In November 2024, Virgin Media O2 claimed to be the primary operator within the U.Ok. to change on 5G SA small cells
In sum – what you’ll want to know:
Bristol joins small cell rollout – Virgin Media O2 and Ontix are extending their small cell deployments to Bristol, following launches in cities like Birmingham, London, and Studying.
£700M cellular improve underway – Virgin Media O2 is investing closely in its Cell Transformation Plan to enhance protection and capability in dense city zones.
Focusing on high-demand hotspots – Small cells are being put in on road furnishings in busy places like transport hubs and stadiums to boost 4G and 5G service.
U.Ok. provider Virgin Media O2 and Ontix have partnered to deploy small cells in among the busiest areas throughout Bristol, the latter mentioned in a launch.
O2 and Ontix mentioned they’re working collectively to deploy small cells in high-demand areas all throughout the nation, together with cities and cities corresponding to London, Birmingham, Studying, Cambridge, Plymouth, and Chester.
Rob Joyce, director of cellular entry engineering at Virgin Media O2, mentioned: “Our Cell Transformation Plan will see us make investments £700 million ($941 million) into our cellular community this yr to make sure our clients persistently obtain an distinctive community expertise wherever they’re and even on the busiest occasions.”
“Small cells are an necessary a part of this funding, providing an efficient manner to offer an area community enhance to maintain up with rising buyer demand,” the chief added.
These upgrades are a part of O2’s Cell Transformation Plan, which is concentrated on increasing 4G and 5G protection, a devoted small cells rollout to spice up capability in dense city areas, and modern options to handle persistent community ache factors, together with alongside railway traces, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas.
In November 2024, Virgin Media O2 claimed to be the primary operator within the U.Ok. to change on 5G SA small cells. At launch, these had been put in in central Birmingham, enhancing connectivity in among the metropolis’s busiest areas. The compact cells had been mounted on current road furnishings to focus on zones with the very best knowledge demand.
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.
Final month, Virgin Media O2 introduced a spectrum switch settlement with rival operator Vodafone UK that can see Virgin Media O2 purchase 78.8 megahertz of spectrum for an funding of £343 million.
The provider mentioned that this new spectrum will materially improve its community place and assist to enhance the connectivity expertise of shoppers and companies throughout the nation.
Particularly, Virgin Media O2 will purchase 20 megahertz within the 1400 MHz band, 18.8 megahertz within the 2.1 GHz band, 20 megahertz within the 2.6 GHz band, and 20 megahertz within the 3.4 GHz band.
The deal, which follows the completion of the merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK and is topic to the approval of native regulator Ofcom, will convey Virgin Media O2’s whole cellular spectrum share to roughly 30%.
The provider additionally famous that the switch of spectrum is a part of a wider deal struck between Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone UK in July 2024 the place the pair had agreed to increase and improve their current cellular community sharing association for greater than a decade. Following the completion of their merger, VodafoneThree will now take part in that community sharing settlement.
Virgin Media O2 additionally mentioned that the brand new spectrum will profit MVNOs who make use of the telco’s cellular community through wholesale partnerships to ship their very own cellular companies to hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the nation.
The switch of spectrum reduces the earlier imbalances in spectrum between cellular community operators within the UK, enhancing competitors, the telco mentioned.
