Virgin Media O2 to invest £700m into network boost

A new programme to boost connectivity for customers is set to supercharge the mobile network for Virgin Media O2, thanks to significant investment by the operator.

As part of Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan, the company will invest around £2m a day into its mobile network, equivalent to approximately £700m this year, to enhance reliability, speed and coverage.

This major boost for the mobile network will deliver a step change in performance and help deliver improved experience for customers.  

This significant investment programme comes in response to mobile network demand reaching an all-time high, with traffic more than doubling in the last five years. 

The ongoing programme includes major investments in mobile infrastructure and core network upgrades, focusing on expanding 4G and 5G coverage to historic ‘not-spots’ in rural and coastal areas, a dedicated small cells rollout to boost capacity in dense urban areas.

It will also introduce solutions to address persistent network pain points including along railway lines, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas.  

By bringing its mobile and fixed networks closer together and using its own fibre network to connect mobile sites, the operator will improve the resilience and speed at which it can deploy new mobile infrastructure.

Satellite technology will also be used to connect Virgin Media O2’s towers offering a cost-effective way to tackle remote signal not-spots and hard-to-reach areas. 

Network hotspots such as stadiums and transport hubs will benefit from innovative partnerships and bespoke solutions including cutting-edge Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) designed to significantly increase throughput and customer experience in high demand locations. 

The programme forms part of Virgin Media O2’s wider £2bn investment this year in its fixed and mobile networks and services to provide customers with improved services.