Virgin Media O2 mentioned that the development works are a part of the telco’s cellular transformation plan for 2025
In sum – what to know:
Widespread cellular improve – Virgin Media O2 has enhanced cellular protection throughout over 3,000 postcodes in Glasgow, delivering improved 4G and 5G companies as a part of a city-wide community transformation.
£700M modernization plan – The upgrades type a part of a broader £700 million U.Okay.-wide funding aimed toward increasing cellular protection.
Future-ready infrastructure – As cellular utilization soars, O2’s transformation plan ensures Glasgow’s residents and companies profit from quicker, extra resilient connectivity.
U.Okay. service Virgin Media O2 has accomplished main enhancements to its cellular community throughout the Metropolis of Glasgow, in Scotland, enhancing 4G and 5G companies in additional than 3,000 postcodes over the previous 12 months. The operator mentioned in a press release the upgrades are already delivering quicker and extra dependable connectivity for residents and companies throughout town.
The development works are a part of Virgin Media O2’s £700 million ($939 million) transformation plan for 2025, aimed future-proofing its mobile infrastructure to satisfy rising demand for cellular information. Cellular visitors on its U.Okay. community has greater than doubled within the final 5 years, it mentioned.
The improve challenge consists of 4G and 5G enlargement and densification; the latter, utilizing small cells, is concentrated on city zones. It should additionally ship tailor-made options for hard-to-reach places equivalent to stadiums, railway strains and airports. Outdated parts – together with legacy 3G radios – are being phased out to shift extra customers onto 4G and 5G infrastructure.
Robert Joyce, director of cellular entry engineering at Virgin Media O2, mentioned: “With demand for information at an all-time excessive, the enhancements throughout Glasgow will assist guarantee residents and companies keep linked and supported as their digital wants evolve.”
In February, Virgin Media O2 activated its 5G Standalone (5G SA) community for enterprise prospects within the U.Okay., making it out there to massive enterprises, public sector organizations and small and medium-sized companies on eligible plans. The corporate mentioned its 5G SA rollout now reaches 500 cities and cities throughout the nation.
The brand new infrastructure helps superior use circumstances equivalent to autonomous transport, distant healthcare, and totally automated manufacturing. It additionally permits community slicing – permitting for the creation of devoted connectivity for particular purposes equivalent to augmented actuality, gaming, and robotics.
In November 2024, Virgin Media O2 claimed to be the primary operator within the U.Okay. to change on 5G SA small cells. At launch, these have been put in in central Birmingham, enhancing connectivity in a few of the metropolis’s busiest areas. The compact cells have been mounted on present road furnishings to focus on zones with the best information demand.
The deployment was carried out in partnership with Ontix and Alpha Wi-fi, using A number of Enter A number of Output (MIMO) know-how.
Virgin Media O2 formally launched its 5G SA community in 2024, with preliminary protection throughout London, Manchester, Liverpool, Lincoln, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, York, Belfast, Cardiff, Nottingham, and Slough.
The operator was shaped in June 2021 as a 50-50 three way partnership between Liberty World and Telefónica, following a merger permitted by the U.Okay.’s Competitors and Markets Authority (CMA) in Might 2020.
Virgin Media O2 mentioned its cellular community now delivers 5G protection to over 75% of the U.Okay. inhabitants.
