office o2

O2, one of the UK's leading mobile phone operators, today announced it will dramatically expand its presence in Scotland through the creation of a new Customer Service centre in Glasgow, creating 1500 new permanent O2 jobs in Scotland. The facility which will open in the Autumn will be based in Glasgow's Skypark business complex at Finnieston. The announcement underlines O2's commitment to the UK and Scotland in particular.

Over the next 2 years, O2 will invest £18 million. The Scottish Executive has supported the project with an offer of Regional Selective Assistance worth around £7 million.

Francesca Rea, General Manager, Customer Service for O2 UK said: "This is a major vote of confidence in our business and the UK market. This is now the most competitive mobile phone market in Europe. That means great value for consumers and huge choice. We believe we can differentiate and have more customers choosing O2 by investing in the people and resources to deliver an overall experience that customers will find superior. That is what today's announcement is all about."

Deputy First Minister and Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace said: "This is a significant announcement for Scotland and a ringing endorsement of what we can offer to companies across the world.

"O2's decision to locate here confirms yet again that Scotland is a first class location to do business, with a reputation for offering a skilled and motivated workforce. Excellent customer services is something we do well in Scotland. And that is one of the many reasons why we continue to attract contact centre jobs to Scotland.

"The fact that a globally recognised household name like O2 has chosen to expand in Scotland in the face of competition from other locations does credit to our reputation. O2 chose to locate here, not elsewhere. This shows that, although global competition is tough, Scotland remains an attractive option for growing an international business and can compete with the best in the world. I am delighted that we have been able to support O2's plans with an offer of up to £7 million in Regional Selective Assistance."

Glasgow's Skypark business complex was chosen following a review of several UK and Irish sites. Glasgow offers a large, experienced, customer-focused workforce and therefore an employment pool that closely matches O2's requirements. The Skypark complex provides excellent working facilities, local amenities and transport links. O2's operation will cover 3 floors of the complex comprising a total floor area of around 100,000 sq feet.

The new Customer Service centre and 1500 new jobs are part of O2's wider plans to strengthen customer loyalty. O2 has already announced that it will be hiring an additional 500 people as it expands its base of UK retail stores. The company has 26 retail stores in Scotland which will increase to 30 over the next 6 months.

O2 already has a technology office in Motherwell which has responsibility for the development of O2's mobile phone network north of the border. Over 1 million Scottish customers use O2's mobile phone network which is one of the largest mobile phone customer bases in Scotland.

The Glasgow site will be O2's fourth major Customer Service centre in the UK. The others are based in Leeds, Bury and Warrington. Since July 2004, the number of O2 Customer Service employees has increased by 20%. The additional investment in the new centre and the 1500 additional jobs will provide the company with even more resources to deliver excellent levels of customer service including shorter call waiting times and more flexibility and resilience in dealing with changing customer needs. O2 has already introduced a service for business customers that ensures they speak to an O2 employee not a machine when they call. This service is being evaluated for other customers.

Recruitment for the new Customer Service centre will commence within the next few weeks. Along with the opportunity to work for one of the leading UK mobile phone brands, prospective team members will be offered superb employment packages, comprehensive training and a working environment that encourages career development. Reflecting modern lifestyles, O2 is able to offer great flexible working options with numerous shift patterns and part time positions. For more information on employment see.

About O2 UK

O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK. It is the leader in non-voice services, including text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, 3G and WLAN. Every day, O2's 14 million customers send more than 30 million text messages. O2 (UK) is a subsidiary of O2 plc which also owns O2 branded mobile operators in Ireland and Germany as well as the O2 Airwave emergency services network in the UK.

About Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) & Scottish Enterprise

Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the main national scheme of financial assistance to industry. It provides discretionary grants for investment projects that will create or safeguard jobs in Assisted Areas - areas designated for regional aid under European community law. The scheme is administered by the RSA Scotland unit of the Scottish Executive. For further information on the scheme.

Scottish Enterprise is the main economic development agency for Scotland covering 93% of the population from Grampian to the Borders. The Scottish Enterprise Network consists of Scottish Enterprise and 12 Local Enterprise Companies. Working in partnership with the private and public sectors the Network aims to build more and better businesses, to develop the skills and knowledge of Scottish people, and to encourage innovation to make Scottish business internationally competitive. Further information on Scottish Enterprise is available.