Virgin Media O2 have changed onboarding forever with the help of Open Banking

Key Results

• Broadband and mobile sign-ups reduced to a single digital flow—no more manual entry
• Nearly 60% of customers chose automated direct debit via Open Banking in the pilot
• Increased conversion rates and fewer drop-offs in broadband and handset journeys
• Operational efficiencies: fewer failed payment setups, less back-office rework
  
  

Signing up for broadband or mobile shouldn’t feel like a paperwork marathon. Yet for most customers interacting with telecom companies, it still means typing bank details, filling out endless forms, and navigating between disconnected webpages and bank apps.

Virgin Media O2—a UK leader in the telecoms industry serving over 30 million customers across broadband, mobile and business lines—saw an opportunity to change that. 

The goal wasn’t just to make sign-up faster by modernising direct debit. It was to set a new standard for how essential services for verification, onboarding, and fraud reduction are bought online: faster, more reliable, more secure.

“By default, the user needs to go through so many pages, so many steps, which, by nature, slows down the user. Sometimes it creates frustration, and this is something that we, as the telecom industry, need to fix. We have to change that by simplifying and modernising the way people interact with us in our checkout.”
— Abra Georgakarakos, VP Digital & eCommerce at Virgin Media O2

The problem: long, manual, error-prone

For broadband, the checkout was slow and full of manual steps. Customers had to type in sort codes and account numbers, often switching between apps or notes to copy details. Errors were common, and staff had to follow up or restart setups. “The current broadband sign-up process is very slow and manual-driven, and this creates friction with the customers,” Georgakarakos explained.

For mobile, the pain was greater. Credit checks, identity and address entry, payment setup and direct debit were all handled separately. “Buying a handset with a mobile contract has so many steps—from credit checks to bank verification—and it feels disconnected,” he said. The fragmented journey mirrored a wider telco problem: too many steps, too many drop-offs.

At scale—23 million mobile and 5.8 million broadband customers—even small inefficiencies added up. Failed entries and mismatched data triggered costly manual reviews and fraud checks. High-value handset contracts in particular became prime fraud targets.

The solution: one flow powered by Open Banking

Virgin Media O2 chose Trustly for an end-to-end redesign—more than a patch, a new operating model for onboarding powered by Open Banking. In plain terms:

• Automated Direct Debit setup via Account Information Services (AIS)
  Instead of typing in sort codes and account numbers, customers select their bank and approve the connection in their trusted banking app. Trustly retrieves and verifies the account details automatically, completing the mandate setup in seconds.
  
  
• Instant ID & address verification with bank-verified data
  Previously, customers filled in multiple forms to prove identity and address—extra steps that often led to errors or delays. With Open Banking, those fields are auto-populated using verified bank data.
  
  
• Pay by Bank for one-off charges
  ‍When a new customer needs to pay their first broadband month or an upfront handset cost, they can transfer funds instantly—no card details required. Settlement is immediate, giving Virgin Media O2 quicker revenue recognition and sparing customers the friction of card authentication.
  
  
• One unified flow
  ‍Payment, mandate setup, and verification are now embedded in a single digital journey.

“For us, the strategic goal is to create a single, unified experience when it comes to buying your handset with your monthly contract. Starting from ID verification, one-off payments, direct debit mandate—all under one roof, hassle-free, fast, and secure,” Georgakarakos said.

Why Trustly?

“For us, the main criteria were a partner that can build the future together. Trustly brings deep experience, proven track record across many implementations of open banking, and a guarantee that we had the right choice at the right place at the right time,” Georgakarakos explained. “We share the same vision for enabling and unlocking a new world of payment innovation—not just in telecoms, but beyond.”

What changed—for customers and for the business

For customers

• No more form-filling: Bank details and ID confirmed via their trusted banking app.
• Faster completion: Sign-ups can be finished in a single session.
• Higher confidence: Verification runs through their own bank.

For Virgin Media O2

• Higher conversion from fewer drop-offs.
• Fewer errors from manual entry.
• Reduced fraud and less time chasing failed mandates.

In an early pilot, nearly 60% of users chose automated direct debit via Open Banking—a clear sign customers prefer the simpler path.

“It makes the customer’s life easier. And we’re already seeing increased conversions, operational efficiencies, and time savings,” Georgakarakos noted.

Leading the way ahead

“Open banking for us is not a hype—it’s a foundational capability,” Georgakarakos said. “It’s embedded in our long-term strategy, and it will help us change the way millions of UK customers pay and interact with their telecom provider. This is a long-term transformation.”

With Trustly’s Open Banking infrastructure and Virgin Media O2’s reach, the partnership is setting a new standard for how essential services should be bought online: one flow, minimal effort, verified by your bank—done.