O2 deploys portable phone chargers at O2 Academy venues so music fans never miss a beat

• O2 is rolling out portable phone charging units at O2 Academy venues across the UK
• Priority members can hire a phone charger for free using the Priority app
• Gig-goers can capture unforgettable moments without the stress of their phone running out of battery
• O2 will aim to deploy phone charging stations at all O2 academy venues by the end of 2022

O2 has started deploying phone charging stations at O2 Academy venues across the UK so music fans can capture videos and pictures of their favourite artists like Fred Again.., Loyle Carner, Sugababes and Wet Leg without the fear of their phone running out of battery.

As part of its latest addition to help improve the experience of music fans at O2 Academy venues, O2 is offering O2 and Virgin Media customers with Priority, the opportunity to hire a phone charger for free – non-Priority members will be charged £5 – so they can keep their phone fully charged while they’re at an O2 Academy venue.

To benefit from free access to a powerbank charger, Priority members simply need to visit the Priority app and access their unique code which can then be used at O2 Academy venues which have the phone charging unit set up. Once the event has finished, users are required to return the charger at the charging unit.

To date, O2 has installed phone charging stations at O2 Academy venues in Brixton and Islington (London), Oxford, Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool and Edinburgh. By the end of 2022, O2 aims to have set up these charging stations at all O2 Academy venues across the UK.

Jayd Williams Head of Music Partnerships & Sponsorship, O2 Academy, said: “Our mobile phones are integral to the way in which we all consume and capture unforgettable moments in our lives and the deployment of phone chargers at O2 Academy venues will help music lovers live and relive these great times. What’s better, is that our Priority users can use them for free alongside a host of other benefits through the Priority app.”

For more information on how to book a portable phone charger at an O2 Academy, visit HERE

Virgin Media and O2 customers can download the free Priority app on iOS and Android, or O2 customers can text PRIORITY to 2020 to access exclusive perks, rewards, and experiences.

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Notes to Editor

Priority members can access the free to use chargers by following these instructions:

• Tap ‘USE NOW’ to reveal your unique code
• At a participating venue, tap the screen on any powerbank station
• Enter your unique code
• Tap a credit or debit card on the reader to unlock your mobile phone powerbank. If using Apple Pay you will be charged a £29.90 fee which is refunded when the powerbank is returned to the station
• Return the powerbank before you leave the venue

Please note that if the powerbank is not returned after 24 hours, the user will be charged a £29.90 non-return fee.

About Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a broadband network offering the fastest widely available broadband speeds. It is a customer-first organisation that brings a range of connectivity services together in one place with a clear mission: to upgrade the nation. Virgin Media O2 is the corporate brand of the 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses.

The company has 48 million UK connections across broadband, mobile, TV and home phone. Its own fixed network currently passes 15.6 million premises alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population with 4G, and more than 300 towns and cities with 5G services targeting 50% population coverage in 2023.

Virgin Media O2 completed its roll out of gigabit broadband speeds across its entire network footprint in 2021 and plans to upgrade its fixed network to full fibre to the premises with completion in 2028. In January 2022, it also announced that it would be the only major mobile network that isn’t bringing back roaming charges in Europe.

Virgin Media O2 is a major investor in the UK. It employs around 18,000 people, has more than 425 retail stores and has committed to invest at least £10 billion over the next five years.

Integration work is progresses at pace, with Virgin Media and O2 launching a joint product – Volt – less than 5 months from coming together.

Today, the business delivers award-winning broadband and WiFi connectivity to homes as well as providing a connected entertainment service. This brings together live TV, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and a wide-selection of apps to customers through a set-top box and on-the-go through tablets and smartphones.

It also provides 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G mobile services, and is the network of choice for mobile virtual network operators giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Lycamobile, as well as managing a 50:50 joint venture with Tesco for Tesco Mobile.

Virgin Media O2 Business plays a leading role in supporting the public sector and businesses of all sizes. This includes a variety of managed connectivity services and flexible working capabilities, security, data insight, 5G private networks and cloud solutions, as well as wholesale services to other operators and partners.

Awards for Virgin Media and O2’s telecommunications services include recognition by GWS for having the most reliable UK mobile network for three years in a row (2021, 2020, and 2019) and winning the publicly voted Uswitch awards in 2022 as both the Best Network for Roaming and Most Popular Mobile Network. Virgin Media was crowned Best Broadband Provider in the 2021 Trusted Reviews Awards and at the 2021 Mobile Industry Awards O2 claimed two wins – Network of the Year, and Best Online Retailer.

Virgin Media O2 is committed to using the power of connectivity to supercharge communities across the UK, taking action to close the digital divide and helping to build an inclusive, resilient, and low carbon economy. The company has an ambition to achieve net zero carbon operations (scopes 1 & 2) by the end of 2025.

Virgin Media O2 is registered in England and Wales. Registration number: 12580944.  Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W6 8BS.