- Virgin Media O2 has switched on its next generation 5G Standalone network in 500 towns and cities across the UK
- The operator’s 5G Standalone network is now the biggest in the UK, reaching more than 70% of the UK’s population, and is available to customers at no extra cost
- Bakewell became the latest location to benefit from Virgin Media O2’s 5G Standalone rollout, which was celebrated with the creation of a record-breaking giant Bakewell Tart
- The operator’s 5G standalone rollout continues at pace following the announcement of its circa £700m Mobile Transformation Plan
Virgin Media O2 has today announced that its next generation 5G Standalone network is now live in 500 towns and cities across the UK. Available to more than 70% of the UK population – some 49 million people – this represents the country’s largest 5G Standalone deployment.
Customers in the 500 locations can benefit from an improved mobile experience with broader 5G coverage, higher speeds, and reduced latency. Unlike other operators, the new network is available at no extra cost to customers with 5G Standalone-compatible devices and SIMs.
In all 500 locations, Virgin Media O2’s 5G Standalone network provides at least 90% outdoor coverage ensuring that customers looking to benefit from the technology receive a reliable and consistent experience.
Since Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G Standalone network last year, there has been a significant increase in the number of customers using Standalone capable devices, with the majority of flagship handsets now boasting access to the network.
Unlike previous 5G services that relied on elements of the 4G network for data transmission, Virgin Media O2’s 5G Standalone network is a new end to end 5G network built on the latest future-proofed radio infrastructure and a fully cloud-based 5G core. This enhances network reliability, expands coverage, and will pave the way next-generation digital experiences.
5G Standalone will also unlock many of the innovative use cases associated with 5G, including autonomous transport solutions, remote healthcare and fully robotic factories. Virgin Media O2 launched Standalone for business customers earlier in the year in an important step towards unlocking future industrial innovation and use cases.
The historic town of Bakewell, Derbyshire, became the 500th location to benefit from Virgin Media O2’s industry-leading 5G Standalone rollout, where the milestone has been celebrated with the creation of a record-breaking giant Bakewell Tart.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We are investing £2m every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers. By expanding our 5G Standalone network to 500 towns and cities and 70% of the population, we are continuing to deliver on that and are excited about the opportunities the new network will bring. This customer-centric rollout is about futureproofing our network and will pave the way for exciting customer led innovations that lie ahead.”
Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight, said: “Expanding 5G standalone coverage to 500 towns and cities is a significant milestone that will improve the mobile experience for millions of O2 customers across the UK. Not only will it support faster speeds and ensure more reliable connections, but it also paves the way for the introduction of innovative services in the future, particularly for the enterprise market.”
These upgrades are part of Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan, which will see the operator invest approximately £700m this year to future-proof its mobile network. The plan is focused on expanding 4G and 5G coverage, a dedicated small cells rollout to boost capacity in dense urban areas, and innovative solutions to address persistent network pain points including along railway lines, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas.
Virgin Media O2 recently announced that it had agreed a deal with Vodafone UK to acquire 78.8 MHz of spectrum, bringing the operator’s total spectrum holding to approximately 30% of UK mobile spectrum and materially enhancing the company’s network position.
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