Three could buy O2 ireland?

_Kaiser_

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.

It's not competing, it's complementing, as they both deal with different parts of the market. Ultimately the cash all goes to eircom anyway.

Meteor are the "cooler" more PAYG studenty/kids network, whereas eMobile is aimed more at older customers and billpay

They're both supported out of the same callcentre, same physical network, the back-end operations are the same, so in reality the only real difference is the letterhead and the price plans.

poker--addict

if i have just entered into a bill contract with o2 where will this leave me? Could I potentially walk away once the deal is confirmed and closed?

_Kaiser_

poker--addict wrote: »

if i have just entered into a bill contract with o2 where will this leave me? Could I potentially walk away once the deal is confirmed and closed?

According to their Talk To forum here they're saying there'll be no changes/impact to current contracts.

RangeR

Meesared wrote: »

3. Likely once their contract with Vodafone runs out

Do we know when that is?

poker--addict

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

According to their Talk To forum here they're saying there'll be no changes/impact to current contracts.

Good find, however o2 will of course initially deny we can just walk away.

drunkmonkey

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

It's not competing, it's complementing, as they both deal with different parts of the market. Ultimately the cash all goes to eircom anyway.

Meteor are the "cooler" more PAYG studenty/kids network, whereas eMobile is aimed more at older customers and billpay

They're both supported out of the same callcentre, same physical network, the back-end operations are the same, so in reality the only real difference is the letterhead and the price plans.

I'm still not with the logic "students/kids network" If your joined meteor when you were an 18 year old student when they launched you'd now be 30. There base has matured. Also if you look at emobiles advertising they've shifted from aiming at grey haired people to a younger market. They need to shut down emobile, it's pointless unless their intention is to sell off meteor which probably isn't on the cards now after the 3 deal.

cookie1977

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm still not with the logic "students/kids network" If your joined meteor when you were an 18 year old student when they launched you'd now be 30. There base has matured. Also if you look at emobiles advertising they've shifted from aiming at grey haired people to a younger market. They need to shut down emobile, it's pointless unless their intention is to sell off meteor which probably isn't on the cards now after the 3 deal.

Unlikely they were ever considering a sale of meteor considering they were in to buy O2. I still think it makes sense to me. While the exact size of each network (emobile/meteor) is unknown it's probable they do have control over the old and young groups respectively. Look at O2 and 48 months? Ok the comparative size is different but both are the same company targeting different markets and probably doing quite well financially.

bk

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 know that, I was suggesting if Vodafone end up buying/merging with Meteor/eMobile.

I think Eircom will want to sell off the Meteor network at some stage. I hope Liberty Global/UPC will look to buy it. The Meteor network and company should be cheaper for them then the o2 network.

However Liberty Global hasn't really entered the mobile market anywhere in Europe yet, even if it does make some sense.

BTW I believe the reason why Eircom created eMobile, was the expectation that they would eventually sell off Meteor and it's network, but it could keep eMobile as a virtual network so that it would continue to have a presence in the mobile market.

flazio

I know the ink is hardly dried up on the deal and it still has to be approved by Competition Authorities but what do we think will happen to O2 Money Visa cards and to the O2 Treats Priority Reward schemes?

RangeR

flazio wrote: »

I know the ink is hardly dried up on the deal and it still has to be approved by Competition Authorities but what do we think will happen to O2 Money Visa cards and to the O2 Treats Priority Reward schemes?

That all depends on whether Three want to keep a premium brand AND a yellow pack brand. Or somewhere in between.

O2 Money and Treats aren't really core business so would probably one of the first things to go UNLESS they want to keep the premium status.

cookie1977

RangeR wrote: »

That all depends on whether Three want to keep a premium brand AND a yellow pack brand. Or somewhere in between.

O2 Money and Treats aren't really core business so would probably one of the first things to go UNLESS they want to keep the premium status.

I presume future wise the networks would like NFC to incorporate "O2 money" so that customers can buy things on the mobile phone account as in treat the mobile phone account (either PAYG or Bill pay) as a debit card. All depends on how forward thinking this new combined network will be.

drunkmonkey

I can't see mobile networks allowing people to use there phones to spend money on their bill pay accounts that would turn them into credit card companies overnight. The NFC would have to be billed seperate by a credit card provider.

cookie1977

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I can't see mobile networks allowing people to use there phones to spend money on their bill pay accounts that would turn them into credit card companies overnight. The NFC would have to be billed seperate by a credit card provider.

I think long term we'll eventually see this. As I understand it that is what O2 had planned and a number of device manufacturers are seeking Visa and Mastercard security approval. Of which BlackBerry have already acquired this rating

wicklowwonder

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I can't see mobile networks allowing people to use there phones to spend money on their bill pay accounts that would turn them into credit card companies overnight. The NFC would have to be billed seperate by a credit card provider.

Mobile networks will of course want you to use your phone like a wallet. Your phone bill will be your credit card bill as well. IT makes sense for them income is falling from tariffs, they need new revenue lines, they already know your credit rating as they may have had you as a customer for years, it is the next step for mobile networks. I can see a time where you are able to wave you iphone over a barcode in a shop and pay for the item instantly.

Also pay for things via text message, http://www.likecharity.com/ Like Charity already do this for charitys, I imagine consumer goods will follow shortly.

drunkmonkey

Not a hope I'd say, networks have to put a lot of resources into collecting money for phone bills, you could only imagine how much of a disaster it could turn into if you could by a TV and stick it on your phone bill. The risks of not getting paid are huge not to mention apr's etc appearing on your phone bill.

cookie1977

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Not a hope I'd say, networks have to put a lot of resources into collecting money for phone bills, you could only imagine how much of a disaster it could turn into if you could by a TV and stick it on your phone bill. The risks of not getting paid are huge not to mention apr's etc appearing on your phone bill.

There are plenty of options:
A) Not necessarily credit based system but the phone bill account or payg account could be front loaded with money for debit purchases
The system could act as a credit card and have a cap on a single purchase (just like NFC bank cards do so now) and/or a cap on monthly purchases by NFC phones

Both would prevent over use and allow the networks to reap some rewards financially.

wexfordman2

I think from a national infrastructure perspective this is hugely important. AFAIK three offshore a huge amount of their netowrk, and a good amount of the actual network infrastructure is located in the uk etc. Not really a problem for a small niche opertor, but with something the size of the merged network, its a whole different matter. I wonder are there any concerns from that perspectivefrom government, or from comreg to have what could be the biggest network dependent on infrastructure located in another country. Would or could they perhaps insist on certain aspects of the network remaining in country etc.

Other than that, its probably a good thing, o2 havnt been moving with the times, and voda have been leaping ahead, so would be good to see them having someone snapping at their heels again!

wexfordman2

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Not a hope I'd say, networks have to put a lot of resources into collecting money for phone bills, you could only imagine how much of a disaster it could turn into if you could by a TV and stick it on your phone bill. The risks of not getting paid are huge not to mention apr's etc appearing on your phone bill.

I dont think that was ever the plan. All it really was was chaging from a physical cc, to one built into your phone. THe networks could tie up with cc providers and rebrand etc and rebrand,rather than actually getting into the cc business themselves.

The data that this would give them, from the persepctive of the users profile would be usefull too.

kn

flazio wrote: »

I know the ink is hardly dried up on the deal and it still has to be approved by Competition Authorities but what do we think will happen to O2 Money Visa cards and to the O2 Treats Priority Reward schemes?

3 worldwide are very price focussed so I'd imagine all these gimmicks will fade away with the o2 brand as 3 will compete with Vodafone on price.

cookie1977

kn wrote: »

3 worldwide are very price focussed so I'd imagine all these gimmicks will fade away with the o2 brand as 3 will compete with Vodafone on price.

It wont be hard to compete with vodafone on price but competing with customer inertia is another thing entirely.

bk

cookie1977 wrote: »

It wont be hard to compete with vodafone on price but competing with customer inertia is another thing entirely.

Well the advantage for 3 here is that they wouldn't have to compete against customer inertia, they can benefit from it. As long as they don't mess up the merger and manage to keep the same level of network quality and customer support as o2, then they should benefit from customer inertia of the o2 customers not bothering to move to vodafone.

cookie1977

bk wrote: »

Well the advantage for 3 here is that they wouldn't have to compete against customer inertia, they can benefit from it. As long as they don't mess up the merger and manage to keep the same level of network quality and customer support as o2, then they should benefit from customer inertia of the o2 customers not bothering to move to vodafone.

You're probably right and another reason to suspect this buyout isn't going to shake the market in the customers favour

long_b

Will they keep the existing O2 masts or look to consolidate with their existing 3 ones ?

wexfordman2

long_b wrote: »

Will they keep the existing O2 masts or look to consolidate with their existing 3 ones ?

Probably a bit of both

krudler

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I can't see mobile networks allowing people to use there phones to spend money on their bill pay accounts that would turn them into credit card companies overnight. The NFC would have to be billed seperate by a credit card provider.

Been in the works for ages, be a debit card system on your phone

cookie1977

long_b wrote: »

Will they keep the existing O2 masts or look to consolidate with their existing 3 ones ?

Most of the networks share the sites but put their own equipment on it
http://press.three.ie/press_releases/13-jul-12-vodafone-ireland-and-three-ireland-announce-strategic-partnership-to-share-network-infrastructure/
http://www.independent.ie/business/o2-and-vodafone-to-share-network-infrastructure-26523136.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/retail-and-services/vodafone-3-to-share-network-1.725379

bk

Interesting to note that Vodafone has today bought the largest cable operator in Germany after a bidding war with Liberty Global (UPC).

With Vodafone poaching on Liberty Globals turf, it might make it more likely that Liberty Global might look to buy Meteor network to compete with Vodafone on their turf.

wexfordman2

bk wrote: »

Interesting to note that Vodafone has today bought the largest cable operator in Germany after a bidding war with Liberty Global (UPC).

With Vodafone poaching on Liberty Globals turf, it might make it more likely that Liberty Global might look to buy Meteor network to compete with Vodafone on their turf.

Don't know if eircom would be keen on selling it's mobile arm!

RangeR

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Don't know if eircom would be keen on selling it's mobile arm!

They have two.

drunkmonkey

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Don't know if eircom would be keen on selling it's mobile arm!

It's for sale alright, hence we have eMobile. Eircom have been actively putting their Meteor bill pay customers on eMobile so to leave all the crap and highly volatile customers on Meteor prepay.
Eircom were meant to be one of the bidders on o2, if that had of went through it's quite possible the regulators would have forced the sale of Meteor. Now Eircom have 2 network, 3 would have bough meteor but whether a new entrant is willing to take gamble on a pre pay network while eMobile remains under the control of eircom is yet to be seen.