O2 to connect 1,000 new sites to 4G by the end of 2018
O2 plans to connect more than 1,000 sites to its newly acquired 4G spectrum by the end of the year. The company began providing 4G service to some sites within 24 hours of securing the spectrum.
The new 4G connections come as a result of O2’s successful bid to purchase 40MHz of 2.3GHz 4G spectrum at Ofcom’s spectrum auction held in April. Since that time, O2 has turned on 100 new UK sites in areas such as Nottingham, Leeds and London.
O2’s 4G spectrum will be available in ten cities by the end of this year, and it will prioritise improved mobile performance at shopping centres and major transportation hubs. Westfield shopping centres in Stratford and White City will obtain the new 4G spectrum due to the public desire for a better service.
The new spectrum will allow O2 to better meet the increasing demand for mobile data as ever-growing numbers of people use their mobile devices to access the Internet and watch television.
Last year, Ofcom reported that 46% more consumers were using mobile phones to watch shows and go online rather than using traditional television sets or laptops.
O2 invests more than £2m each day to improve and maintain its mobile network – it increased its 4G coverage to cover 98% of the UK during 2017.
Derek McManus, O2’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We know how important a fast and reliable connection is to our customers, which is why we’re putting our new 4G spectrum to use as quickly as possible.”