VMO2

Virgin Media - O2

image ©o2.co.uk



Useful Links
http://www.o2.co.uk O2 Website

O2 is one of the 4 UK mobile phone operators in the UK. It is currently owned by Virgin Media. O2 is the second largest of the UK operators with 26% of the market share. This includes the customers of Virgin Media Mobile as well as the O2 customers.

O2 is one of the two original mobile operators in the UK, called CellNet and owned by BT. The network was later sold to Telefonica who changed the name to O2. Recently the network was sold to Virgin Media. O2 (in the guise of Cellnet) started with a 1G analogue network and has since moved onto 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G Cellnet established itself as an analogue mobile phone service prior to developing 2G, 3G and 4G digital services. Under the ownership of Virgin Media O2 are part of an organisation that can provide Entertainment, Broadband, and mobile thus a direct competitor to BT/EE

O2 claim to have a population coverage of 99% for each of their mobile networks. According to OpenSignal, O2 have the poorest average download speed of 20.9Mbps.

O2 use the following frequencies:

700MHzBand 295G
800MHzBand 204G
900MHzBand 82G + 3G
1800MHzBand 32G + 4G
2100MHzBand 13G + 4G
2300MHzBand 404G
3400MHzBand 785G
3600MHzBand 775G

Over the years, due to various spectrum auctions and OfCom allocations, O2 have accumulated a lot of frequency over a number of spectrum areas. Perhaps because of this O2 did not purchase any of the 2.6MHz frequency within which to run their 4G network. In the latest 5G auctions, maybe because of the lack within 2.6MHz, purchased some spectrum within 2.3MHz to expand their 4G capacity. Additionally they purchased spectrum at 3.4GHz and 3.6GHz to provide 5G capacity as well as 700MHz to provide the 5G coverage.

O2 was the last to run a 5G network, but now have a "full" 5G service throughout the Uk. They have a 50% coverage of 5G within the UK. Uniquely amongst the mobile operators O2 does not have a significant exposure to Chinese (Huawei and ZTE) equipment and are not exposed to the cost nor the delays caused by this. O2 also support a network of O2 WiFi hotspots which can be combined well with 4G / 5G in providing extra capacity.

O2 have a large online and retail presence selling monile phones, and other online devices, that can be attached to their network.