- Virgin Media O2 trial version of mmWave spectrum achieves record speed of 4 Gbps on a single device
- High frequency spectrum improves mobile performance in dense urban areas and commercial locations
- Over 2,000 small cells support high-speed 5G coverage in congested areas
Virgin Media O2 has confirmed the acquisition of new millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum following Ofcom’s latest auction, marking a £13 million investment to expand its high-capacity 5G coverage.
The operator intends to deploy the technology in the UK’s busiest urban and commercial zones, focusing on airports, train stations, arenas and major city centers where network demand peaks.
Virgin Media O2’s purchase secures around a third of the total available spectrum, enabling the company to manage heavy mobile traffic as data demands continue to rise.
Expanding high-speed 5G coverage
The new spectrum, which includes 800MHz in the 26GHz band and 1,000MHz in the 40GHz band, will play a key role in improving capacity and reliability in high-density environments.
Ofcom says these frequencies were allocated across 68 urban areas with the highest mobile data usage, including London, Cardiff, Belfast and Glasgow.
The investment builds on Virgin Media O2’s existing 5G Standalone footprint, the largest of its kind in the UK, and is part of its £700m mobile transformation plan for 2025.
The operator has stated that the new high-frequency airwaves will strengthen its mobile infrastructure, and it will also support new data-heavy applications that require both speed and low latency.
“This new investment…fits perfectly with our strategy to transform our mobile network and provide our customers with a reliable and trustworthy mobile connectivity experience wherever they are,” said Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2.
Prior to the acquisition, Virgin Media O2 conducted a live test of mmWave technology under a trial license.
During the trial, the company recorded a peak speed of 4 Gbps for a single device, a record for its network.
Although there are currently only a limited number of compatible devices in the UK market, Virgin Media O2 expects wider hardware adoption to fit with its rollout timeline.
The company’s extensive deployment of over 2,000 small cells is also expected to complement mmWave coverage.
These compact installations, typically mounted on lampposts and buildings, enable dense, high-capacity 5G networks in congested areas where traditional base stations struggle to maintain performance.
Virgin Media O2’s approach comes across as practical rather than headline-driven, as mmWave technology offers exceptional speed but operates over shorter ranges, making wide-scale coverage more complex and expensive.
Its use is likely to remain focused on dense urban zones and critical transport hubs.
Combining new spectrum with existing infrastructure, including the recently launched “Giga Site” in Paddington, capable of delivering over 10 Gbps of throughput, the company is aiming for incremental, focused improvements rather than broad nationwide upgrades.
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