Virgin Media O2 UK to Donate 12,000 Smartphones in 2025

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Virgin Media and O2 (VMO2) have today announced that they intend to donate “up to” 12,000 pre-owned Smartphones during 2025 (c.1,000 per month) to help people in need get online and reduce e-waste, which will be conducted in partnership with the Good Things Foundation and Hubbub.

The operator is sourcing the Smartphones from customer returns and its O2 Recycle service, which helps to ensure unwanted devices are given a second life and assists those who might otherwise struggle to afford such a device. Free O2 mobile data (i.e. 25GB with rollover) will also still be available from the Good Things Foundation and VMO2’s National Databank.

The SIM card also includes 50 international minutes to 42 countries, as well as unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. According to O2’s website, some 203,497 people have already been connected by O2 through the National Databank. The databank offers 1 SIM per person with 12 vouchers within a 12-month period. But to be eligible for such a SIM you must be aged 18+ and come from a low-income household with no access or insufficient access to the internet at home, or when away from home.

Nicola Green from Virgin Media O2, said:

“We’re kick-starting 2025 with Virgin Media O2’s largest ever device donation programme that’ll help connect even more people in need this year.

Our work with Good Things Foundation and Hubbub is getting devices into the hands of people who need it most, where they can access essential services like applying for work or carrying out online training, and ensures they can stay in touch with loved ones.

We’re also helping to tackle e-waste by taking a ‘reuse-first’ approach, where unwanted devices will be put back into circulation and rehomed with someone who needs it.”