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Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has this morning announced that they’ve just switched-on their next-generation 5G Standalone (5GSA) mobile broadband network across five “major towns” in the county of Dorset (England). The operator’s 5GSA network is now live across a total of more than 500 UK locations (70% of the population, or c.49 million people).
O2’s 5GSA rollout first began in February 2024 (here) and they usually aim to reach “at least 90% outdoor coverage” in every location they add. The same should hold true for the five towns in Dorset, where roughly 380,000 residents will now be able to benefit from the 5GSA network. The towns include Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Swanage, and Christchurch.
Just to recap. 5GSA networks are pure end-to-end 5G that can deliver ultra-low latency times, greater energy efficiency, better speeds (particularly uploads), network slicing, improved support for IoT devices, increased reliability and security etc. Existing 5G networks often use a Non-Standalone (NSA) approach, which is hobbled by being partly reliant upon older and slower 4G infrastructure.
Dr Robert Joyce, Director of Mobile Access Engineering at O2, said: “Our new 5G Standalone network is now live in Dorset, providing an impressive upgrade for local people and businesses and creating new opportunities in and around the county. We are investing every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers, futureproofing our connectivity and paving the way for exciting innovations that lie ahead.”