Software Issue Triggers Major O2 UK Mobile Data Outage UPDATE3

Mobile operator O2 (Telefonica) confirms that an unspecified “global software issue” has been identified as the cause of a major mobile data (mobile broadband) connectivity outage on their national UK 3G and 4G network this morning. Mobile providers in other countries are also believed to be affected.

The problems appear to have started just before 6am this morning, although contrary to O2’s statement we’ve noted that a sizeable number of their customers are also reporting difficulties with making calls and or sending text messages. In response the operator appears to be encouraging their customers to use WiFi “wherever they can” instead.

Unfortunately the outage also appears to be affecting customers of O2 based MVNO brands (e.g. Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, giffgaff and Lycamobile etc.) and any external services that rely on the operator’s data network (e.g. Transport for London’s bus timetable displays).

O2 Service Status Update

We’re aware that our customers are unable to use data this morning. One of our third party suppliers has identified a global software issue in their system which has impacted us. We believe other mobile operators around the world are also affected.

Our technical teams are working with their teams to ensure this is fixed as quickly as possible. We’d encourage our customers to use Wifi wherever they can and we apologise for the inconvenience caused.

End.

UPDATE 11:46am

O2 have issued a new status update, although it’s still saying broadly the same thing but with different wording.

O2 Status Update

The network issue we are currently experiencing remains a top priority for us and we are working as quickly as possible to fix the issues.

All O2 technical teams are working closely with one of our third party suppliers who has identified a global software issue in their system which has impacted data services.

We believe other mobile operators around the world are also affected.

We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience.

UPDATE 12:51pm

The fault appears to stem from one of Ericsson’s software systems.

UPDATE 7th Dec 2018

By the sounds of it 3G services were restored at about 6pm yesterday (Thursday) and 4G services were back online just after 3am this morning.

Tutela, the crowd-sourced mobile network analyst firm, has said their data suggests that over 90% of O2’s UK subscribers were affected and connectivity was “up and down” during the day, rather than just completely down (although most people will have experienced the latter).

Meanwhile O2 said their technical teams will continue to monitor service performance closely over the next few days and a “review will be carried out with Ericsson to understand fully what happened.”

Mark Evans, CEO of Telefonica (O2) UK, said:

“I want to let our customers know how sorry I am for the impact our network data issue has had on them, and reassure them that our teams, together with Ericsson, are doing everything we can.

We will continue to work with Ericsson, through the night, who have assured us that a full service will be restored for customers by the morning. We fully appreciate it’s been a poor experience and we are really sorry.”

Marielle Lindgren, CEO Ericsson UK & Ireland, added:

“The cause of today’s network issue is in certain nodes in the core network resulting in network disturbances for a limited number of customers across the world, including in the UK. We have been working hard on resolving the UK data issue since early this morning.

The faulty software that has caused these issues is being decommissioned. Our priority is to restore full data services on the network by tomorrow morning. Ericsson sincerely apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused.”

In our view this was the biggest mobile network outage that we’ve seen in the UK for at least the past decade. We can’t recall seeing anything quite as big as this, at least nothing that lasted for quite so long.