O2 UK Expands 5G Standalone Mobile Broadband Network into Surrey

Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today announced that they’ve switched-on their next-generation 5G Standalone (5GSA / 5G+) mobile broadband network in Surrey (England), which is said to reach “up to” 1.2 million residents across 33 large towns, 48 smaller towns and 194 rural villages.

The new 5G+ network is now live across more than 85% 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 cover. The operator’s rollout across Surrey includes locations such as Dorking, Epsom, Guildford, Haslemere, Redhill, Reigate, Staines and Weybridge. The new network is typically available to O2 customers with compatible devices “at no extra cost“.

Professor Robert Joyce, Director of Mobile Access Engineering at O2, said:

“Our new 5G+ network is now live in Surrey, providing an impressive upgrade for local people and businesses and creating new opportunities in and around the county. We are investing every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers, futureproofing our connectivity and paving the way for exciting innovations that lie ahead.”