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O2 has launched its next generation 5G+ service in over 700 locations across the West Midlands.
The mobile phone service giant said the upgrade will provide customers in 47 large towns and cities, 79 smaller towns, and 597 rural villages in the region with faster data speeds and more consistent coverage.
These upgrades form part of Virgin Media O2’s £700m Mobile Transformation Plan, which will deliver another major upgrade to the company’s mobile network in 2026 and enhance reliability, capacity and coverage across the UK.
Up to five million smartphone users are set to benefit across Birmingham, Coventry, Cannock, Dudley, Stoke-on-Trent, Solihull, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby, Warwick, Wolverhampton and West Bromwich, and across the counties of Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.
Unlike earlier versions of 5G that relied on 4G infrastructure, O2’s 5G+ standalone network is built on dedicated 5G technology. This reportedly allows the network to handle more users at once, respond more quickly to demand, and deliver a more consistent experience in busy locations such as city centres, transport hubs and major events.
Professor Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2, said: “Combined with investment as part of our Mobile Transformation Plan, O2 is upgrading connectivity across the country and ensuring customers get a faster, more reliable mobile experience.”
Judith Ferrarin, Head of Barrier Busting and Connectivity at West Midlands 5G, added: “Through close collaboration with industry and government, WM5G’s Connectivity team have created the conditions that enable partners like Virgin Media O2 to accelerate rollout —unlocking faster, more reliable connectivity not just in our major urban centres like Birmingham and Coventry, but in the towns and rural communities that are often hardest to reach.”
O2’s 5G+ network is the UK’s largest 5G standalone network, available to more than 85% of the UK population.
Virgin Media O2 has also recently launched O2 Satellite, making it the only UK operator to offer satellite-to-mobile connectivity and bring mobile coverage to remote locations that have traditionally had no phone signal.
Customers can access 5G+ at no extra cost with a compatible device and plan, and by ensuring their SIM is up to date. Some customers may need to switch to a digital eSIM.