Virgin Media 02 to spend millions upgrading its mobile network
Virgin Media has announced a £700m investment this year to improve mobile reliability and boost speed for its UK customers.
This investment will also help the broadband giant to strengthen its 4G and 5G coverage in rural areas.
As part of its mobile transformation plan, the firm plans to roll out thousands of upgrades, including new mobile masts and small cells in cities where customers experience poor signal.
Major upgrades
Virgin Media 02 is focusing its investment on the places where connectivity matters most and where customers have long called for improvements.
This includes rail travel and motorways.
The investment will up the signal at stations and minimise dead zones for drivers using GPS or streaming on the go.
It will also cover live events, stadiums, and city centres, boosting capacity to prevent slow speeds when many people are online.
The £2m a day pledge will also mean fewer dropped calls, faster downloads, and better performances in these places.
Phasing out 3G
Virgin Media 02 is also retiring any outdated 3G networks which are no longer effective.
This will free up the bandwidth to improve faster, more energy-efficient 4G and 5G networks.
The firm has also announced its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency, ensuring customers get a more constantly reliable and stronger mobile experience in the coming years.
Investment in the face of growing demand
This £700m mobile network upgrade is part of Virgin Media 02’s wider £2bn investment in connectivity in 2025, covering both mobile and broadband services.
This announcement addresses a major increase in mobile network demand, which has reached an all-time high, with traffic more than doubling in the past five years.
Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media 02, announced: “We know how frustrating patchy signal can be, so we’re making sure our customers get the reliable, high speed mobile service they expect – whether they’re commuting, working, or just streaming on their sofa.”
“This investment isn’t just about upgrades, it’s about creating a network that’s ready for the future”, she added.
In comparison, the government announced a £23m investment in telecoms research and development on Monday.
Supercharging connectivity
Since its £31bn merger in 2021, Virgin Media 02 has positioned itself as one of the country’s largest and most innovative telecom providers.
Combined with 02’s mobile network, the firm is now a major player in fixed and mobile connectivity, competing directly with BT, EE, Vodafone, and other major providers
The firm has also committed to upgrading its entire network to full fibre by 2028.