Virgin Media O2 takes aim at EE with speed upgrade for customers

When it comes to the latest 5G data speeds, EE has led the way since it became the first network to launch this superfast technology in the UK. EE has since made bold claims about its 5G coverage, with the company recently winning the gong for the average fastest speeds via tests performed by RootMetrics.

Although EE is clearly leading the way, the firm might soon have some fierce competition from the newly-formed Virgin Media O2 brand.

The company has just announced that it’s pushing out a big upgrade to its 5G network that will see 50 percent of the UK’s population getting access to faster downloads by 2023.

That’s good news for millions of smartphone users but things get even better if you happen to live in the capital with Virgin Media O2 saying that London now has one of the largest 5G footprints within its network with 64 percent of its population now able to access this technology.

The latest upgrade isn’t just about 5G as Virgin Media O2 says it has upgraded 4G capacity in 41,228 postcodes across the capital city and more than 241,000 nationally.

Speaking about the update, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2 Jeanie York said: “Providing a 5G boost is part of our long standing investment in the capital and our mission to upgrade the UK through our ongoing investment in 4G, 5G, fixed broadband and innovative new services. We are taking a customer-centric approach to our mobile network strategy, which centres on optimising our network where our customers need them most.

“This means focusing on densifying our coverage where are customers are going to feel the most benefit, such as busy urban cities like London, while also investing to extend coverage in less populated areas. And with our Volt proposition, we can offer 5G plus gigabit broadband together, giving Londoners the best connectivity in and out of their homes.”

What Is 5G?

5G is the next-generation of network technology that allows smartphone users to access blistering downloads when away from fixed-line broadband. 5G is fully capable of whizzing the web to devices at speeds in excess of 300Mbps which is around four times faster than the average UK broadband can muster.

Another benefit of 5G is that allows more devices to connect and get those better speeds at the same time.

That makes it perfect for busy train stations or people-packed football stadiums. Of course, to access 5G you’ll need one of the latest smartphones such as the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or Galaxy S22.