Mark Briers

Today we announce Virgin Media O2's Q3 2024 financial results. During Q3 we have continued to make progress against our core strategy as we invest in the foundations for future growth. We delivered on both volume and value in consumer fixed, with a return to customer growth coupled with an increase in fixed-line ARPU. In mobile, we saw a quarterly trend improvement in key metrics, supported by a reduction in O2 churn during a summer of key campaigns for our loyalty programme Priority and inclusive EU roaming. Our 5G and fibre rollout continues at pace, and we have invested more than £1.5 billion so far this year as we focus on delivering a great customer experience with fast, reliable connectivity in more areas, increased loyalty benefits and improvements in our customer service performance. In the first nine months we are tracking well against EBITDA guidance, enabling us to reiterate all guidance metrics with confidence, as we keep our foot on the gas with targeted investments in the salient final quarter. More details on our Earnings release here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/emgmSa4k #VirginMediaO2Results #Q2 #Results #Earnings #FinancialResults #TeamVirginMediaO2

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This is a good piece on how to optimise and modernise your organisation’s contact centre, to enhance the full customer experience journey. Read about BT and Five9’s CCaaS solution, with advanced technology and A1, helping to deliver an exceptional customer experience. 

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STOP THE PRESS: Is AI cutting Contact Centre costs by up to 40 Hours A Week? With rising customer expectations but shrinking budgets, contact centres are under immense pressure. Yet brands leveraging AI have achieved astounding results: 👉 Increased first contact resolution rates by 35% 👉 Improved agent productivity 13.8% per hour 👉 Accelerated new hire proficiency by 70% Curious how leading contact centres are using generative AI to increase efficiency and deliver better CX? Get the inside scoop in this free eBook, jam-packed with real-world stats, examples and actionable tips to harness AI in your operations. https://lnkd.in/e7JuAiNM .

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Proud about our latest Fit for the Future report about trust in technology! If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the latest research and insights in Vodafone Business and LSE Consulting's latest #FitForTheFuture report here: https://lnkd.in/e96_jHwu

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When it comes to embedding a digital culture, what does success look like for your organisation?   Whether it’s increased revenue, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction or crucial sustainability efforts, decision makers are looking to technology to improve what they can deliver and how they deliver it. https://lnkd.in/ef42v-gE

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Netflix’s crackdown on account sharing is working! Each year we survey around 18,000 consumers around the world to understand their technology, media and telecoms consumption. We've been specifically looking at whether Netflix's actions in the UK have worked to deter account sharers. They have. In 2023, 19% of Netflix customers in the UK were using account log-in details shared with others. In 2024, this figure had fallen to 11%. Disney+ and others are following suit. For more insights into our 'first look' at our 2024 consumer survey results, take a look at Tom Rebbeck's latest article from Analysys Mason here: https://lnkd.in/eWURvmfu We'll be writing more about how the streamers are doing in the next month - watch this space! #NPS #churn #telecoms #telecomsstrategy #Netflix #OTT #streaming #accountsharing

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Another day closer to the Competition and Markets Authority decision about the proposed Three UK and Vodafone merger, and another report (from one of the MNOs) about why it should be approved! This time it’s from Three, who say that small and medium size business need much more support from the #Government, as well as access to better and more ubiquitous mobile networks to enable them to catch up to rivals overseas. This will of course also grow the economy and improve conditions in the country. As always, some of this will be lobbying for the proposed merger to be approved, however, all businesses and people tend to complain about mobile connectivity hindering their working habits and productivity, so it does look to be based on some truth! #connectivity #networks #privatenetworks #private5g #investment #innovation #mnos #2g #3g #4g #5g #business #enterprise #UK #masts #inbuilding #property #realestate #growth #mobile #mobilenetworks #telecoms #telecommunications #technology #wifi #fibre https://lnkd.in/etypXPgw

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“Billy (#ai) has only been on the team for a few months but is already able to quickly and efficiently handle more than 60% of billing enquiries ... What’s more, when it comes to customer satisfaction Billy is consistently being scored very highly by our customers.” How are we making Billy so effective? Read more about it in the link… https://lnkd.in/df9yAWCF

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How do we get evaluated for inclusion in this report? We submit three of our clients' case studies. Following this, Forrester experts interview our clients, and then analyse and score them against 30 criteria. If we can achieve this for them, we can do the same for you... Would you like to find out how?

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🚆 Throwback to 2018, a defining year in messaging history! 🌍 I recently unearthed a video from the very first commercial global launch of #RCS with Virgin Trains in the UK. Back in 2018, this launch created an enormous buzz around RCS, proving its potential to transform customer engagement. Infobip was honored to lead this pioneering launch, setting the stage for RCS to become a global standard in messaging. Through this collaboration, we introduced travelers to a new level of convenience—interactive ticket confirmations, real-time journey updates, and more—all from the comfort of their mobile devices. Fast forward to today, RCS continues to evolve, shaping the way brands connect with customers across industries. It’s exciting to reflect on Infobip's role as a true trailblazer, empowering businesses around the world to deliver richer, more interactive, and personalized messaging. Check out the video for a look back at where it all started. 📲 #Throwback #RCS #MessagingInnovation #Infobip #CustomerEngagement #VirginTrains #Pioneer #2018 John Sullivan Ethan Gustav

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That’s a wrap! Two great days exhibiting at #ConnectedNorth in Manchester, delighted with the response to our new data visualisations. When you have one million mobile coverage and performance datapoints in an 8 square mile area, as we have in Westminster, it’s important to show that data in a variety of ways that suit different purposes. There were varied views about which visualisation was favourite, as they all served different purposes, but the crowd favourite was probably our new “Which Network?” feature which allows you to search for an address and networUX will show the data transfer speeds, upload and download, within a 100m radius of the address searched. Some people loved the quality of the data, others were impressed with the filtering by 3-hour periods (important for finding capacity problems which only show up during busy periods), but all loved that we could show whether popular streaming and business apps (MS Teams, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime) would perform as intended on each of the networks at a specific location and time period. I’ll post here soon with an overview of the new features and visualisations in networkUX, we think you’ll love them too.

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The Three UK and Vodafone UK merger. Impact on Ireland? Short answer: Different business entities, so no impact here. Long answer: Different business entities, so no impact here...yet. https://lnkd.in/ej4r4t5U

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An interesting take on the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three where reports are suggesting if it does go through then it could lead to higher prices. I’ve personally been with Vodafone for at least the last 15 years, however I’ve recently noticed their network doesn’t seem to be as great as it once was, especially over the last 6 months the data coverage hasn’t been great. Are any of my connections currently with Vodafone and experiencing issues?! Feel free to get in touch with me to discuss any of the networks 📱 #mobiles #5G

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The UK's shift from copper to digital landlines is sparking concerns for vulnerable communities, particularly those relying on telecare devices for medical emergencies. Nearly 2 million Britons use these life-saving alarms, often connected to traditional landlines, to signal for urgent help. In response, telecom companies like BT Group and Virgin Media O2 are now mandated to ensure these alarms function post-upgrade, offering engineer visits to test and confirm their reliability. There’s also a push for stronger battery backups to extend operational time during disruptions. I have spent years talking with operators about retaining redundancy as more of the network becomes digital. Network battery backup coupled with in-home device backup could be the answer to this one. #DigitalTransition #Telecoms #VulnerableCommunities #BatteryBackup

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Making a private weekend chat public. What is the most important thing to change in how we are approaching 6G? eg. if we can only change one fundamental thing, what will have the biggest impact? - Operator led not vendor/academia led? - Maximum usefulness versus sci-fi use cases? - Commercial business case rather than technical playground? - What else? This is on the back of many discussions at the rather wonderful TelecomTV #GreatTelcoDebate last week, where many thoughtful people discussed such things with an open mind. If we look at our current industry financial benchmarks there is a need for an industry reset which means there is a need for a #6greset. The challenge is how to even start... https://lnkd.in/eSh2XnPz

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A report from Kinetic found that speed (36%) and reliability (35%) are top internet priorities for small businesses – which are responsible for more than 40% of our country’s economic output and two-thirds of new jobs.   Telecom Ramblings shares how our new bundled fiber and voice services specifically tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized business give them an enterprise-grade experience that will scale with them as they grow.   👉Read more here: https://bit.ly/40kRKAs.

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🏎 Racing at the Speed of 5G 📶 Ever wonder what it takes to keep an F1 team at peak performance, both on and off the track? In an exclusive trackside conversation, our tech influencer Chelsea Andrews caught up with Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, to uncover how T-Mobile's 5G is redefining what’s possible at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. "5G wasn’t here that long ago, and now we can’t imagine going without it," Zak shared. "It’s what helps us go faster, both on the track and off." From seamless team operations to unforgettable fan and VIP experiences, this partnership is all about speed, precision, and innovation. With over 300,000 fans and hundreds of team members relying on reliable connectivity, there’s no room for second best. Catch the full conversation and see how technology and teamwork come together to deliver results that matter. 🎥 #TFBxLVGP #LasVegasGP #McLarenRacing

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I’m looking forward to moderating the panel on Connectivity & EV infrastructure at Connected Britain. There are a number of similarities between EV charging infrastructure (EVCI) deployment and broadband rollout. I think we will have an interesting discussion about how the national rollout of EVCI can learn from experiences with broadband policy and government intervention in broadband rollout. 

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