In a surprise move that left an estimated 50,000 UK users suddenly in the cold on Wednesday, the mobile virtual network operator Ovivo Mobile closed down without warning, cutting off customers permanently.
Now, we all know the agony of losing signal on our smartphones even for the briefest of periods – it’s almost the same as the emotional stages of grief: first comes ‘denial’, waving the phone around idiotically in the forlorn hope it’s just where you’re standing, then comes ‘anger’ at your network for failing you, followed by depression and, ultimately, acceptance; and then it comes back on. But just imagine if it didn’t. No, stop, the mental anguish isn’t worth it.
“We are very sad to announce that for reasons beyond our control, Ovivo Mobile is closing down on the evening of Wednesday 19 March 2014,” Ovivo announced in a statement. “We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship over the last two years.” Yes, ‘friendship’.
A network that, akin to GiffGaff, bounced off the back of Vodafone, Ovivo has set up an online form which customers, sorry, ‘friends’, can use to get ahold of their PAC in order to change over to a network not quite so closed down. However, they’ve also warned that due to a high demand for this, while PACs will be sent as quickly as possible, there might be a bit of a wait, so if you’re a former ‘friend’, best stop reading this and go follow the above link now. It’s probably also an idea to cancel any direct debit you have setup.
Perhaps not such a surprise though, it was only earlier this month that CEO Dariush Zand told Mobile News that he was looking for £3m in investment. Unfortunately for Ovivo and its customers, it appears that no investor answered the call.
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