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Digital banking company Monzo has today followed rival Revolut by soft launching their own set of eSIM based mobile plans that are “simple, flexible and rewards staying, not switching“, which will be powered by O2’s (Virgin Media) national 4G and 5G mobile data (broadband) network. The service will also offer “seamless international roaming capabilities” through 1GLOBAL.
The UK market currently seems to have no shortage of virtual mobile providers, which would normally make it difficult for new entrants to establish themselves. But Monzo, not unlike Revolut, benefits from being able to promote this service to an already well-established customer base (14 million of them) – alongside some unique incentives.
At present the Monzo Mobile page is still only showing a Wait-list option for joining, albeit alongside a summary of three mobile plans: £8 a month for 10GB (GigaBytes) of data, £12 for 30GB and £20 for unlimited data. Each plan also includes unlimited calls and texts, Hotspot support, Wi-Fi Calling and the ability to switch plans or cancel anytime.
The £12 tier also adds 10GB of EU roaming (plus in 11 other countries) and 60 international minutes (monthly), with the 10GB of EU roaming being ramped up to 25GB on their £20 plan. But in terms of that claim to “reward” loyalty, the service promises to reduce the price that customers pay for their monthly rental by “5% off each year with up to 30% off over time. No hidden fees, no surprise charges“.
Duygu Yenidogan-Schmidt, GM of Core Banking at Monzo, said:
“Monzo Mobile is a natural extension of our mission to make money work for everyone. By bringing mobile connectivity into the Monzo app through a simple eSIM experience, we’re giving customers more visibility and control over another essential part of their everyday spending. Partnering with 1GLOBAL and Virgin Media O2 allows us to deliver a reliable, flexible and high-quality service, while continuing to build products that are simple, transparent and designed around our customers’ needs.”
Paul O’Sullivan, Director of Wholesale Mobile at VMO2, said:
“This partnership underlines the strength of the O2 network and our position as the UK’s trusted host of choice for MVNOs. Our unrivalled record helping partners launch and scale, alongside continued investment to upgrade and expand our mobile network, will enable us to support Monzo Mobile with ever-improving services.”
A quick look at the small print indicates that the service will go fully live this “Summer 2026“, which technically starts next week if we’re talking about meteorological summer, but they haven’t given a precise date yet.