Broadband, TV and phone provider Virgin Media (O2) this morning claims to have become the first major UK telecoms provider to enable digital payment systems, Apple Pay and Google Pay, for recurring contract payments. The hope is that this will provide a “convenient alternative to traditional direct debits“.
The provider is known to have been conducting trials of this for a little while, but at launch it’s currently only available to new customers who sign-up for their service. Virgin Media said they’re “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. But a specific date is not yet known.
Virgin states that these new payment methods should provide a quicker and more efficient customer journey, while also ensuring “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“.
Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at VMO2, 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.”
The ISP also revealed that they’re “exploring use cases is open banking“, with new features and functionality set to be introduced in the “coming months“. For example, open banking could 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% of customers utilised this technology in the sign-up process, and Virgin Media is now working to deploy the solution on a permanent basis in future.