Virgin Media O2 rolls out 5G+ mobile network across the West Midlands. Upgrade will provide customers with fast data speeds, low latency and consistent coverage. Virgin Media O2 has rolled out its 5G+ mobile network across the West Midlands, including 47 large towns and cities, 79 smaller towns, and 597 rural villages in the region. The upgrade will provide customers with fast data speeds, low latency and consistent coverage - especially in busy urban areas and hard-to-reach rural locations. Up to five million residents across five counties including Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire, can receive O2's 5G+ network. Virgin Media O2's 5G+ standalone network can handle more users at once, respond quickly to demand, and deliver a consistent experience in busy locations such as city centres, transport hubs and major events. These upgrades form part of Virgin Media O2's £700 million Mobile Transformation Plan, which will deliver another major upgrade to the company's mobile network in 2026. The investment will enhance reliability, capacity and coverage across the UK through new masts, small cells, 4G and 5G upgrades, automation, and new spectrum deployment. Professor Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2, said, "From the biggest cities to regional towns and rural communities, this upgrade will help people in Birmingham, Coventry and across the Black Country to stay connected wherever they live, work or travel. "Combined with investment as part of our Mobile Transformation Plan, O2 is upgrading connectivity across the country and ensuring customers get a faster, more reliable mobile experience." Judith Ferrarin, head of barrier busting and connectivity at West Midlands 5G, said, "Through close collaboration with industry and government, WM5G's connectivity team have created the conditions that enable partners like Virgin Media O2 to accelerate rollout - unlocking faster, more reliable connectivity not just in our major urban centres like Birmingham and Coventry, but in the towns and rural communities that are often hardest to reach. "This kind of partnership-led approach is critical to ensuring investment translates into meaningful outcomes - supporting innovation, improving public services, and driving inclusive growth across the region."

Virgin Media O2 expands 5G Standalone footprint to West Midlands. Claims to now cover 85 percent of the UK population with 5G SA April 09, 2026 Virgin Media O2 has extended its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network to the West Midlands, UK. The carrier has upgraded its existing 5G network across the West Midlands, including in Birmingham, the country's traditional 'second city.' O2's 5G SA network has been rolled out to other towns and cities in the region, including Coventry, Cannock, Dudley, Stoke-on-Trent, Solihull, Stratford-upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby, Warwick, Wolverhampton, and West Bromwich. Virgin Media O2 notes that the upgrades take its 5G SA rollout across the UK to 47 large towns and cities, 79 smaller towns, and 597 rural villages. The 5G SA network is not reliant on older mobile generations - it solely uses a 5G core network - and is based on the cloud. The service increases network capacity, cuts latency, and can connect to an increased number of connected devices. 5G SA enables network slicing, which allows telcos to offer dedicated services for a host of business use cases. The telco launched its 5G SA network in February 2024. The carrier said this network is now available for 85 percent of the UK's population. Unlike EE, Virgin Media O2 doesn't charge a premium for customers to use its 5G SA service. Further network upgrades are expected as part of the telco's pledge to invest £700 million ($939m) on its network this year. More in carrier networks.

Nexfibre connects youth hub in Haywards Heath. Partnership with UK Youth and Virgin Media will help young people build their digital skills. Nexfibre has connected Bentswood Hub in Haywards Heath to full fibre broadband free of charge to help young people build their digital skills through a partnership with national youth charity, UK Youth and Virgin Media O2. The centre will receive up to 2Gbps broadband services from Virgin Media O2 for the next two years. The wider initiative was set to offer as many as 1,000 youth centres across the UK access to Nexfibre's fast network. Now, following the announcement of Nexfibre's acquisition of Netomnia, the proposed network expansion means an additional 456 youth centres across the country will become eligible for the offer. With the fast connection, Bentswood Hub youth centre can support its young people to connect with friends, engage with their education and prepare for employment. To enable this, the centre has partnered with Hype VR to host a virtual reality evening in Haywards Heath, giving young people the opportunity to experience the benefits of full fibre broadband firsthand. The centre has also received advice and resources from online safety experts, Internet Matters, and information about the tools and controls available to help keep young people safe online when accessing the Internet. Anna Sharkey, chief executive officer of Bentswood Hub said, "We are excited to benefit from Nexfibre and Virgin Media O2's services here at Bentswood Hub so we can better support our young people." The partnership with UK Youth will result in Nexfibre offering youth centres across the UK access to its fast network, providing young people with the connectivity they need in an increasingly digital world. Research from UK Youth shows digital infrastructure ranks among the top three most urgent financial support needs for the youth sector. Youth organisations are struggling with inadequate digital infrastructure and training, while young people lack IT proficiency and environments conducive to skill-building. That's why Nexfibre, UK Youth and Virgin Media O2 are working together to provide access to fast Internet at youth centres such as Bentswood Hub, enabling them to create environments where young people can develop digital skills, form meaningful relationships and thrive in their communities. Rajiv Datta, chief executive Officer of Nexfibre, said, "Digital poverty is a serious issue in the UK, and at Nexfibre, we are committed to playing our part in tackling it. Full fibre broadband is critical to broader economic growth by providing better access to education, employment and life-changing opportunities. "Through our partnership with UK Youth, I'm delighted to see Bentswood Hub benefitting from our full fibre network, bringing essential digital infrastructure to the local community. By investing in the next generation, we're providing them the tools they need to thrive in a modern economy." Rosie Ferguson OBE, chief executive officer of UK Youth, said, "We are really pleased that Nexfibre is bringing enhanced connectivity and digital access to Bentswood Hub as part of our partnership. Digital poverty remains a significant problem across the UK and prevents youth organisations such as Bentswood Hub from fully addressing the needs of the young people they serve. We look forward to seeing this partnership empower the next generation of Bentswood, Haywards Heath, ensuring they can thrive in an increasingly digital world." Nicola Green, chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Virgin Media O2, said, "We know how important is to be connected, and that's why we're proudly providing Virgin Media O2's gigabit broadband to Bentswood Hub for free. "This lightning-fast connection will help young people in Bentswood, Haywards Heath to get online, get help with their homework and build digital skills - helping them to thrive now and in the future."