Virgin Launching in Canada

The Virgin Group and Canada's Bell Mobility have announced plans to launch a jointly-owned company, Virgin Mobile Canada. The new company will focus on introducing Virgin's unique style of wireless communications services and handsets to younger Canadian consumers under the Virgin Mobile brand. Virgin Mobile Canada expects to launch its services through a nationwide rollout later this year using Bell Mobility's 1X digital wireless network.

Sir Richard Branson, chairman of The Virgin Group, commented, "Canada represents a great opportunity for our mobile phone business. We plan to deliver transparent value for money and great customer service. Bell Mobility offers us the best network and best coverage in Canada. A quality network is fundamental in helping us deliver to customers the value and products for which Virgin is known."

"Virgin's focused youth-oriented consumer offer is complementary to the positioning of the Bell brand and will stimulate the wireless industry in Canada," said Michael Neuman, president of Bell Mobility. "We are delighted that Virgin has chosen our network to deliver its products and services to youth across the country."

Virgin Mobile set up the first ever Mobile Virtual Network when it launched in Britain in November 1999. Virgin Mobile UK now has nearly 4 million customers and is the fastest growing mobile phone company in the UK. With over 1.75 million customers, in under two years, Virgin Mobile USA continued this success when it launched in July 2002 in a joint venture partnership with Sprint PCS. Virgin Mobile USA is now the fastest growing wireless communications company in the United States."

Posted to the site on 31st March 2004