O2 UK Expands 5G Standalone Mobile Broadband Network in Scotland
Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today announced that they’ve so far switched-on their next-generation 5G Standalone (5GSA / 5G+) mobile broadband network across 66 large towns and cities, 175 smaller towns, and 1,120 villages in Scotland as part of its UK-wide rollout. A total of over 4 million people and businesses now have access in the country.
The new 5G+ network is now live across an overall total of more than 700 locations (over 70% of the UK’s population). The technology offers a pure end-to-end 5G network that can deliver ultra-low latency times, greater energy efficiency, better speeds (particularly uploads), network slicing, improved support for IoT devices, increased reliability and security etc. By comparison, early 5G networks used a Non-Standalone (NSA) approach, which was hobbled by being partly reliant upon older and slower 4G infrastructure.
O2’s 5GSA rollout first began in February 2024 (here) and aims to reach “at least 90% outdoor coverage” in every location they reach. The operator’s rollout across Scotland includes: Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh City, Fife, Glasgow City, The Highlands, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Moray, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Stirlingshire, West Lothian, Oban, Rothesay, North Berwick, Thurso, Fort William, Aviemore, Strathaven, Lossiemouth, Kinross, Pitlochry and Dunblane.
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Alongside the 5G+ rollout, O2 has also deployed Small Cells (i.e. mini short range base stations) in some of Scotland’s busiest urban areas to boost mobile capacity and performance in high-demand locations such as transport hubs and city centres. A total of 18 small cells have been deployed in Glasgow, alongside 6 in Perth and 7 will shortly be going live in Edinburgh, including a site outside the Scottish Parliament.
Professor Robert Joyce, O2’s Director of Mobile Access Engineering, said:
“From the biggest cities to regional towns and rural communities, this upgrade will help people across Scotland stay connected wherever they live, work or travel.
Combined with innovations like O2 Satellite which has connected huge areas that traditionally had no phone signal, and investment from our Mobile Transformation Plan, we’re strengthening connectivity across the country and ensuring customers get a faster, more reliable mobile experience.”
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.
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If they can do it in Scotland, they surely should be able to do the same in rural Tylorstown, Ferndale and surrounding areas…. The hills here block most things, but we have a reliable 4G, even if the data rates are terrible thanks to the use of 800MHz, but step outside and phones switch to 2100MHz and data speeds regularly exceed 50Mbps sometimes hitting 70Mbps, but indoors it drops up 800MHz and the speeds drop well below 5Mbps ofd occasions going at high as 12Mbps.
They’ve improved the Underground signals in what the world sees as the UK (London) but the regular customer outside of England have to put up with degradation, but money talks?
“Scottish Highlands” nice & vague as an area then…. a single site somewhere across the vast swathes of land that includes, and the PR box is ticked. That site could easily be in Inverness somewhere.
In general, they have been expanding their 5G SA coverage, so I don’t doubt the claim. The problem is that a lot of it is low band 700 MHz and won’t be very fast and I have doubts about how it will hold over time.
Ordered a sim only contract on Thursday, processed order and then told they would need to get back in touch within 24 hours, obviously they didn’t, called them this morning, gave them order reference and the indian eejit is trying to tell me I haven’t placed the order like its still in my basket.
How can I have an order number without placing an order, absolutely shambolic network since Virgin took over, I#ll just use f&**&* PAYG going forward.
O2 Just seems so far behind everyone else I would say I stay in a well populated area in Central Scotland and still no real 5G from them here in Hamltion