O2 announces another free upgrade for all iPhone and Android users

Customers who use the O2 mobile network have just received another boost to their phone's signal. The UK firm, which is now part of Virgin Media, has just announced the switch-on of its 500th Giga Site in North Elgin. For those not up to speed with the latest technology jargon, Giga Sites are O2's most advanced and to date.

This system combines low, mid and high-band spectrums with Massive MIMO technology to offer ten times more capacity than previous infrastructure. It is designed to boost overall network performance by giving customers faster speeds, better coverage and greater capacity. This is vital in a world where more of us are consuming data on the move.

The rollout is part of O2’s plan to increase network capacity where it is needed most. O2 says that once Giga Sites are switched on, it enables more customers to stay connected, stream content, make video calls and access online services, even in some of the busiest locations across the country.

Speaking about the update, Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer, at Virgin Media O2, said: "Reaching 500 Giga Sites is a major milestone in the transformation of our mobile network.

"As customers use more data than ever before, these cutting-edge sites are helping us add capacity where it's needed most and deliver a faster, more reliable experience across the UK. We're not slowing down, with more towns and cities set to benefit throughout the year as we continue investing around £2 million per day in our mobile network."

This latest O2 milestone comes as demand for mobile connectivity continues to rise, driven by growing demand for streaming, social media, gaming, remote working and AI-powered applications.

As more of us consume data, networks must keep pace with demand and offer faster and more reliable performance across the whole of the UK.

O2 says it now plans to deploy 1,000 Giga Sites nationwide this year as part of its £700m Mobile Transformation Plan.