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OVIVO Mobile shuts down

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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 rumours 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.

Did you use Ovivo?

Source: Ovivomobile.com

Sam

Just an average guy doing something he loves talking about tech from companies such as Samsung, HTC, Nokia, Apple and many more.

Comments

57 thoughts on “OVIVO Mobile shuts down”

  1. ad says:

    Wondered why my texts weren’t sending earlier so went to the Ovivo website. Not the news I was expecting. Low of them to do it with no notice and seemingly while they were still offering news SIMs.

    1. AL says:

      I’ve been using Ovivo for almost a year. Outgoing calls started failing around 6.40 this evening. Amazed that the service can fold leaving its customers with so little support. I’ve had my number for over 15 years and would hate to lose it if Ovivo fail to honour PAC requests. TBH, I feel most sorry for the small number of Ovivo’s Customer Service staff. Their service was second to none. They were always friendly and very helpful and always went the extra mile if they could. I only hope they got some notice and that they don’t suffer as a result of this. Good luck to all.

      1. Mick Ryan says:

        Wondered why my calls were failing now I know, Shame hope they can be trusted with PAC I had my number over 17 yrs, I can still receive calls don’t know how long that will last.

        1. Sam Eacott says:

          GIVE US A CALL AT AERIAL DIRECT, CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR O2 ON 02392 505458
          IF YOU GET YOUR PAC CODE, WE’LL TRANSFER YOUR NUMBER TOO.

          NOTHING TO LOSE!

  2. John Lowe says:

    The loss of credit is one thing, especially as I only joined 6-7 weeks ago, but the anxious wait to see if they actually honour PAC requests is another! It will be really frustrating to be forced into changing number – but you have to feel for anyone who runs a business on an Ovivo number.

  3. This is disgraceful. I joined Ovivo on Sunday, my SIM was received today, and activated this afternoon. I heard of it through Martin Lewis’s MoneySaver website.

    They must have known they were going down, so how can it be legal to keep taking money when it was obvious that they were going bust.

    I paid via Paypal. I may ask them if I can get my money back.

  4. clutt99 says:

    Myself and my husband joined 2 weeks ago and was happy with the service so on Sunday bought cards for both our kids so we’re £80 down in 2 weeks and haven’t even received the last two sim cards yet. Am gutted we joined to save money! Need my phone for work tonight so hope the electric and phone lines are ok tonight in the wind!

  5. Disgruntled says:

    Bought my sim 3 weeks ago and told my friend and she bought one last week. Both left without phone service tonight so very disappointed.

    1. Simon Johnny says:

      You would have thought vodafone worked with ovivo to provide a seamless switch over to the parent network rather then just letting ovivo put out a web form collecting data for people who’re wanting PAC numbers.

      Right now EE are suffering a massive outage too, I wonder if it’s from people trying to jump a sinking ship… Personally, I’d go with Three.

      1. Patsy says:

        The real question here is why would Vodaphone miss an opportunity to secure a large % of Ovivo’s customer base by simply being on the ball with an offer to help Ovivo’s customers… Senior managers eh…

    2. flibblesan says:

      Unfortunately not. Vodafone had no part in Ovivo and simply provided network capacity to them under an MVNO agreement. I suspect Ovivo simply couldn’t afford to pay the fees so Vodafone terminated the agreement. But this wouldn’t had happened straight away and Ovivo would had been given plenty of time to pay the fee and/or inform customers that the service would be closing. Looks to me like Ovivo tried to get sufficient funds up until the 11th hour, failed, closed up and gone into hiding. All social media accounts have been removed. Emails are going unanswered and customer service lines ringing out unanswered.

  6. Simone10 says:

    Bought my SIM on 16 Feb, and activated and transferred my number on 12 Mar. Very disappointed that they let me do this. Its my birthday on Friday and I will have no phone to use

  7. aw says:

    had my ovivo sim for around 8 months, however when i first signed up i didn’t know how they would make profit, so I’m surprised they lasted the two years they did. I’ve never had problems with them, until a couple of days ago when i presume vodaphone cut them off and i stopped reviving and being able to make calls and texts.

  8. Duncan McNeil says:

    Been looking at buying one for months but always put it off, finally caved and bought a sim a week ago 🙁 Arrived this morning and I didn’t even get a chance to activate it! £20 down the drain….

  9. afsana riaz says:

    Cant believe ovivo didnt have the decency to give its users at least a weeks notice before going bust! Just checked their website a while back as been having problems with sending messages & making calls so thought maybe its a connection problem like a couple of days ago but wasnt expecting this! Luckily I still kept hold of my o2 sim but what about the £18 credit that I had on my sim?

  10. yorkiedale says:

    disgusting, my 11 year old daughter couldn’t contact me this evening for me to pick her up from drama class, so she had to run home in the dark. If anything had happened to her, I would have personally found the directors and managers of ovivo and made sure they suffered …………

    1. James Taylor says:

      Don’t be cheap next time and provide your daughter with a reliable company who have been around for more than 2 years and run on advertising.

    2. MIHAllStars says:

      You’re not very wise to the way of the world are you and I believe
      you’ve just made a threat of physical violence which makes you a very
      sad individual.

        1. Patsy says:

          I have kids. I teach them to use someone elses phone or a public phone. not walk home in the dark alone if they don’t have to. I also teach my kids to fight and be able to look out for dangerous situations and people. humanity managed fine without mobile phones for tens of thousands of years.

  11. I’ve had my account for over a year. Still had about £12 credit left from my original fee. I feel like I got my money’s worth even though the sudden loss of service, and possibly the number, is inconvenient. I am glad I kept my old pay as you go number on orange (now EE) going so I am not totally cut off.
    I feel really sorry for the people who have just purchased a sim. They deserve to have some comeback, but until the law changes, they are “not worthy” creditors. Any money OVIVO have will go to the banks and the tax man (who don’t need it !!!) – the law should be changed in that respect to consider the financial impact to normal people, not the rich financial companies.
    The service was so good that I think that if they had contacted the customers on the free tariff, explained the situation and replaced the tariff with a small monthly fee (£5 or £10) to still remain competitive – I would have signed up as the service had been good up to date.

    1. Sam Eacott says:

      @Tony Davis

      GIVE US A CALL AT AERIAL DIRECT, CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR O2 ON 02392 505458
      IF YOU GET YOUR PAC CODE, WE’LL TRANSFER YOUR NUMBER TOO.

      NOTHING TO LOSE!

    1. acky says:

      if you paid via paypal you can open a claim with them to get the money back. if you paid by credit or debit card you can ask your card provider (bank) to claim the money back

  12. kelly says:

    thanks for the warning ovivo, my business number now cut off with no chance to switch networks first, not to mention the credit i had on it and i just bought another one a week ago for my brother, not even used yet. why let the order go through if they knew they were shutting down? i hope the are made to reimburse people its shocking if they can get away with completely ripping people off!!

    1. Sam Eacott says:

      @kelly

      GIVE US A CALL AT AERIAL DIRECT, CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR O2 ON 02392 505458
      IF YOU GET YOUR PAC CODE, WE’LL TRANSFER YOUR NUMBER TOO.

      NOTHING TO LOSE!

  13. Peed off says:

    I bought three sims one for my granddaughter my daughter and myself.. £60 for a week and I didn’t even use mine as I had it in a spare phone just in case I lost signal on my contract phone… Also had 4 friends buy the sims. Feel like it was a scam I’m disgusted

  14. Sam Eacott says:

    GIVE US A CALL AT AERIAL DIRECT ON 02392 505458

    LET’S GET YOUR PHONES UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.

    IF YOU GET YOUR PAC CODE, WE’LL TRANSFER YOUR NUMBER TOO.

    NOTHING TO LOSE!

  15. Peter says:

    only just discovered ovivo shut down when i went to check what was wrong online.
    Had just purchased a second simcard after having enjoyed free texts and calls for last 4 months, will have to try and get my money back through paypal

  16. Jeff says:

    Seriously, I was in Ovivo since 11 months.
    Ok, they shut down quickly, but I can see the savings.

    I was around 20£ a months. It is 220£ saved. So that was REALLY cool!!!!

    Now, I won’t complain, try to get my PAC number if possible but I am ok. Which is the next deal on the list which is FREE or extremely cheap.

  17. Simon Hopkins says:

    And this is why I don’t goto a VMO and stick with 3, more accountability when things go wrong. Remember the is nothing really with something for nothing. As this VMO have found out.

  18. sam devis says:

    its all planned. they grab £20.00 from every ones pocket like me and they bloody shutting the network down now. I just got the sim card 3 days ago, without enough notification they just shutting the network. I think we should do something about it.

  19. How Low Can You Go says:

    Only reason we got these sims was to try and save money i think im speaking for the majority. Now we’re all at a loss. I was also waiting on an important phone call this morning and had no idea OVIVO were in dire straights. How can any company get away with it! Their as bad as the banks!. You gotta laugh really although ive been cussing since i found out.

    Anyone found a suitable replacement sim yet? Preferably one that wont crap on its users. GiffGaff looks reasonable a little more maybe but free to other giffgaff users.
    Anyone?

  20. john says:

    Just bought the sim two days ago, not too upset about the £20 but really angry about my business number which I have had for 20 years, I am still receiving calls but for how long? Is there a way to get the pac code needed other than Ovivo

    1. Bhoy says:

      A business number you’ve had for 20years and you join a network at the lowest end of the market… It couldn’t have been that important to you. As they say, you get what you pay for…

  21. na says:

    Just bought the sim 2_3 days ago, I’m upset about the £20 but and I’m angry about my number . I was also waiting on an important phone calls, I transferred my number today and I lost it

  22. Pet50 says:

    How do we go about changing networks now? Ovivo was running on Vodaphone. Does this mean if I move to a Vodaphone sim contract I don’t need to unlock my phone…again? only unlocked it 2 months ago to join Ovivo!! And just bought a sim for my daughter!

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