LIVE FROM CONNECTED BRITAIN 2021, LONDON: Lutz Schuler, CEO of Virgin Media O2 (pictured) believes he has bagged the coolest gig in Europe to run a merger of two power brands, as he laid out four major aims for the company to mount a serious challenge across mobile and fixed markets in the UK.

Schuler talked through Virgin Media O2’s first 100 days since officially launching after sealing the tie-up in June, which he confessed was rough but pointed to a strong starting position, with 40 per cent of customers in a position to take up a mobile and fixed convergence play.

Convergence was a major message across Schuler’s presentation, as part of the company’s wider mission to “upgrade the UK”.

Goals
The executive laid out a four-pronged approach for the self-styled challenger to achieve. The first is to keep the commercial momentum built since Virgin Media O2’s launch.

Schuler believes it is “so easy” to lose momentum, stating the focus should be on growing as a joint entity each day.

Prong two involves the potential of the “power couple”, Schuler explained, highlighting Virgin Media’s established broadband offering and O2’s mobile play, with a focus on operating as one company, cooperating and “integrating in the right way and coming up with the right proposition”.

Data and digital forms the third prong, with Schuler outlining Virgin Media O2’s goal of using data generated on their networks, understanding what the customers want and exactly what to offer.

He said a lot of major industry players “are talking about it but none of us have shown how to transform into a truly data and digital driven businesses”.

Finally, the company is focussed on expanding and upgrading networks with fibre and 5G. Schuler asserted 66 per cent of a UK government goal to deliver gigabit broadband will be met by Virgin Media O2 by the by the end of the year.