Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA community in February 2024
In sum – what to know:
5G SA rollout in Dorset – The Dorset rollout brings Virgin Media O2’s complete 5G SA protection to over 500 websites throughout the U.Okay., following the community’s launch in early 2024.
Devoted 5G core – By working independently from legacy networks, 5G SA offers decrease latency and higher flexibility to help AI-enabled and next-generation functions.
£700m funding – The enlargement is a part of Virgin Media O2’s transformation plan, aimed toward bettering connectivity, resilience, and long-term community efficiency.
Virgin Media O2 has expanded its 5G Standalone (5G SA) cellular community to greater than 500 places throughout the U.Okay., following the most recent rollout in Dorset. It has activated 5G SA companies in a number of cities throughout the county, together with Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Swanage, and Christchurch, additional extending the attain of its SA community.
Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA community in February 2024. In contrast to non-standalone deployments, 5G SA operates independently of legacy cellular applied sciences and is constructed on a devoted 5G core, enabling decrease latency and improved help for superior companies, together with AI-driven functions.
The provider stated the enlargement will enhance cellular efficiency for each customers and companies whereas supporting future digital use circumstances. The latest Dorset rollout varieties a part of Virgin Media O2’s £700 million ($964 million) cellular transformation plan, which has the purpose of increasing 4G and 5G protection, deploying small cells to spice up capability in dense city areas, and tackling persistent community ache factors together with alongside railway traces, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas throughout the U.Okay.
Final 12 months, Virgin Media O2 introduced that it had agreed a take care of rival operator Vodafone to purchase 78.8 megahertz of spectrum, bringing the operator’s complete spectrum holding to roughly 30% of U.Okay. cellular spectrum. Particularly, Virgin Media O2 acquired 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 adopted the completion of the merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK. 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, based on Virgin Media O2.
