Ad-Supported MVNO Ovivo Shuts Down

Ad-supported British mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Ovivo has shut down with immediate effect, angering customers who claim they have been given no warning of the closure and have not been able to use all their credit.

The service operated on Vodafone’s network, with users given 300 minutes, 300 texts and 500MB of data each month for a one-off fee of £20, £15 of which was converted into credit, so long as they agreed to view adverts in their browser every ten minutes.

However the service, along with the majority of its website and social media accounts, has now been pulled with little explanation given by the company.

Ovivo closure

“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,” reads a statement on the company’s homepage. “We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship over the last two years.”

Customers will have the chance to retain their number however. Underneath the statement is a form that can be filled in for a PAC code, which will allow users to transfer their number to another network, although Ovivo says it is expecting high demand for the service.

However many users are angered by the lack of information given by the company and many say their service has already been switched off, leaving them unable to use up their remaining credit.

One user on the HotUKDeals website, which has been used to promote Ovivo’s service, suggests that customers should cancel any direct debits and see if they can obtain refunds from PayPal or their debit or credit card provider.

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