giffgaff

Giffgaff (stylised "giffgaff") is a mobile telephone network running as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) using O2's British network. Owned by O2's owners Telefónica,[4] Giffgaff was launched on 25 November 2009.[5]

giffgaff Limited
Subsidiary
IndustryTelecommunications
FoundedSlough, Berkshire, United Kingdom (25 November 2009)
FounderGav Thompson[1]
HeadquartersUxbridge, Greater London, United Kingdom[2]
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Ash Schofield (CEO)
ServicesMobile telecommunications
Revenue£449 million per annum[3]
OwnerTelefónica
ParentO2 UK
Websitegiffgaff.com

Products and services

At launch, the first product was a prepaid SIM card providing all standard 2G and 3G mobile phone services, charged on a pay as you use basis. After launch, bundles of minutes, texts and data, called "goodybags", were introduced. The idea for bundles emerged from the community forums.[6]

In June 2012 it was announced that customers would be able to set goodybags to renew automatically once a debit or credit card and subsequently when a PayPal account was saved on their platform payment profile.[7] Voucher payments are accepted for manually purchased goodybags.

In 2011, Giffgaff added data-only tethering plans called gigabags to their lineup of product plans.[8] Giffgaff have since retired gigabags, as their goodybag plans now allow members to tether to other devices, within their data allowances without tethering restriction.

In March 2014 Giffgaff announced that it would add a line of 4G LTE goodybags available for purchase from April 2014.[9] All 2020 goodybags now include unlimited minutes and texts to standard UK numbers. Full speed data allowances, range from 500MB to 80GB+. Prices listed are between £6 - £25 per month and are reviewed periodically.

In May 2014 Giffgaff announced that they were now an official Apple carrier,[10] which was closely followed by another announcement that they would soon be stocking iPhones in their online shop – this would unlock options on iPhones that would have normally been locked for users, including tethering and voicemail options. iPhone devices went on sale from 4 June 2014, to accompany a wide range of manufacturers including Samsung handsets. Refurbished devices have become a purchase option, with a giffgaff 12 month warranty included. Ratesetter, the peer to peer lenders, have teamed up to offer phone purchase loans to eligible giffgaff members.

Customer service

Giffgaff has no customer service phone lines. Non-account specific problems are raised via an online community system and are answered by other Giffgaff members in exchange for "payback points" (a virtual currency). Account-specific queries are directed to "agents", who are contracted by Giffgaff Ltd. to administer account matters. If neither of these avenues resolve the issues, there is a dedicated complaint team, who respond to complaints by email and a dedicated voicemail phone number, written replies can take up to five working days to receive.[11]

Payback

Giffgaff offer payback points to members who recruit other members, suggest ideas on their crowdsourcing platform (giffgaff Labs), as well as those who provide customer service on the giffgaff community.[12] Payback points can be exchanged for real money, airtime credit, or donated to five charities (new 2020) nominated by members and paid out biannually in June and December. Giffgaff promise to match their members charitable donations, pound for pound. Giffgaff is an old scottish word for 'mutual giving'[13] and the company maintains that ethos, as much as possible.

Super Recruiters

After Giffgaff members recruit 15 new members to join the network, they become super recruiters, earning potentially larger rewards depending on recruit's 2nd or more payments to giffgaff and their sim retention. Super recruiters also eligible to receive other benefits, such as dedicated email support, marketing materials, phone calls with employees, and visits to Giffgaff's HQ.[14]

Network service and infrastructure

4G

As of September 2015, all of giffgaff's 'goodybags'[15] come with 4G data included at no extra cost. If the user doesn't have a 4G ready device or is not in a 4G area, the device will connect to O2's 3G or 2G network instead.

5G

Giffgaff are looking to implement a member trial shortly to prepare for their 5G rollout.[16] Existing 4G-compatible Giffgaff SIMs will work in their 5G rollout.[17] O2 rolled out their 5G network access to customers in October 2019,[18] however Giffgaff have stated that they won't have 5G until much later.[16]

Awards

In November 2010, Giffgaff won the Forrester Groundswell Award and was later nominated for the 'Marketing Society's Brand of the Year', losing to the department store John Lewis[19] In December 2010, Giffgaff won the 'Most Innovative Community Award' at the Social CRM Customer Excellence Awards.[20][21]

In June 2012 Giffgaff was named the Best MVNO at the Mobile Industry Awards.[22]

In 2014[23] and 2015[24] Giffgaff won the Which? best telecom services provider award. In 2018, Giffgaff were a runner-up in the Best Utilities Provider of the Year.[25]

In 2019, Giffgaff rated the best network by mobile network customers.

Since 2016, Giffgaff has won the uSwitch Network of the Year, for 4 consecutive years.[26][27][28][29] They also won three other uSwitch awards in 2019 for: Best SIM Only Network, Best Network for Data, and Best PAYG Network.[30]

Controversies

Unlimited internet

After goodybags with unlimited internet allowance were introduced, complaints were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) from customers who were refused further sale of unlimited plans. The reason given by Giffgaff for their disconnection was a clause in the terms and conditions stating "[We may disconnect you] if you do anything ... which we reasonably think adversely impacts the service to other Giffgaff customers or may adversely affect the Network". The complaint was not upheld by the ASA who concluded that unlimited internet was advertised correctly. Giffgaff noted that their customer service agents had used the clause above incorrectly and promised to rectify this.[31]

Giffgaff have since removed the goodybags in question and replaced their unlimited internet allowance with an "Always On" data allowance. This means that users will get 80 GB of full speed data usage but after these 80 GB, will be speed-limited to 385 kbps between 8 am and midnight every day.[32]

Advertising campaigns

In May 2013 Giffgaff ran an online and television advertising campaign with the strapline "Don't be scared" which featured zombies converging on a village. Although the television advert appeared after the 9pm watershed, the ASA received 105 complaints. The ASA did not uphold the complaints, stating that it was not in breach of any BCAP rules.[33]

In October 2013 Giffgaff ran two adverts in an online campaign with the strapline "Different takes guts". The advert featured a crowd of people dressed in white in an empty swimming pool throwing guts at each other. The ASA upheld the complaints that the content was in violation of BCAP rules for harm and offence and also BCAP rule 5.2 because the advert was not suitably age rated. It was recommended that the advert not appear again in its current form.[34]

In August 2014, Giffgaff ran three adverts in an online campaign with the strapline "At home with your parents you're not the boss" which featured siblings being subjected to awkward situations with their parents, one of which was reported to the ASA and featured an adult son walking in on his parents as they were engaged in sexual intercourse. The ASA upheld the complaint that the content was in violation of BCAP rule 4.1 for harm and offence and recommended that the advert not appear again in its current form.[35]

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References
  1. "Case Study: giffgaff". Figaro digital. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  2. "We've moved gaff! - The giffgaff community". giffgaff community. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. "giffgaff Limited Annual Report and Financial Statements". Companies House. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. "Our brands | Acerca de Telefónica | Telefónica". www.telefonica.com. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  5. Bradshaw, Tim (3 January 2010). "Original ideas suggest customer knows best". Financial Times. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  6. Mobile Network Comparison (1 June 2019), Giffgaff Review - Goodybags, retrieved 10 September 2019
  7. Cutlab, Gary. "GiffGaff Goes Semi-Contract With its "Recurring Goodybags"". Gizmodo. Gizmodo UK. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  8. Cutlag, Gary (13 October 2011). "GiffGaff Unlocks Tethering Potential With Gigabags Mobile Data Plans". Gizmodo. Gizmodo UK. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  9. Campbell, Matthew. "Giffgaff to launch 4G service in April". Mobile Today, Industry. Mobile Today. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  10. "iPhone carrier profile". Giffgaff.com. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  11. "Has giffgaff become too popular for its own good? – CNET". CNET. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  12. "giffgaff". www.giffgaff.com. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  13. "Meaning for giffgaff". Webster's Dictionary. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  14. "giffgaff - Super Recruiter". www.giffgaff.com. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  15. "SIM Only Deals and Plans | giffgaff". www.giffgaff.com. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  16. "What will happen with 5G on giffgaff?". The giffgaff community. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  17. "giffgaff - Home". www.giffgaff.com. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  18. "What will happen with 5G on giffgaff?". The giffgaff community. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  19. "Winners Of The 2010 Forrester Groundswell Awards (Consumer International) | Forrester Blogs". 23 March 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  20. Elliot, Nate. "Winners Of The 2010 Forrester Groundswell Awards (Consumer International)". Forrester blog. Forrester Groundswell. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  21. giffgaff: winner of Most Innovative Community award (20 May 2010). "Social CRM Excellence award". Community.giffgaff.com. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  22. "Winners 2012". Mobile Industry Awards. Mobile Today. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  23. "Which? Awards 2014 winners revealed". Which? News. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  24. "Which? Awards 2015: the shortlist revealed". Which? News. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  25. "Which? Awards 2018: winners revealed". Which? News. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  26. "uSwitch Reveals the Best UK Mobile Operators in 2016 Awards - ISPreview UK". www.ispreview.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  27. "uSwitch Name the UK Best Mobile and Broadband Providers in 2017 Awards - ISPreview UK". www.ispreview.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  28. "uSwitch 2018 Awards Name the UK Best Mobile and Broadband ISPs - ISPreview UK". www.ispreview.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  29. "uSwitch 2019 Awards Reveals Top UK Mobile and Broadband ISPs - ISPreview UK". www.ispreview.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  30. "giffgaff scoops four gongs at Uswitch Awards, including Network of the Year". uSwitch Mobile Phone Deals. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  31. "ASA Adjudication on giffgaff Ltd A12-192632". Adjudications. Advertising Standards Agency. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  32. "SIM only Deals". giffgaff. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  33. "ASA Adjudication on giffgaff Ltd A13-248779". Adjudications. Advertising Standards Agency. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  34. "ASA Adjudication on giffgaff Ltd A13-248779". Adjudications. Advertising Standards Agency. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  35. "ASA Adjudication on giffgaff Ltd A14-277947". Adjudications. Advertising Standards Agency. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
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