Virgin Mobile UK.

The distinct branding messages of Richard Branson's brainchild has been very well received within the UK mobile sector – the Virgin brand is a powerhouse in the UK and in 2005 was voted the most admired brand in the UK (Source: HPI Research).

Virgin Mobile UK launched in 1999 as an MVNO (virtual network) – using T-Mobile's telecommunication backbone. Virgin Mobile has been very successful in the UK prepaid, pay as you go industry. It is the most successful virtual network in the UK.

To date Virgin Mobile has over 4 million users who have been attracted to the brand but also the product and consumer messages of no hidden costs. The Virgin brand is a younger, cooler, hipper brand and the pay as you go offerings are tailored for this target market.

The prepaid packages are easy to understand and with Virgins "Get paid" offerings, users are attracted to value deals. Under the Get Paid pay as you go offering – users are paid to use the Virgin service by getting talk time and texts free of charge.

For example

After the first 5 minutes of standard UK calls (that's calls to other Virgin Mobiles, UK networks or UK landlines), Virgin will give users the next 5 free.

After customers end 5 texts to any UK mobile or landline, they will get the next 5 free.

Customers get 3p text message to any UK network. With Virgin Mobile there's no peak rates, no hidden charges, and voicemail retrieval is free in the UK.

Great customer service – the saying that the customer is king – is deeply engrained in the business culture at Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile has won the Best Customer Service Award at the Mobile Choice Awards for six year's running.

Virgin Mobile was listed on the London Stock Exchange and in 2006 was approached by NTL (the owners of Telewest with a buyout offer).

The offer has since been accepted by the shareholders of Virgin Mobile with a view that the newly created Virgin Media Group will add value to customers. The new company is being called the first quad play in the UK – meaning that it can offer its customers, TV, broadband, Mobile and land line communication.

As far as a prepaid offering for potential customers – Virgin Mobile ranks very highly.