Devoid of thanks to their customers, O2 are unceremoniously closing their money wallet and are offering no alternative. Here is an extract of the email I just received from Gavin Franks, Managing Director of Commerce, Telefónica Digital UK:

We’re closing the O2 Wallet

When we launched the O2 Wallet 18 months ago, we were one of the first mobile wallets around. Since then a lot has changed for us, the market and our customers. So we’ve decided to close the O2 Wallet to give us time to look into new, even better ways to help people manage their money on the move. It will close on 31 March 2014.
What happens, and when?
• On 31 March your O2 Wallet will close and features like using cards in your card vault, Money Messages, Pay & Go Top Up and the O2 Money Account card will no longer work.
• From 10 April, any money left in your account will be sent to you.
• On 30 April your app will no longer work at all and you won’t be able to view transactions

Bon chance O2. I was thinking of moving my airtime/mobile contract to O2 but I’ll just leave it where it is for now…not that it would have made a jot of difference to their annual results.

Oh, and they’ve just texted me as well. Strangely the text links off to a more pleasant message that does bother to offer thanks. There are also hints of new things in the future but I expect I’ll have found an alternative before.

For the record: I have found the O2 wallet and the partner Visa card very useful…I’ll miss it.

Kevin Harrington

I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.

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