Latest news with #VirginMediaO2
Rhyl Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Virgin Media O2 warns customers about ongoing 3G switch off
The UK's major mobile providers, including EE and Vodafone, have gradually been axing all 3G services over the past few years. Virgin Media O2 is the latest provider to switch off its 3G network so it can focus on the "faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient" 4G and 5G networks. It's 3G network switch off began on April 2, with the city of Durham the first area affected. 📡 Virgin Media O2 begins its 3G switch-off this April in Durham, marking a key milestone in our network evolution. This move allows us to focus on faster, more reliable #4G and #5G services, delivering better connectivity for our customers. 🌐📱 Learn more here:… The switch-off is also set to impact other mobile providers which use Virgin Media O2's network, including: With the Virgin Media O2 switch off now underway, customers with 3G devices are being urged to upgrade or risk a drop in call quality and being left unable to access mobile data. In an email, seen by The Mirror, Virgin Media O2 said: "We recently got in touch to let you know we'll be turning off our 3G services. "This change has already started, and we'll be continuing the switch off across the country throughout 2025. "You may currently have a device that's not fully compatible with the UK's 4G or 5G network. "After the switch off, you could experience a drop in call quality and be unable to access mobile data, including the internet and messaging apps like WhatsApp." The next areas set to be impacted by Virgin Media O2's 3G switch off are: 📡 We're continuing our 3G switch-off programme. Next up: Norwich, Telford, Guildford & Torquay. This move frees up spectrum for faster, more reliable #4G & #5G – keeping our customers better connected. 📱 Read more: Virgin Media O2's Chief Technology Officer, Jeanie York, said: 'We're switching off our 3G network to focus our attention and investment on upgrading faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will give our customers a better overall experience. 'While we know that the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action, our priority is to provide support to those who need it. "That is why we are reaching out directly to customers who do not have a 4G or 5G handset, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to provide information about their next steps. "It is important these customers upgrade their handsets in order to continue using mobile data after 3G is switched off.' Any customers who don't upgrade to a 4G or 5G device before 3G is switched off in their area will still be able to make voice calls and send text messages, but will be unable to use mobile data. Customers with 3G devices will be unable to use the internet once the network is switched off. (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert (MSE) explains: "If you have a phone or Sim that only supports 3G, you'll effectively no longer be able to use the internet once it's fully switched off by your provider – you'll still technically be able to connect to the internet, but you'll struggle to do even basic tasks. "You'll still be able to make calls and send text messages over 2G, though the quality of the call will likely be a lot worse than it was on the 3G network." The 3G switch-off will only impact those customers with older devices and sim cards, ones that are unable to connect to the newer 4G or 5G networks. If you are unsure whether or not your device will lose mobile data access when Virgin Media O2's 3G network is switched off, don't worry; there is a way to check. Visit the Virgin Media O2 website and look at its list of devices that are not compatible with 4G and WiFi Calling. If your phone/sim is on that list, you will be impacted by the switch-off and will need to change devices before it happens. Devices on the list include: Apple iPhone Samsung Sony LG Google Motorola RECOMMENDED READING: Nokia For the full list of devices affected or any further information about Virgin Media O2's 3G network switch off, visit its website (a link to which can be found above).
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Virgin Media O2 issues warning as switch off could leave customers without internet
Virgin Media O2 has warned customers they may "experience a drop in call quality" or be left unable to use mobile data as its 3G switch off continues across the UK. The UK's major mobile providers, including EE and Vodafone, have gradually been axing all 3G services over the past few years. Virgin Media O2 is the latest provider to switch off its 3G network so it can focus on the "faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient" 4G and 5G networks. It's 3G network switch off began on April 2, with the city of Durham the first area affected. 📡 Virgin Media O2 begins its 3G switch-off this April in Durham, marking a key milestone in our network evolution. This move allows us to focus on faster, more reliable #4G and #5G services, delivering better connectivity for our customers. 🌐📱 Learn more here:… — Virgin Media O2 News (@VMO2News) January 13, 2025 The switch-off is also set to impact other mobile providers which use Virgin Media O2's network, including: Giffgaff Sky Mobile Tesco Mobile With the Virgin Media O2 switch off now underway, customers with 3G devices are being urged to upgrade or risk a drop in call quality and being left unable to access mobile data. In an email, seen by The Mirror, Virgin Media O2 said: "We recently got in touch to let you know we'll be turning off our 3G services. "This change has already started, and we'll be continuing the switch off across the country throughout 2025. "You may currently have a device that's not fully compatible with the UK's 4G or 5G network. "After the switch off, you could experience a drop in call quality and be unable to access mobile data, including the internet and messaging apps like WhatsApp." The next areas set to be impacted by Virgin Media O2's 3G switch off are: Norwich (July 16) Telford (July 16) Guildford (July 16) Torquay (August 4) 📡 We're continuing our 3G switch-off programme. Next up: Norwich, Telford, Guildford & Torquay. This move frees up spectrum for faster, more reliable #4G & #5G – keeping our customers better connected. 📱 Read more: — Virgin Media O2 News (@VMO2News) April 22, 2025 Virgin Media O2's Chief Technology Officer, Jeanie York, said: 'We're switching off our 3G network to focus our attention and investment on upgrading faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will give our customers a better overall experience. 'While we know that the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action, our priority is to provide support to those who need it. "That is why we are reaching out directly to customers who do not have a 4G or 5G handset, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to provide information about their next steps. "It is important these customers upgrade their handsets in order to continue using mobile data after 3G is switched off.' Any customers who don't upgrade to a 4G or 5G device before 3G is switched off in their area will still be able to make voice calls and send text messages, but will be unable to use mobile data. Customers with 3G devices will be unable to use the internet once the network is switched off. (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert (MSE) explains: "If you have a phone or Sim that only supports 3G, you'll effectively no longer be able to use the internet once it's fully switched off by your provider – you'll still technically be able to connect to the internet, but you'll struggle to do even basic tasks. "You'll still be able to make calls and send text messages over 2G, though the quality of the call will likely be a lot worse than it was on the 3G network." The 3G switch-off will only impact those customers with older devices and sim cards, ones that are unable to connect to the newer 4G or 5G networks. If you are unsure whether or not your device will lose mobile data access when Virgin Media O2's 3G network is switched off, don't worry; there is a way to check. Visit the Virgin Media O2 website and look at its list of devices that are not compatible with 4G and WiFi Calling. If your phone/sim is on that list, you will be impacted by the switch-off and will need to change devices before it happens. Devices on the list include: Apple iPhone iPhone 1 Generation iPhone 3G iPhone 3GS iPhone 4 iPhone 5S Samsung Samsung ZV60 Samsung Binou Samsung GT-C3592 Samsung BEAT S Samsung Galaxy Fame Samsung SLIDER Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 Sony Sony Ericsson WT13I Sony Ericsson W705 Sony Xperia Z2 Sony Xperia E LG LG Calisto LG Pop LG Prada LG New Chocolate LG G1600 Google Google Galaxy Nexus Google Nexus ONE Motorola Motorola MOTO E Motorola EM30 Motorola Motokey Social Motorola C118V RECOMMENDED READING: O2 offering more than £1000 for old mobiles and other devices - how to claim Nearly 9 million PlayStation owners could be owed more than £500 - are you one? Virgin Media customers told to check if they're entitled to a free upgrade Nokia Nokia 220 Nokia 106.1 Nokia Lumia 925 Nokia 2330 Classic For the full list of devices affected or any further information about Virgin Media O2's 3G network switch off, visit its website (a link to which can be found above).
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Virgin Media O2 mobile users' locations exposed for two years in security flaw
The locations of millions of Virgin Media O2 mobile customers were exposed for up to two years until a network security flaw was corrected, it has emerged. Before the fix was implemented on 18 May, anyone with a Virgin Media O2 sim card could use their phone to obtain sensitive information about the network's other customers using a 4G-enabled device, including their location to the nearest mobile mast. The flaw has now been patched and reported to the UK's communications and data protection regulators. Virgin Media O2 said there was no evidence that its network security systems had been externally breached. The locations of customers could be tracked most precisely in urban areas, where mobile masts cover areas as small as 100 square metres. Dan Williams, an IT specialist who discovered the defect, wrote that he was 'extremely disappointed' not to receive a response when he flagged the issue, which was resolved only after he blogged about it two months later, on 17 May. He said there had been no explanation for the delay. He wrote: 'I don't want to be the enemy, I simply want to feel comfortable using my phone.' Williams noticed Virgin Media O2's failure to configure its 4G calling software correctly when he was looking at messaging between his device and the network to work out call quality between himself and another O2 customer. 'I noticed that the responses from the network were extremely long, and upon inspection noticed that extra information from the recipient of the call was sent to the call initiator,' he told the Guardian. This included normally private information, such as the cell ID, which is the current cell tower a caller is connected to; information about sim card, which could be used for a cyber-attack; and the phone model, which can be used to work out how to access it. He believed that it was 'possible this was used in the wild and not reported against' though there was no way to quantify that. If it had been that would be 'quite a large problem', as 'there are situations where this data is extremely, extremely sensitive', for example domestic abuse survivors or government workers, he added. 'I came across it by accident. Someone purposefully trying to find these kinds of vulnerabilities would have probably come across it,' he said. 'There are white papers detailing this exact scenario and warning networks against doing this.' The FT, which first reported Williams's findings, said he had tested the problem with another O2 customer, successfully tracking them to Copenhagen, Denmark. Disabling the 4G calling feature on devices would have prevented them from being tracked, though this is not possible on some handsets, such as iPhones. The issue may have also affected some customers of Giffgaff and Tesco Mobile, which use Virgin Media O2's network. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Alan Woodward, cybersecurity professor at Surrey University, said location data 'could be valuable for scams such as social engineering, or even blackmail' and for phishing attempts referencing a recent location, though they would need other information about the person for this to work. He said this was unlikely to happen for normal people who were not criminal targets, but nevertheless fixing the vulnerability should have been a 'matter of urgency'. A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said: 'Our engineering teams had been working on and testing a fix for this configuration issue over a number of weeks, and we can confirm this fix was fully implemented on 18 May. 'Our customers do not need to take any action, and we have no evidence of this issue being exploited beyond the two illustrative examples given by a network engineer in his blog which we reported to the ICO [Information Commissioner's Office] and Ofcom. There has been no external compromise of our network security at any time.' An Ofcom spokesperson said it was 'aware that O2 has experienced a network security issue', and is in contact with the provider to establish the scale and cause of the problem. An ICO spokesperson said that after assessing the information provided by Telefonica and remedial steps taken, 'we will not be taking further action at this stage'.
Metro
24-05-2025
- Metro
Six simple tips that can save you £60 on your phone bill
If your phone is filled with thousands of photos, forgotten videos and barely used apps, you're not alone – and it could be costing you more than you realise. New research by O2 has revealed that 3.3 million Brits have never decluttered their phone. And it comes at a cost. Nearly half (42%) of mobile users in the UK are paying for extra storage every month, with photos, videos and unused apps being the main culprits of storage consumption. Millennials may be the worst generation for digital hoarding. According to the research, Millennials admit to paying over six times more than boomers pay over the course of a year for extra storage (£33.36 vs £4.80 respectively). In fact, nearly one in six (17%) of Millennials pay £5 per month for additional storage, meaning cleaning out your storage could save you £60 a year. Gig-goers may also find themselves forking out for extra storage. The O2 claims 76% of music fans take photos and videos every time they attend a concert, resulting in fans capturing an average of 14 minutes of content on their phones per concert. O2 recommends clearing out your mobile phone at least once a month to keep on top of storage capacity and to stop your phone from becoming slow and inefficient. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Virgin Media O2's Director of Connectivity, Gareth Lister, shared six tips to clear up your phone storage. His first tip? Say no to automatic saving. He says: 'Check to see which apps automatically save images, apps like WhatsApp can add images to your photo album without you even realising.' Gareth also suggests clearing out voice notes, videos and photos from your chat history. 'These can unexpectedly take up a lot of space on your device, so remember to occasionally have a clear out and delete any content you don't need to avoid unnecessary buildup.' As a general rule, Gareth says, 'once you've listened to it, delete it'. Podcasts, especially, can pile up and take up space when you subscribe to them. More Trending 'File sizes can be between 25MB and 50MB per episode, so can very quickly dominate your device storage,' he explains. Mobile phone users should also steer clear of filming in 4K, which requires significantly more storage space than lower resolutions like 1080p. 'It has four times the number of pixels, meaning more data to store per frame,' Gareth explains. Gareth also recommends organising and deleting apps you don't use. 'If you've not used an app in several weeks, consider whether you really need it,' he says. View More » And, finally, he urges gig-goers to carefully sift through their footage from concerts. 'Do you really need 20 videos of one song?' Gareth Lister recommends the following tips to cut down on your storage: Say no to automatic saving Clean out the voice notes, videos and photos from your chat history Once you've listened to it, delete it Steer clear of filming in 4K Organise and delete unneeded apps Delete videos you'll never rewatch Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: The perfect voice note length has been revealed — but no one follows it MORE: How first-time buyers can save more than £50,000 for deposits in Lifetime Isas MORE: This £30 broadband rule proves whether you're paying over the odds
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Think tank calls for redesign of fraud policing amid 'stark lack of resources' to tackle scammers
There is a 'fundamental mismatch' between the extent of fraud taking place and the effectiveness of the police response, the boss of the UK's policing think tank has said. Some 43 per cent of crime committed is fraud, costing England and Wales £6.8billion per year, with one in ten adults being a victim of fraud last year. With the rise of AI, fraud is increasing in scale and scams are becoming more difficult for those targeted to detect. Speaking at the launch of the think tank's new report in conjunction with Virgin Media O2, Andy Higgins, interim director of the Police Foundation, said: 'Fraud has become part of the background noise of modern life. 'There are few people who do not receive emails, messages and calls attempting to defraud them of their money. 'There is a stark lack of resources allocated to fraud within policing.' In fact, there were just 866 economic crime officers, some 0.064 per cent of the police force, dedicated to tackling fraud as of 2021. Higgins said around 300 officers have been recruited since then, but the same pattern is expected to continue. The lack of police resources, as well as a low rate of reporting, the Police Foundation's figures show that despite some 4.1million fraud offences taking place in 2021, just 1.3million were reported to the police. Of these only 3.5 per cent were deemed suitable for any form of police investigation. As a result, just 4,400 offenders were sentenced for fraud-related crimes in 2021, and just over 1,000 received prison sentences. And yet fraud offences are having an untold effect on victims, often in ways that are less visible on the surface. Higgins said: 'Action Fraud takes calls from 300 people each year who they deem at risk of suicide.' More than 90 per cent of fraud victims said they had experienced some form of mental health problems as a result. In an effort to address the shortfall in the police response to fraud, the Police Foundation said it wants the police and wider response to fraud to be 'fundamentally redesigned'. Under the Police Foundation's recommendations, the Government would establish a national crime prevention agency, with local authorities also developing localised fraud prevention strategies to build up collective defences against fraud. Higgins said: 'We have a criminal justice system, we don't have a prevention system.' The Foundation is also calling for the City of London Police to be given tasking powers to direct local teams, which themselves would be focused on tackling localised fraud. Funding for fraud policing should be distributed by a national body, it said, adding that spending on fraud investigation should be increased over the next two spending reviews. It also argues that private companies should be legally required to share data for fraud investigation. Murray Mackenzie, director of fraud prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: 'With overall fraud prosecutions falling despite a 33 per cent jump in cases last year, the UK is failing to effectively tackle fraud, and criminals are stealing with no real prospect of ever facing justice. 'The police recognise the deeply-rooted systemic barriers to tackling fraud - nine in 10 agree that despite their best efforts, officers lack the tools and resources needed to fight back.'
