Virgin Media O2 said that the improvement works are part of the telco’s mobile transformation plan for 2025
In sum – what to know:
Widespread mobile upgrade – Virgin Media O2 has enhanced mobile coverage across over 3,000 postcodes in Glasgow, delivering improved 4G and 5G services as part of a city-wide network transformation.
£700M modernization plan – The upgrades form part of a broader £700 million U.K.-wide investment aimed at expanding mobile coverage.
Future-ready infrastructure – As mobile usage soars, O2’s transformation plan ensures Glasgow’s residents and businesses benefit from faster, more resilient connectivity.
U.K. carrier Virgin Media O2 has completed major enhancements to its mobile network across the City of Glasgow, in Scotland, improving 4G and 5G services in more than 3,000 postcodes over the past year. The operator said in a statement the upgrades are already delivering faster and more reliable connectivity for residents and businesses across the city.
The improvement works are part of Virgin Media O2’s £700 million ($939 million) transformation plan for 2025, aimed future-proofing its cellular infrastructure to meet rising demand for mobile data. Mobile traffic on its U.K. network has more than doubled in the last five years, it said.
The upgrade project includes 4G and 5G expansion and densification; the latter, using small cells, is focused on urban zones. It will also deliver tailored solutions for hard-to-reach locations such as stadiums, railway lines and airports. Outdated components – including legacy 3G radios – are being phased out to shift more users onto 4G and 5G infrastructure.
Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at Virgin Media O2, said: “With demand for data at an all-time high, the improvements across Glasgow will help ensure residents and businesses stay connected and supported as their digital needs evolve.”
In February, Virgin Media O2 activated its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network for business customers in the U.K., making it available to large enterprises, public sector organizations and small and medium-sized businesses on eligible plans. The company said its 5G SA rollout now reaches 500 towns and cities across the country.
The new infrastructure supports advanced use cases such as autonomous transport, remote healthcare, and fully automated manufacturing. It also enables network slicing – allowing for the creation of dedicated connectivity for specific applications such as augmented reality, gaming, and robotics.
In November 2024, Virgin Media O2 claimed to be the first operator in the U.K. to switch on 5G SA small cells. At launch, these were installed in central Birmingham, enhancing connectivity in some of the city’s busiest areas. The compact cells were mounted on existing street furniture to target zones with the highest data demand.
The deployment was carried out in partnership with Ontix and Alpha Wireless, utilizing Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology.
Virgin Media O2 officially launched its 5G SA network in 2024, with initial coverage across London, Manchester, Liverpool, Lincoln, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, York, Belfast, Cardiff, Nottingham, and Slough.
The operator was formed in June 2021 as a 50-50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica, following a merger approved by the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in May 2020.
Virgin Media O2 said its mobile network now delivers 5G coverage to over 75% of the U.K. population.
