Ovivo closes down,

[joglynne]

Date: March 19th, 2014

Ovivo Mobile, the MVNO that offered free minutes, calls, and data for absolutely nothing per month running on the Vodafone network, appears to have closed its doors in the past couple of hours. In a statement posted on its website, the company said:

Dear OVIVO Customers,

We are very sad to announce that for reasons beyond our control, OVIVO Mobile is closing down on the evening of Wednesday 19th March 2014.

We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship over the last two years.

The company was still taking orders for SIM cards (at a cost of £20 per SIM card) up until the announcement that was posted earlier this evening, existing credit on the system cannot be accessed, leaving both new and existing customers out-of-pocket. Even worse for existing customers is that mobile signal for the MVNO has reportedly been shut off, leaving customers without any phone or data connection.

The closure looks to have been enforced by the company simply running out of cash with the company only having around £10,000 to its name.

It seems as though the termination wasn’t entirely unexpected, but why they didn’t give their customers enough notice to find an alternate network, and stop selling the SIM cards to unsuspecting customers, is a mystery.

The company’s social media accounts have been deactivated, and no method of contact has been left on the Ovivo website. Consumers can, however, request a PAC code over at ovivomobile.com.

http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2014/0...le-shuts-down/

I guess I had a good run for my money but I still feel gutted.

wounded

[joglynne]

Have applied for my PAC code and I am looking around for a new sim. So far I think giffgaff seems to be winning. If you find anything interesting please let me know.

I can't believe they were selling sims right up to closing the door. I thought they had more integrity than that.

[dilli-theclaw]

Well that sucks I've only had mine a couple of months.

[joglynne]

Originally Posted by dilli-theclaw

Well that sucks I've only had mine a couple of months.

I feel guilty for having recommended it to people.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones in that I know I had it long enough to have saved more using it than I would have paid out with my old t mobile PAYG on calls alone added to which I got to use a smart phone/data allowance, something I had never done before.

I have sent for a 123 PAYG sim from 3 which hopefully will the cheapest option for me as a light user but I hope everyone gets sorted. I really did hope that I had got away from top ups, no way am I going on a monthly contract.

[dilli-theclaw]

Luckily I only had mine in the car as a spate phone.

My sister just ordered hers (doesn't even have the sim yet) but they still took her money yesterday.

[joglynne]

That sucks dilli.

Originally Posted by dilli-theclaw

Luckily I only had mine in the car as a spate phone.

My sister just ordered hers (doesn't even have the sim yet) but they still took her money yesterday.

that is terrible business practice and imo thievery

[Kabaal]

If she paid by CC couldn't she do a chargeback?

[Osem]

Sadly this sort of thing happens when companies are struggling. They shouldn't be taking money for goods/services they know they can't supply but if they tell potential customers they're having serious financial issues, their failure rapidly becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Not sure what protection there is for amounts of this size, IIRC credit card protection only applies to purchases over £100 a part of which has been paid using the card.

[MalteseFalcon]

Originally Posted by Kabaal

If she paid by CC couldn't she do a chargeback?

I do believe that recent new customers who paid by credit card would be able to get the money back from their credit card providers.

[jb66]

Talk mobile seems the best value to me £7 250mins 500mb data and 5000 texts

[joglynne]

If anyone has applied for their PAC code can they give a feed back when and if it arrives so that we can see how/if the request is being handled.

My number was the first one I had ever been able to remember so it would be good if I could keep it.

Add// PAC code received this lunch time having requested it about 10pm last night. So as soon as I receive my new sim I am good to go.

[qasdfdsaq]

The company was not struggling. They had a disagreement with their supplier about the technicalities of a piece of software.

[joglynne]

Details of the disagreement which led to the plug being pulled.

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2014/...obile-closure/