TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • Open RAN
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • 5G
  • Access Evolution
  • Private Networks
  • Cloud Native
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Sustainability
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Security
  • More Topics
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • |
  • About
  • Contact
  • |
  • Connect with us
  • 5G
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Access Evolution
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • Cloud Native
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Open RAN
  • Private Networks
  • Security
  • Sustainability
  • Connect with TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

Sustainability

Sustainability

O2 highlights the UK’s digital divide, says seven million people still unable to access a web-connected device

Via O2

Mar 3, 2021

  • New campaign shines a spotlight on those everyday digital interactions that millions of people – almost a tenth of the population – are unable to experience without online access
  • O2 continues its partnership with charity Hubbub, aiming to donate 10,000 web-connected devices to the most vulnerable, digitally disconnected people in the UK
  • Support the campaign and donate your old smartphone to Community Calling – visithttp://www.hubbub.org.uk/communitycalling

With seven million digitally excluded people across the country still unable to access a web-connected device[1], O2 has today unveiled a new campaign to bring attention to the UK’s ongoing digital divide.

Via a series of online and social media takeovers going live from today and running for three weeks until Wednesday, 24th March, O2’s latest campaign will highlight the plight of the seven million people across Britain who do not currently have access to a web-connected device.

While watching online videos, streaming music and ‘Liking’ social media posts are regular parts of everyday life for most Britons, a large portion of the population is still unable to enjoy these simple pleasures taken for granted by so many. Those unable to get online not only miss out on a range of support but are often prevented from reaching family and friends, applying for jobs or accessing essential tools to help with home schooling.

From today, as users visit popular video-sharing platforms, read the daily news online, scroll through their social media profiles or even search for potential matches on their favourite dating app, they will start to see messages from O2 outlining that the seven million people isolated by tech poverty in this country are unable to do the same.

Using a unique creative inspired by a computer error message – an everyday frustration for many but something that seven million digitally excluded people do not get the chance to experience – the campaign aims to promote O2’s ongoing Community Calling activity, which has proven to be a lifeline for those who are struggling as a result of the pandemic.

With 28 million smartphones sitting unused in homes and businesses, O2 is continuing its partnership with charity Hubbub, with the aim to gift 10,000 unused smartphones to vulnerable individuals in the most deprived areas of the country.

Nina Bibby, Chief Marketing Officer of O2, said: “At O2 we know how vital connectivity has been to millions of people this past year, whether that’s enabling them to work effectively from home, keeping in touch with loved ones or even just helping them to unwind with some online entertainment. We have also seen the devastating impact digital exclusion can have on the most vulnerable people, from loneliness to lack of access to essential services and we’re determined to raise awareness of this with our new digital campaign.

“The Community Calling project has already had such a positive impact on so many people’s lives and our latest campaign is just the latest step that O2 has taken to help our customers at this difficult time. I would encourage everyone in possession of a spare handset that is sitting unused at home or work to get in touch and help somebody in need to get connected.”

O2 is donating a web-connected handset and 12 months of free connectivity to all Community Calling beneficiaries, which will include unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 6GB of data per month for a full year. This builds on the extensive range of initiatives O2 has already undertaken to help people across the UK, including:

  • Joining the Department for Education’s Get Help with Technology scheme, providing extra data to help with home schooling for families who are struggling to connect during lockdown
  • Zero rating a range of additional webpages that provide much-needed support, including samaritans.org
  • This year O2 is investing more than ever in its network to improve coverage and experience for all its customers across the UK
  • Allowing O2 customers free access to remote learning with Oak National Academy
  • Providing those O2 customers who are also NHS workers with an extra 50GB a month for the next two months
  • Providing free next-working-day delivery on all devices, sims and accessories while stores remain closed

Gift your phone

Anyone in the UK can get involved by donating unused smartphones. It’s easy to sign up online – you’ll receive a free-post donation box to post your old and workable smartphone, to be refurbished by trusted partner Reconome. It will be data-wiped, sanitised and redistributed with user guides and PAYG SIM cards. Alternatively, those who don’t have an old smartphone can choose to donate the cost of one month’s top-up for the beneficiaries by visiting hubbub.org.uk/donate-data-to-community-calling-resources.

O2 and Hubbub are also encouraging businesses to support the campaign by organising bulk device donations, or providing collection boxes in their offices (where appropriate).

If you’d like to support the campaign and donate your old smartphones to Community Calling, visit http://www.hubbub.org.uk/communitycalling/ for more details.

Related Topics
  • 4G LTE,
  • Coronavirus,
  • Europe,
  • O2,
  • Policy & Regulation,
  • Sustainability,
  • Telco & CSP,
  • Tracker

More Like This

Sustainability

Zain joins UN Global Compact initiative for responsible business practices

Aug 8, 2022

Sustainability

Sustainability to push datacentre infrastructure spend to $31bn by 2026

Aug 5, 2022

Sustainability

Energy efficiency for retailers: Technology partnership between T-Systems and Envision Digital enables CO2 reduction of up to 15 percent

Aug 4, 2022

Access Evolution

Globe Seeks More Property Partners in Push for Built-in Broadband, Telco Space in Developments

Aug 3, 2022

Open RAN

Show us the money: Open RAN TCO is proving elusive…

Aug 1, 2022

This content extract was originally sourced from an external website (O2) and is the copyright of the external website owner. TelecomTV is not responsible for the content of external websites. Legal Notices

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

0:46

The Cloud Native Telco Summit returns this September!

8:32

Azita Arvani on Being a Female Leader at Rakuten Symphony

16:19

AT&T Amy Zwarico on securing telco applications in the public cloud

1:44

Join us for the greatest industry debate of the year!

TelecomTV
Company
  • About Us
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
Our Brands
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • Great Telco Debate
  • TelecomTV Events
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070
Connect With Us
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal Notices
  • Help

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media.

© Decisive Media Limited 2022. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).