Virgin Media O2 to cut more than a tenth of UK jobs

Mobile operator Virgin Media O2 is to slash up to 2,000 UK jobs, or 12% of its total workforce, by the end of this year.

The figure includes 800 role reductions that were already announced, the BBC understands.

A company spokesperson acknowledged that any period of change "can be difficult".

It comes after its rivals BT and Vodafone both announced in May that they were also cutting jobs.

A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said: "As we continue to integrate and transform as a company, 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."

The spokesperson said the firm was supporting its staff as it has "open and honest conversations" about its future.

The Communication Workers Union said the news was causing "a tremendous deal of anxiety" among its members, adding it would do everything it could to mitigate against the redundancies.

The company, which is British, came together in 2021 through a merger between mobile operator O2 and broadband giant Virgin Media.

The job cuts are due to the continued integration of those two businesses, as well as a wider drive to improve efficiencies.

Karen Egan, senior telecoms analyst at Enders Analysis, said the telecoms industry is "a very tough place" right now.

"Virgin Media O2 are particularly likely to be cutting jobs as they're still going through the integration process, but it's tough for all these companies right now," she said.

"Revenues aren't really growing, but costs certainly are... because they're having to upgrade to 5G and to fibre and all of that requires investment. Those costs can't be avoided."

Earlier this year, BT, which is the UK's largest broadband and mobile provider, said it would shed up to 55,000 jobs by the end of the decade, mostly in the UK, as it cuts costs.

Up to a fifth of those jobs will be replaced by technologies including artificial intelligence, the firm said.

The move came shortly after Vodafone said it would axe a tenth of its staff over the next three years, equating to 11,000 jobs.

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You can read tips from careers experts in full here.