Am I about to be made redundant....

[MikeC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8240499.stm

:dapprove:

 

[Ali]

Is there not some sort of employment TUPE??? So you don't lose your job??

 

[MikeC]

Good question... assuming it goes ahead theres always the possibility of being offered a position I guess?

 

[Krispwee]

I work at T-Mob too

Its a bit worrying really although it would be odd to employ a brand new MD and then just sell the company on.

The rumours have been round for a good few months now and so far its all just speculation. Then you have the problem of getting it through Ofcom if it does happen.

Im more interested in them wanting to reduce the staff in retail stores by 10% (I work in a store). We are already struggling as an area with having to cover other stores constantly so reducing it down any further will be awful

 

[MikeC]

What store do you work in? I get the feeling customer servies are gonna get hit quite bad... theres rumours of up to 50% of TMUK being offered voluntary redundancy....

 

[Krispwee]

I work in the Worcester store. You store or head office based?

50%? Wowzers. It was really apparent when they had a head office cull. Things just didn't get done. We had to wait like 2 or 3 weeks for a set of KPI's to come down to store. Can only think that the poor guy that sent them everyday was made redundant.

 

[MikeC]

I'm head office, work in the SMC. I hate it when you stores call up when Retail Support closes, the calls come to me and I know jackshit about retail LOL

 

[NOT! gary l]

This is not good news, for employees mainly but less competitors means less choice of tarriff's.

The more competitors we have the cheaper deals we get.

 

[NB 02 HOT]

are you being told anything about what might happen in the near future or is it just rumours and bits you read in the media?

I was just about to take out another contract with t-mob, I'm not really sure what to do now though. buy it before a takeover or wait and see if any offers come about because of a takeover. Hopefully its not orange that takes over or they're likely to get rid of the deal i want alltogether.

 

[Krispwee]

Not being told anything at store level so far (not really surprised though). Its all just bits we read in magazines, papers and obviously the internet. All we know in-store is that they are trying to cut costs like theres no tomorrow.

Whats the SMC Mike?

 

[Initiale]

As you said, I can't see a takeover by another company that's already dominant in the UK marketplace being successful. One of the VMOs would be in a better position TBH, like Virgin Mobile, but I don't they would be interested unless DT were going to give it away.

 

[MikeC]

SMC = Service Management Centre

Orange won't take us over and I reckon the MMC will block any move from Voda or O2 tbh, especially as it would mean either of them would then have a 50% market share....

 

[KDF]

FFS ! I moved away from o2 and Vodafone cause of crap customer service TBH.

T-mobile has been fantastic in comparison.

 

[MikeC]

If we dont get bought out, you'll be fine, as one of our new strategies is a big push on customer service and in-house 2G coverage....

 

[Krispwee]

http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSTRE58639720090907

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090907-706317.html

So what do we think this will mean :S

 

[MikeC]

Yep, no takeover, we're gonna merge with orange or so it seems! apparantly we're gonna be running networks seperately, but can't see how that would work... we'll probably share all our infrastructure and be marketed as seperate or something? But their HQ is in Bristol and we are based in Hatfield, so its a concern for us

 

[Initiale]

I can't see the benefits to a merger between Orange and T-Mobile. Both PCS networks so no benefit of having 900/1800 band allocations, and 3G roll out is at an advanced stage for both companies, so limited meaningful build out cost savings either. Seems like a poor time for them to be joining up TBH, I can see another 'AOL TimeWarner' here...

 

[MikeC]

Its confirmed... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8243226.stm

 

[NB 02 HOT]

i'm surprised the competition commission is allowing such a merger to take place. the number of suppliers that have to compete with each other is just getting smaller and smaller.

the fact they'll be run as seperate businesses for the next 18 months should be good news for the employees in atleast the short run.

 

[Mike_182]

i'm surprised the competition commission is allowing such a merger to take place. the number of suppliers that have to compete with each other is just getting smaller and smaller.

the fact they'll be run as seperate businesses for the next 18 months should be good news for the employees in atleast the short run.

They only get a 37% share through the merger, which is deemed acceptable.

 

[MikeC]

its gonna eventually end up as just 3 competitors I reckon, we're gonna run as a seperate entity for 18 months from November (when it will be confirmed if its going ahead), then we'll probably be rebranded as something like Orange Mobile or something... T-mobile name will disappear I reckon

 

[Krispwee]

It's probably the best of the outcomes that were available.

How's the mood at Hatfield today?

 

[NB 02 HOT]

I just hope orange doesn't take on t-mobiles method or not actually wanting to keep their long term customers. their retentions policy seems to be they offer you whatever new customers receive and thats all.

In the long run i think it will only be a bad thing for customers. yes it will save tmob/orange tons in terms of cheaper costs but if further reduces the need for competitve pricing. Add that to more and more phones only going to one retailer and it will only get worse.

 

[MikeC]

Just had a big service ops meeting... our jobs are as good as safe for the next 2 years at least. Basically this is whats happening:

Ignore the fact Orange UK and T-Mobile UK exist for the minute, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom are putting £625m each into creating a brand new UK Mobile network that will be bigger than O2 and Voda, if that makes sense?

 

[Krispwee]

More info than we have been told! We have had the press release plus the Webcast thing.

Time for O2 or Voda to seriously think about buying 3 now

 

[MikeC]

ooooh we were just on sky news, they are filming outside! lol!

 

[Tom]

Oribile?

 

[MikeC]

Orange T?

 

[Tom]

I prefer Ori-bile

 

[Inferno]

Is there not some sort of employment TUPE??? So you don't lose your job??

I don't think this is relevant anymore but, TUPE is no sure thing. We merged with TNT last year and all of the drivers TUPE'd over to them. They were all made redundant on the day they transfered over to them.

 

[MikeC]

Inferno, do you work for Ceva?