Is 2015 the year of Quadruple Play?

Quadruple Play, or Quad Play, is the name given to services that provide a customer with mobile, internet, landline, and television. It’s an area that is growing in the US and in Europe, but will 2015 see Quad Play take off in the UK?

Why choose Quad Play?

There are three main factors in a customer’s decision regarding their TV, phone and data provision:

• cost
• convenience
• quality

In order for Quad Play to attract customers, they need to provide competitive packages, with good quality products. The big selling point for buying all four services from one provider, is the convenience. You would be paying just one bill per month, and the hope is that it would be cheaper than the four individual bills. However, along with the convenient combination of services, also comes the increased potential for technical problems. Companies wishing to move into Quad Play provision must counter this with swift and excellent customer service.

It is also important for the consumer to remember that buying a bundled service makes it harder to switch one component. If you have a 12 or 24-month contract for all four services from one provider, but find that their broadband speed is insufficient, or their mobile network coverage is patchy in your area, it can be really tricky to change your deal.

This is why it is important to consider the details of the packages, as well as their price.

The competition

Currently, the only major player in terms of Quad Play provision is Virgin Media, who were also the first company to offer Quad Play. Beginning as a merger of NTL and Telewest, the acquisition of Virgin Mobile in 2006 has meant almost a decade of building on their unique position. As of 2012, Talk Talk have also offered all four services, but have yet to make much of a dent in the TV market.

The number of Quad Play providers is only likely to increase over the next twelve months, with Sky planning to roll-out mobile services next year, using Telefonica’s network.

In theory, Sky are in a great position to capitalise on their position, as their TV package is considered by many to be the most extensive – particularly as they keep certain channels, such as Sky Atlantic, only available via their own service.

BT – already providing businesses with mobile services – is also said to be in talks with EE. It is particularly interesting to note that BT are moving ‘full circle’ after selling BT Cellnet – their original mobile network – to Telefonica in 2005, becoming O2. Before proposing the current deal with EE, BT had also been considering a re-purchase of O2.

If the deal is finalised, it is very likely that BT would nudge Virgin Media into second, in terms of Quad Play companies’ share of the revenue. EE themselves currently hold over a third of the UK mobile market by revenue.

The way of the future

There is no doubt that more and more companies are seeking to provide Quad Play service, but it is vital that customers do not get swayed by the advertising, and the freebies, but continue to demand excellent service for their money.

Whilst at Fivebars Mobile we don’t (yet!) provide Quad Play, we do offer excellent value for money, and outstanding customer service. If you’re looking for a new deal on your business phones, have a look at our website, and try our free, no-obligation Tariff Review.