Virgin Media O2 launches free ad-supported streaming TV channels

Virgin Media O2 has joined forces with renowned entertainment networks to introduce a selection of new Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels.

The new FAST channels will be seamlessly integrated into Virgin Media's Electronic Programming Guide (EPG), intermingling with its existing linear channel lineup. However, unlike traditional TV, the FAST channels will curate program schedules based on a single show or theme, offering an alternative and personalised viewing...

28 July 2023 | Operators

VMO2 selling its towers biz stake could net it over £1B

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has begun the process of offloading at least 50 percent of its stake in Cornerstone, the UK’s largest telecoms towers company.

The sale of its entire stake could raise more than £1.5 billion if successful, with the total value of Cornerstone estimated to be around £3 billion.

The sale has been sent to potential bidders and VMO2 has appointed Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to oversee the process. If the stake sale goes ahead, VMO2 will use the cash...

21 April 2023 | Networks

Virgin Media O2 makes multi-million-pound investment with new central London HQ

Virgin Media 02 office.

Virgin Media O2 has made changes to two of its main offices in the south of England with a multi-million-pound investment to create a new state-of-the-art UK headquarters in Paddington Central.

The investment follows a comprehensive review of its property portfolio which will see existing sites in both Hammersmith and Slough close by the end of next year. Employees will come together across the existing Virgin Media O2 office in Green Park, Reading, and a new office in Paddington,...

6 March 2023 | Operators

Half of Brits think European roaming fees are ‘unfair’

Half of Brits think it’s unfair they have to pay additional charges for using their mobile devices while travelling elsewhere in Europe.

That was the key finding from a survey conducted by Virgin Media O2. As it’s keen to point out, it was the only UK operator not to reintroduce EU roaming fees post-Brexit.

Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:

“We know that many people will be cost-conscious when going on holiday this year,...

6 February 2023 | Networks

First operator goes live on ‘pioneering’ mobile infrastructure

The first operator has gone live on “pioneering” mobile infrastructure that will host multiple telcos.

EE has joined a connectivity pilot led by Freshwave that will deliver enhanced 4G and 5G coverage to users along Queen Victoria Street in London.

James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks at EE, said:

“High capacity, super-fast connectivity is essential for consumers and businesses today, with demand for data and low-latency networks...

20 December 2022 | 5G

Virgin Media O2, NEC and Rakuten activate Open RAN sites

Virgin Media O2, NEC, and Rakuten have activated their first commercial sites as part of an Open RAN partnership.

Open RAN helps to break up the relative monopoly held by a handful of telecom equipment vendors and provides greater diversity in national infrastructure.

“The successful activation of Virgin Media O2’s first UK macro-sites demonstrates the potential of the multi-vendor Open RAN model,” said Jeanie York, CTO at Virgin Media O2.

“We are...

30 August 2022 | 5G

Virgin Media O2 increases data-free services list to help with the cost-of-living crisis

Virgin Media O2 has boosted its list of services that customers can access for free as part of its efforts to support people during the cost-of-living crisis.

Virgin Media O2 customers will now be able to access the National Debtline, Business Debtline, Turn2us, Debt Advice Foundation, and National Energy Action without using any of their mobile data.

National Energy Action Chief Executive Adam Scorer says: “The energy crisis is already making life difficult for...

21 July 2022 | Operators

Virgin Media O2 teams up with VMware to finalise EU and UK 5G roll-out

Virgin Media O2 UK has selected VMware to help modernise its network and enable the continued success of its 5G rollout.

The company will leverage VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure to rapidly design, build, test and implement virtualised network functions, boosting innovation across its network and the delivery of new services. The collaboration has underpinned the deployment of Virgin Media O2’s 5G network over the past 16 months.

VMware’s Telco Cloud Infrastructure...

1 April 2022 | 5G

RootMetrics: EE maintains UK mobile network performance lead

The latest UK Mobile Performance Review from RootMetrics finds that EE remains the operator to beat.

EE earned the top spot across all seven of RootMetrics’ performance categories: Overall Performance, Reliability, Accessibility, Speed, Data, Call, and Text. The operator took home 109 of 112 RootScore Awards in major metropolitan areas.

Patrick Linder, Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications at RootMetrics, said:

“As the UK’s hunger for data...

19 January 2022 | 5G

Virgin Media O2 humiliates rivals by not reinstating EU roaming fees

Virgin Media O2 is taking a playbook once written by rival Three and will buck the trend of reinstating EU roaming charges.

Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer of Mobile at Virgin Media O2, said:

“We’re starting the year by giving our customers some certainty: we will not be reintroducing roaming fees in Europe for customers on O2 or Virgin Mobile.

Unlike all the other major mobile networks who are bringing back roaming fees, we will not be following suit....

10 January 2022 | Networks