Virgin Media O2 Invest £700m into UK 4G and 5G Mobile Upgrades for 2025
Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today announced that they’ll invest the equivalent to approximately £700m this year into their ongoing Mobile Transformation Plan (MTP). This is aimed at enhancing network coverage and performance via new masts, small cells, 4G and 5G upgrades, additional spectrum deployment and increased automation via AI.
The programme is primarily focused on expanding 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) coverage to historic ‘not-spots’ in rural and coastal areas, as well as a dedicated small cells rollout to boost capacity in dense urban areas, and new solutions to “address persistent network pain points” (e.g. along railway lines, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas – many of these will adopt Distributed Antenna Systems [DAS]).
The operator said they would also be harnessing more of their fixed fibre network in order to connect UK mobile sites. This will no doubt also benefit from their new Converged Interconnect Network (CIN) that brings together its fixed line (FTTP, DOCSIS) and mobile networks (4G, 5G etc.) in a way that will make them more efficient, resilient, scalable and flexible (here).
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Finally, in hard-to-reach locations, O2 said they intended to adopt more satellite technology to connect their towers as a cost-effective way of tackling remote signal not-spots. For example, we’ve already seen them using Starlink’s LEO constellation to do some of these (here).
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer of VMO2, said:
“Virgin Media O2 is committed to providing our customers with a reliable connectivity experience wherever they are. Our Mobile Transformation Plan combines the necessary financial investment with the latest technological innovation to make this a reality.”
We’re not just upgrading infrastructure; we’re creating a platform for future innovation. This programme ensures our customers will continue to benefit from superior reliability as new technologies and demands emerge.”
The announcement itself sounds positive, and it is, although it’s also worth remembering that a lot of this work is effectively routine for a modern mobile operator. Such networks are never static and require constant upgrades and maintenance in order to keep pace with rising demands.
The programme forms part of Virgin Media and O2’s wider combined £2bn investment this year into its fixed broadband and mobile network.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
So just commercial talk to make it seem like they are doing something special. Oh, look we are spending all this money to make your mobile experience better, but it is something we are going to do anyway.
Not sure what I am doing when Three and Vodarubbish join forces, I use Smarty at the moment, we will see what happens.
Not fond of the alternatives, not a fan of Virgin and EE is part of Bloated Toad.
Just glad I don’t spend a lot on my phone like some people do.
Seek help
@jordan, seek help for what¿ There is nothing that can be done that the mobile phone networks are run by greedy large companies that have their fingers dipped into so many pies. Even the one with British in their name can’t be trusted.
Do I trust Three, no way, for a start it is Chinese, but since mobile phones are the thing these days, we have to use one, so for the amount I use my phone on the network, Smarty seemed to be the best deal
Feel free when they merge to go live off the grid in a forest somewhere. It’ll be good for you.
Here come the EE fanboys to tell us why O2 is the best worst network but has EE solved its indoor coverage problems yet? Nope.
I was with plusnet mobile a while back, EE network, it was not great indoors, that is why I changed to Smarty, the three network seems okay here most of the time.
To be honest, all networks have their problems, people at work on Vodafone seems to have a problem in the canteen and have to go by one of the windows, my phone works fine in the canteen.
Vodafone is supposed to be, one of the best networks, not that I found it so myself. Granted, it has been over 7 years or so since I have used Vodafone myself.
Depends where you live I guess
@ACdeag, that is obvious.
Where I live, all services are okay, well 4G anyway, but then I live within a few meters of the antennas and I live on a hill, going down the road is when things can be a bit iffy.
Ad47uk, Plusnet never had access to B20. If someone with complete EE access already struggles indoors, imagine someone without low band access.
Well let’s hope some of that goes into ipv6 deployment as well.
O2 needs to hurry up it’s ipv6 efforts
How many phones support IPv6? I know mine don’t, but then mine is getting on now for a phone.
Nearly all of them. It’s a software update. It’s been around as a draft standard since the 90s and was fully standardised in 2017.
Are you okay? You seem awfully angry this morning and even more willing than usual to share your ill-informed opinions.
@Polish Poler, so what of my opinions you think is ill-informed?
At the end of the day they are just that, OPINIONS.
Apart the IPv6, yes you are right it should be just an update, but there are a lot of phones, mine included that don’t get updated any more, due to their age.
don’t matter how long it has been around as a draft standard was fully standardised, it don’t mean it is going to be used in devices.
But just to please you, I had a look on my phone and it does support IPv6.
Ad47uk says:
March 11, 2025 at 10:23 am
How many phones support IPv6? I know mine don’t, but then mine is getting on now for a phone.
Ad47uk says:
March 11, 2025 at 12:39 pm
@Polish Poler, so what of my opinions you think is ill-informed?
At the end of the day they are just that, OPINIONS.
…..
But just to please you, I had a look on my phone and it does support IPv6.
That as a bit lazy of me.
Most of the rest is you talking about either your own plans for your mobile contract or the mobile reception in your area like it’s relevant. Most of it was a rant.
‘don’t matter how long it has been around as a draft standard was fully standardised, it don’t mean it is going to be used in devices.’
It does matter about the standards. Devices are there to use networks. The networks follow the standards when they need to to do business or they’re useful. The devices if they want to use those networks have to adhere to the same standards. That’s the point of standards, to ensure everyone is on the same page.
‘It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it.’ – Maurice Switzer, 1907.
‘Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.’ – King James Bible.
@PP I know the first quote but the second one is a new one to me. Nice one.
So new “faster” “5G” connections…. we will see.
… if nobody said anything about anything, what would social media be…?
This is where folk “waste” their time thinking they’re achieving something while the clock ticks away… I’ve skipped lots of comments making no sense, like drunkards typing away, what’s the point of trying to correct them? If one is really busy, you’d just skip, ignore and just move to another story.