11 October: Virgin Media has become the first major UK telecoms provider to enable digital methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay for recurring contract payments, providing a convenient alternative to traditional direct debits and enabling customers to pay for their cable services in a hassle-free and secure way.
The launch, which follows a successful trial period, will mean that new customers signing up for Virgin Media broadband, landline or TV services will be able to check out quickly with the tap of a button and set up their future recurring monthly bills to be paid via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Not only will these new payment methods provide a quicker and more efficient customer journey, they also ensure fully secure transactions, with both Apple Pay and Google Pay requiring biometric authorisation such as Face ID or Touch ID to verify the customer’s identity.
Virgin Media is working on expanding the availability of Apple Pay and Google Pay to existing customers in 2025, alongside a number of other digital initiatives designed to enhance customers’ experience.
Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We are always looking at new and innovative ways we can make our customers’ lives easier and provide unmatched capabilities that enhance the customer experience in our digital channels. Through this rollout, it is now quicker and more convenient than ever for a new customer to sign up to our services, with the availability of digital payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay removing the need to enter direct debit details and significantly streamlining both the sign-up process and how future monthly bills are paid.
“While we will continue to support direct debits, it’s vital that we evolve and utilise the technology available to give our customers greater flexibility. They can now pay for their broadband, TV or landline contract in the same way they’d buy a cup of coffee or order clothes online.
“This is one of many exciting plans we’ll be announcing over the coming months aimed at improving our customers’ experience with us.”
Another area where the company is exploring use cases is open banking, with new features and functionality set to be introduced in the coming months. For example, open banking can enable new customers, who still wish to pay via direct debit, to sign in to their online banking during the sign-up journey and have their direct debit details automatically populated in a fast and biometrically secure way – providing a more seamless and automated checkout process and reducing the risk of typing errors. A recent trial found that 60 per cent of customers utilised this technology in the sign-up process, and the company is now working to deploy the solution on a permanent basis in future.
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