont know what is: http://irishtechnews.net/ITN3/comreg-quarterly-report-q1-2013/

It seemed to me like o2 had been trading on the inertia of customers in not switching to raise revenue as they certainly were not competing on price/offering with other operators. The downside of this merger is the loss of hundreds of jobs (primarily at their Limerick customer service operation) but the upside is that their will be real competition in the market as 3 have been aggressive in Ireland and that is their mindset across the markets they operate in.

kn

SpaceTime wrote: »

They could also just retire both brands and rename as Hutch or something.

The "3" brand is a bit confusing anyway as loads of people think it's "3G" and we're moving onto 4G

...

I don't think this is a good omen either but the whole '3' network appears to have gone down this morning. Check out their talk to forum!

I can't make/receive calls or access data right now and it seems like nobody else can either.

I'm on 3 mobile broadband at the mo and its working perfectly for me.

SpaceTime

kn wrote: »

I'm on 3 mobile broadband at the mo and its working perfectly for me.

See : http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2056978022 for more -

I'm a very important person and I'm missing loads of very important calls :D

bk

God, I hope we don't end up with the worst of both, the high prices of o2 with the awful customer service of 3.

I don't think they will completely close the o2 customer service in Ireland, I think they will keep it for o2's business and maybe contract customers. While using the India call center for pay as you go customers.

o2's very valuable corporate customers simply won't accept such bad customer service that 3 currently offers, they would all just end up moving to Vodafone.

Though I would expect a reduction in the numbers of staff employed at the Irish customer service center as pay as you go customers go to India.

Also I'd expect a big consolidation in retail stores as they often have stores next door to one another.

Also probably big layoffs in network staff, admin staff, etc.

Really it is a pity that Liberty Global (UPC) didn't buy o2 instead. It would have been better for competition and more likely to keep peoples jobs.

I wonder how this will effect 48months. 48months is owned by o2's parent company and runs on the o2 network, but is it included in this deal?

I quickly switched from 3 after just one month with their terrible network coverage to 48months, which is brilliant. Excellent network coverage and very cheap prices. Long may it last.

SpaceTime

There was some talk of AT&T vaguely contemplating buying O2 as a start to an entry to Europe strategy, although they poured cold water on it when asked.

I'd say they'd possibly be more interested in something like O2 UK.

It'd have been better if it'd been bought by a major EU operator like Orange, T-Mobile or Telia-Sonera. All this move does is reduce competition.

wicklowwonder

cookie1977 wrote: »

Another question is what will happen to sponsorship. Three sponsor the Irish football team and O2 sponsor the Irish rugby team. Will they do both from now on?

Robert Finnegan, 3 Ireland CEO, was on Newstalk this morning, probably hear it online, interview was after the 7.30am news. Said 3 would be taking on all current sponsorship deals including the IRFU and the concert venue. By the sound of him they also intend on keeping on current deals with the FAI and Waterford GAA so 3 will be a MAJOR Irish sports sponsor shortly. I imagine the logos etc. will be changed soon enough. He also said 6-9 months for the competition authority to rule but didn't expect any issues as they are still behind Vodafone in customer share of voice but it put 3 in a great place to be Ireland's number one phone network shortly.

cookie1977

bk wrote: »

God, I hope we don't end up with the worst of both, the high prices of o2 with the awful customer service of 3.

I don't think they will completely close the o2 customer service in Ireland, I think they will keep it for o2's business and maybe contract customers. While using the India call center for pay as you go customers.

o2's very valuable corporate customers simply won't accept such bad customer service that 3 currently offers, they would all just end up moving to Vodafone.

Though I would expect a reduction in the numbers of staff employed at the Irish customer service center as pay as you go customers go to India.

Also I'd expect a big consolidation in retail stores as they often have stores next door to one another.

Also probably big layoffs in network staff, admin staff, etc.

Really it is a pity that Liberty Global (UPC) didn't buy o2 instead. It would have been better for competition and more likely to keep peoples jobs.

I wonder how this will effect 48months. 48months is owned by o2's parent company and runs on the o2 network, but is it included in this deal?

I quickly switched from 3 after just one month with their terrible network coverage to 48months, which is brilliant. Excellent network coverage and very cheap prices. Long may it last.

Three already have an Irish customer services division for corporate clients.

cookie1977

SpaceTime wrote: »

There was some talk of AT&T vaguely contemplating buying O2 as a start to an entry to Europe strategy, although they poured cold water on it when asked.

I'd say they'd possibly be more interested in something like O2 UK.

It'd have been better if it'd been bought by a major EU operator like Orange, T-Mobile or Telia-Sonera. All this move does is reduce competition.

True but to be honest per capita we have a lot of mobile networks (excluding MVNO's) operating in Ireland compared to our european partners and elsewhere

wicklowwonder

cookie1977 wrote: »

True but to be honest per capita we have a lot of mobile networks (excluding MVNO's) operating in Ireland compared to our european partners and elsewhere

EU want consolidation as well as there aim is a single market so they would be happy enough that a new player didn't come into the market.

kn

cookie1977 wrote: »

True but to be honest per capita we have a lot of mobile networks (excluding MVNO's) operating in Ireland compared to our european partners and elsewhere

As the European economy continues to plummet then more of these mergers have to take place. Also the EU are conciously eroding their revenue base by progressively eliminating roaming charges. In fact the Commissioner Nellie Kroes indicated that they were accelerating the banning of roaming charges in Europe by the time of the elections in 2014 and he wants there to be just a few operators across the entire EU so goodbye Meteor/Emobile etc.

RangeR

cookie1977 wrote: »

True but to be honest per capita we have a lot of mobile networks (excluding MVNO's) operating in Ireland compared to our european partners and elsewhere

Yes, and I'm sure we will see a lot more "cell shrinkage" over the next 5 years.

bk

I agree that we will see consolidation, but I do think we need three physical networks in order to maintain competition. I don't think a duopoly with be healthy for competition.

drunkmonkey

bk wrote: »

I agree that we will see consolidation, but I do think we need three physical networks in order to maintain competition. I don't think a duopoly with be healthy for competition.

We still have 3, your forgetting about Eircom (eMobile/Meteor). Now if Eircom had bought o2 which they were trying to you would have ended up with a Duopoly as 3 couldn't compete anymore.

cookie1977

drunkmonkey wrote: »

We still have 3, your forgetting about Eircom (eMobile/Meteor). Now if Eircom had bought o2 which they were trying to you would have ended up with a Duopoly as 3 couldn't compete anymore.

I'd agree. I'd have preferred a new entrant but this is the next best option with 3 buying O2

RangeR

drunkmonkey wrote: »

We still have 3, your forgetting about Eircom (eMobile/Meteor). Now if Eircom had bought o2 which they were trying to you would have ended up with a Duopoly as 3 couldn't compete anymore.

I'd say Meteor / eMobile will combine at some stage soonish. Note, I have no insider info on that. It's just a personal hunch.

Eric Cartman

been with o2 / digifone for 13 years. Time to move to vodafone , three's customer care , roaming and data congestion are terrible. That and I dont trust MVNO's and any network owned in any way by eircom.

_Kaiser_

cookie1977 wrote: »

Delay? Delay whats already been delayed over and over again?

O2 had previously said that they'd launch 4G in early 2013: http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/o2-ireland-4g-network-675504-Nov2012/

Well I can't speak for VF, but I have a Nokia Lumia 920 here on the desk with an O2 sim in it and it's showing 4G in the status bar?

Mimikyu

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drunkmonkey

RangeR wrote: »

I'd say Meteor / eMobile will combine at some stage soonish. Note, I have no insider info on that. It's just a personal hunch.

I'm still baffled as to why eMobile even exists, Eircom don't need to be running 2 competing mobile phone networks, it's a complete waste of resources and money.
Someone said the logic was because meteor had a bad reputation amongst consumers, if there plans to was to launch a worse network to make meteor look good they certainly succeeded.

drunkmonkey

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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o2 is finished, their branding will be removed, some key staff will probably move to 3, 48 was probably part of the deal as it's owned by o2, Tesco's contract will still remain in place for it's term.
3 won't need a fall back network now. (well sometime in the next 2 years).

cookie1977

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm still baffled as to why eMobile even exists, Eircom don't need to be running 2 competing mobile phone networks, it's a complete waste of resources and money.
Someone said the logic was because meteor had a bad reputation amongst consumers, if there plans to was to launch a worse network to make meteor look good they certainly succeeded.

They do deal with different aspects of the market. In general Meteor has the PAYG bulk of the business as well as young people while emobile appeals to more bill pay customers and generally older ones too.

Meesared

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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1. O2 be phased out as a brand and will become Three over the course of 2 years
2. They probably will continue for a while then will cease to exist
3. Likely once their contract with Vodafone runs out

Paulw

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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48 and Tesco mobile are owned by Telefonica Digital, not directly by Telefonica itself. It split out over a year ago.

O2, as a brand, will just disappear, and it will all be branded as Three. No idea what will happen to sponsorship deals and such. Will the O2 (the Point) change name again?

Time will tell.

cookie1977

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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I would imagine Tesco mobile has a very long term contract with O2 as no company is going to enter a shortterm mobile contract what with all the marketing needed to grow it. Tesco is doing well (well enough to now figure in Comreg quarterly stats) and so I suspect O2/Three are/will make a profit from the deal so no change there I'd suspect.

cookie1977

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well I can't speak for VF, but I have a Nokia Lumia 920 here on the desk with an O2 sim in it and it's showing 4G in the status bar?

Interesting. Do you also have access to that network as in 4G speeds or is it just showing 4G? I suspect it's just detecting 4G no?

Mimikyu

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