Virgin Mobile Hits 3M Sub Mark
Following on our positive review last month, Virgin Mobile UK has topped the 3M subscriber mark, which was their goal for the end of this year. This is the fastest growth ever seen for a carrier in the UK, Virgin Richard Branson notes it is even more impressive in a market where other carriers have been losing subscribers. Giving full credit to this remarkable marketing accomplishment, I remark that it is easier to grow as an MVNO than as a MNO (Mobile Network Operator). The British MNOs had to install towers and build physical networks in order to grow, where Virgin only needs to market well (using T-Mobile’s existing net). That makes the chart in the linked article an unfair comparison. It’s like the difference between building Walmarts all across the country, and building a product that sells in Walmarts all across the country. Virgin is a marketing masterpiece.
