Mobile network evolution: meeting customer needs now and for future
A guest blog by Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2 for techUK's Future Telecoms campaign
In our increasingly connected world, the demand for faster, more reliable, and energy-efficient mobile services continues to grow. Last year alone, data use on our mobile network grew by more than a quarter as customers rely on our connectivity more than ever to stream, play, work, call, learn, bank and scroll all hours of the day. To meet this ever-growing need for connectivity, we are continuously investing in new infrastructure and evolving services for our customers.
We invest £2m every single day into our mobile networks and have already brought 5G to over half of the UK. Earlier this year, we also launched next-generation 5G Standalone services in cities across the country and will expand this to more locations in the months and years ahead, offering more customers higher bandwidth and lower latency connections than ever before to power the applications of the future. This is all on top of having 4G available to 99% of the population already with continued work taking place to address rural blackspots through the Shared Rural Network Programme and boost capacity, which we did across hundreds of sites over the past year.
As our customers use these newer network technologies more intensively, we’re reviewing older networks and optimising where we can. This helps us deliver our ambitious environmental goals while ensuring optimal coverage and capacity for our customers.
Following our announcement last year that we’ll phase out 3G services in 2025, we’ve recently completed successful switch off trials. We remain on track to switch off the service next year – a move that will reduce our energy consumption and allow us to shift resources to more efficient 4G and 5G technologies. These newer networks are 10 times more energy efficient and the move will contribute to our wider plans to reach net-zero by 2040.
With this work progressing well, we’re now assessing the future of our older 2G network. Currently, less than 1% of our customers use 2G-only devices, and the network carries less than 0.1% of data traffic. All mobile operators have agreed with Government to phase out 2G networks over the next decade. With future-proof networks now in place and ongoing investments helping to further expand them, next year we’ll start work to move almost all remaining traffic away from the 2G network.
Unlike our 3G network, we won’t be turning 2G off completely. In fact, we expect to continue operating it for several years and it will play an important role in carrying emergency calls in more remote areas without 4G coverage. We’ll also use it to support data traffic for smart energy meters, contributing to the UK’s transition to a lower-carbon economy.
By redirecting most ‘human’ traffic to newer, faster and more energy-efficient networks while reserving the older slower network for some data-light ‘machine’ communications, our customers will get the best possible experience whether they are calling, messaging or using data on the go.
For most customers, these changes will happen seamlessly in the background, and they won’t notice any change. However, a small proportion of customers will need to look out for messages from us telling them what they need to do – either because they’re using a very old device which won’t work on 4G, need a new SIM or because they need to turn on 4G calling.
We’re committed to helping those who may need additional support such as those very small proportion of customers still using older devices. We will be directly contacting any our customers who need to take action, guiding them through the process and explaining the steps they need to take.
As a technology business we’re forever changing and upgrading; standing still would mean failing our customers and not being prepared for future needs. From London and Cardiff to rural parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, we are committed to keeping our customers connected and delivering not only the services needed for today but ensuring we’re ready for the technologies of tomorrow too.
Thank you to Virgin Media O2 for this guest blog - Follow them on X and LinkedIn
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Contact the team
Sophie Greaves
Sophie Greaves
Sophie Greaves is Associate Director for Digital Infrastructure at techUK, overseeing the Communications Infrastructure and Services Programme at techUK, and the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.
Sophie was promoted to Head having been Programme Manager for Communications Infrastructure and Services, leading techUK's telecoms activities, engagement and policy development. Previously, Sophie was Programme Assistant across a variety of areas including the Broadband Stakeholder Group, Central Government, Financial Services and Communications Infrastructure programmes.
Prior to joining techUK, Sophie completed a masters in Film Studies at University College London; her dissertation examined US telecoms policy relating to net neutrality and content distribution.
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- [email protected]
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- 0207 331 2038
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiegreaves/
Phil Reid
Phil Reid
Phil is acting Head of Telecoms and Spectrum policy at techUK, where he leads the Communications, Infrastructure and Services Programme. This focuses on promoting the benefits and innovations of connectivity and tackles the barriers of digital infrsatructre rollout.
Phil's background lies in public affairs and policy, supporting numerous organisations to navigate their policy landscape, build their political profile and engage on key issues with impact. His previous roles were predominantly in consultancy but he has also had extensive experience in establishing and manging both trade bodies and campaign groupings; leading their secretariat functions as well as their public affairs and communications activities.
Telecoms has been an ever-constant sector focus during his career, covering an array of issues such as IP-migration, broadband rollout, net neutrality, telecoms fraud, network resilience and security. He has a strong understanding of the sector ecosytem, its major policy issues and has had plenty of interaction with its key stakeholders.
Outside of work, if he's not enjoying family time with his wife and two daughters, he'll be either playing or watching some form of sport.
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- [email protected]
Tales Gaspar
Tales Gaspar
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
In the UK and Europe, he offered consultancy on intellectual property rights of cellular and IoT technologies and on the regulatory procedures at the ITU as a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
Tales has an LL.M in Law and Business by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and an MSc in Regulation at the London School of Economics, with a specialization in Government and Law.
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- +44 (0) 0207 331 2000
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- www.techUK.org
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- www.linkedin.com/in/talesngaspar
Josh Turpin
Josh Turpin
Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.
In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.
Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.
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- [email protected]
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- 020 7331 2038
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-turpin/
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Authors
Jeanie York
Jeanie previously held the role of Chief Technology and Information Officer for Virgin Media from January 2019 to May 2021.