Closing summary: an effort but still some way to go.
So the experience with O2's network currently while satisfactory in terms of 4G/5G usability it leaves some to be desired.
Their 5G rollout seems to be very limited and reliant on the efforts of both them and Vodafone working together through the
Cornerstone (CTIL) agreement, but this isn't quite all it seems either,
When in the northern regions of the UK there is a clear upper hand to O2, and it showed with their 4G network where configurations where overall much better and more spectrum was available for use,
However while Vodafone in these regions didn't have as much of their urban spectrum (Band 3/7/8) rolled out for use on masts they still managed what they had pretty well and kept up with O2's performance,
Back to O2, when testing their 5G rollout throughout the City Centre area of Newcastle Upon Tyne, there was a very small amount of effort made to make bandwidth available, I was seeing only 1 beam of NR spectrum available from each cell where I've become used to seeing 4 beams or more elsewhere.
The other thing I noticed when testing 5G in Newcastle was the availability of 5G from Vodafone wherever O2 had coverage, however this doesn't translate back in Vodafone's patch, though granted today I did see that O2 and Vodafone where sharing these masts, but elsewhere in Birmingham you will find no O2 coverage where Vodafone is available.
So what have I seen and what it my theory, well I think O2 is still struggling with backhual capacity and currently I think they are relying on a merger with Virgin Media in order to fix that problem, and while this issue exists I think it is limiting them from essentially 'activating' other mast sites with 5G services.
* correction - O2 in Vodafone hosted zones shares Vodafone's equipment and backhaul so the above statement is incorrect.
I can confirm today that where Vodafone's 5G has 4 or more beams to use, O2 does also but there is certainly a bottleneck on O2's side.
Overall: the day to day usage of O2's network hasn't been a problem and overall I think they may well have done a good job on balancing out the network it does have and also making way for the future by getting services such as
VoLTE sorted in preparation for the decommissioning of 3G that is soon to be upon us.
O2 is clearly busy making changes to its 4G network such as adding cell bandwidth by introducing their Band 40 (2300mhz) to areas inside and outside their zones and although a rarity also activating Band 3 (1800mhz) and Band 8 (900mhz) which may well bring their capabilities of offer 4x4 4CA to reality.
Coming Later this week:
I'll be reviewing Sky Mobile as I take a PAC code from them and move to the next provider
Thanks for reading
