Virgin Media O2 UK Broadband Users Fall by 5.6k as Full Fibre Build Stalls UPDATE

Network operators Virgin Media and O2 (VMO2) have today published their latest Q1 2026 results and revealed that their gigabit broadband network increased its UK coverage by just 6,400 premises in the quarter (down from 115.1k in Q4), while related consumer customers fell to a total of 5,446,100 (down by -5.6k in Q1 2026). VMO2’s total mobile base also fell to 46.44m.

The results confirm that Virgin Media and nexfibre’s combined UK broadband network now reaches a total of 18,796,600 Homes Serviceable (up from 18,790,200 in Q4). As before, the vast majority of the new quarterly network build has come from nexfibre’s full fibre lines (accounts for over 2.6m premises of the total coverage), although the recent impact of Telefonica’s strategic review did disrupt their plans (here and here).

The results reveal that a total of 8.7 million Virgin Media and nexfibre premises (footprint) are now covered by FTTP lines (XGS-PON and RFOG), which is up from nearly 8.3m in Q4 2025. This figure also factors in Virgin Media’s ongoing upgrade of existing Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) areas to FTTP (they’re eventually aiming to convert all of Virgin’s existing HFC/coax and RFOG lines to XGS-PON).

Just for context. Telefónica, Liberty Global and InfraVia Capital Partners originally established the £4.5bn nexfibre joint venture in 2022 (here), which originally aimed to deploy an open access full fibre (FTTP) network to reach “up to” 7 million UK homes (starting with 5m by 2026) in areas NOT served by Virgin Media’s own network of 16m+ premises. But this roll-out has now effectively stalled, although it will pick up again a bit as part of the Netomnia acquisition (here), albeit more due to FTTP upgrades in HFC areas than new coverage.

Nexfibre Rollout Progress
Q1 2026 = 6,400 Premises
Q4 2025 = 115,100 Premises
Q3 2025 = 139,300 Premises
Q2 2025 = 114,900 Premises
Q1 2025 = 165,000 Premises
Q4 2024 = 485,500 Premises
Q3 2024 = 281,100 Premises
Q2 2024 = 295,300 Premises
Q1 2024 = 194,000 Premises
Q4 2023 = c.299,000 Premises
Q3 2023 = 250,800 Premises
Q2 2023 = 175,500 Premises
Q1 2023 = 107,800 Premises
Q4 2022 = 24,000 Premises

Elsewhere, Virgin Media has long stopped giving any solid figures for their Pay TV (video) base, but their mobile base has declined this quarter, primarily driven by moderate losses in their consumer and business segment. Speaking of which, O2’s contracted mobile base suffered a net reduction of 61,500 in Q1 (not as bad as the -164,800 they lost in Q4 2025 – that one was due to price hikes).

VMO2 Q1 2026 UK Customer (Connection) Figures
5,446,100 Fixed Broadband – (down dramatically from 5,687,600 in Q4 2025)
46,446,500 Mobile inc. Wholesale – (down from 46,739,900)

On the financial front, VMO2 reported total revenue of £2,390.1m in Q1 2026, which is down from £2,556.9m last quarter.

Lutz Schüler, CEO of VMO2, said:

“This year is all about navigating a turbulent market landscape while investing, where the conditions are right, to maximise opportunities, future-proof our networks and lay the foundations to build long-term customer trust, profitability and cash generation. Our first quarter performance is very much in line with our full year guidance.

With a clear customer focus and underpinned by more than half a billion pounds of investment in Q1, we have started the year delivering against our core strategy through the launch of O2 Satellite, a first in Europe; expanding our 5G Standalone footprint to be the largest in the country; making continued improvements in customer service and satisfaction; and expanding our fibre footprint to almost 9 million premises.

We’ll continue to remain focused on delivery in all three of our business areas – consumer, B2B and wholesale – while transforming for future success.”

Despite suffering another quarterly decline in its broadband customer base, it’s worth noting that there are still positives to be found in their Q1 2026 results. For example, O2 can now claim to have the largest 5G+ (5G Standalone) mobile footprint in the UK, reaching 86% of the UK outdoor population.

On top of that the recent launch of their new O2 Satellite service for customers (here), which made them the first UK mobile network to switch on direct-to-device satellite connectivity, was warmly received and is technically capable of increasing their 4G landmass coverage of the UK up to 95% (if you spend the extra £3 to add it).

In addition, complaints against Virgin Media’s broadband service are said to have decreased by 42% year-over-year, as further customer initiatives launched to help improve support. The ongoing work to acquire Netomnia should also boost the company’s total broadband base by around 500,000, assuming the deal completes. Check out the Q1 2026 VMO2 results here.

UPDATE 9:01am

VMO2 appears to have changed the KPIs for how they report broadband customers. So the previous Q4 2025 results gave a total for “Broadband Connections” of 5,687,600 and, in the small print, that included both consumers and commercial premises (businesses). But this time around (Q1 2026) the total is re-labelled as “Consumer Broadband Connections“, which comes out as 5,446,100, but this excludes commercial premises (the consumer-only total for the prior Q4 2025 was 5,451,700). As such the quarterly fall is -5.6k and we couldn’t find any details for their business broadband base.