Virgin Media O2 accelerates its Mobile Transformation Plan with major network modernisation deals

• Virgin Media O2 has signed new multi-year agreements with strategic partners Ericsson and Nokia to upgrade its radio access network (RAN)
• The agreements will see thousands of mobile sites across the country upgraded to next-generation 5G technology, boosting capacity, coverage and reliability for customers
• The investment forms part of the Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan, which will see the operator invest a further £700m into its mobile network this year to deliver a further step-change in network performance for customers

Virgin Media O2 has signed new multi-year agreements worth hundreds of millions of pounds with Ericsson and Nokia to upgrade its UK mobile network, as part of its Mobile Transformation Plan.

The deals will see the majority of Virgin Media O2’s radio access network (RAN) upgraded to the latest 5G+ technology, improving performance for millions of customers across the country. Thousands of sites will be enhanced with next-generation radios and baseband equipment, significantly increasing capacity in busy areas while extending coverage and improving reliability, while also enhancing 4G performance for customers across the network.

The upgrade will also enable Virgin Media O2 to maximise the use of its recently acquired spectrum, helping to meet rapidly growing demand for mobile data, which has more than doubled over the past five years.

Upgrades are already underway across cities, towns and rural communities, with the company focused on improving connectivity in high-demand locations such as transport hubs, stadiums and city centres, as well as along major roads and railways.

As part of the modernisation, Virgin Media O2 is deploying more energy-efficient equipment and AI software, which it can use to optimise network performance in real time, reducing energy consumption while delivering a more consistent experience for customers. The operator will also shift to multiband radios, which will deliver significant operational and environmental benefits by replacing multiple radios per site, simplifying deployment and acquisition while reducing energy consumption.

The agreements will support the evolution of Virgin Media O2’s 5G+ network with the operator set to work with the partners on innovative trials. The deal also enables advanced capabilities such as network slicing, paving the way for future 5G-Advanced services.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Our Mobile Transformation Plan is delivering a step-change in network performance for our customers. These new long-term agreements with Ericsson and Nokia are a major milestone in that journey, helping us to significantly boost capacity, improve coverage and enhance reliability right across the UK.

“Demand for mobile data continues to grow at pace and we are focused on investing in the infrastructure needed to deliver a faster, more resilient network that can keep up with our customers’ expectations. Last year, we added one Tbps of capacity to our network, and we plan to add more than double that this year as we build the UK’s most reliable mobile network.”

Patrick Johansson, Head of Ericsson Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Virgin Media O2 is a close and trusted customer and partner of Ericsson’s. That trust is reflected in the RAN footprint increase in this partnership extension where Ericsson will power the majority of Virgin Media O2’s radio network. We are proud to partner with Virgin Media O2 and will work closely with the company to realize its Mobile Transformation Plan.”

Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia, said: “We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Virgin Media O2 through this important new 5G RAN deal. Our AirScale portfolio is designed to deliver the performance, efficiency, and flexibility required for the UK’s future connectivity needs. We look forward to supporting Virgin Media O2 in building one of the most advanced and reliable 5G Advanced networks in the country.”

Ericsson and Nokia are longstanding strategic partners of Virgin Media O2 with their equipment used today in thousands of sites in the network, including sites that it shares with other operators.

The investment forms part of Virgin Media O2’s wider Mobile Transformation Plan, which is upgrading infrastructure across the UK to deliver a faster, more reliable and more resilient mobile network for customers and businesses.