Virgin Media O2 Layoffs Hit 2,000 Employees

British mobile network operator Virgin Media O2 will cut up to 2,000 jobs by the end of this year. This equates to 12% of its total UK workforce.

The company issued redundancy notices to some staff on Monday night, the Telegraph reported.

A spokesperson said the Virgin Media O2 layoffs come down down to the company’s transformation plans.

“We are currently consulting on proposals to simplify our operating model to better deliver for customers, which will see a reduction in some roles this year,” they said.

The spokesperson acknowledged the job losses as “difficult.” They said the firm was committed to supporting employees and working with unions on “open and honest conversations on the future direction of our business.”​

Virgin Media O2 Layoffs Fuelled by AI Alternative?

The job losses follow 55,000 roles cut by rival BT Group in May. BT chief executive Philip Jansen told investors he expected that AI technology would replace around 10,000 roles.

Additionally, Vodafone said it would axe 10% of its staff over the next three years, equating to 11,000 jobs.

Virgin Media O2 was created after a £31 billion merger between US-listed Liberty Group and Spain’s Telefonica in 2020.

The network provider is embarking on a multibillion-pound plan to build a full-fibre network as it battles BT and smaller rivals to provide homes and businesses with high-speed broadband.

However, The Financial Times reports the business is also facing rising costs. It revealed on Tuesday that it lost 25,000 fixed-line customers in the second quarter while users with broadband dropped by 15,000.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said the Virgin Media O2 layoffs were causing “a tremendous deal of anxiety” among its members.

“The confirmation of job losses is a tremendous disappointment, and we will be doing everything we can to mitigate against the redundancies,” said the union.