Why is the O2 network so bad?

[BearHug]

So a few months ago I joined O2 to take advantage of the free EU roaming and also the Virgin Media free upgrade. I'm paying £10 a month for 30GB of data, which is now double to 60GB thanks to the Volt deal. While I am pretty happy with the price and the amount of data I am getting, I am not at all happy with the data speeds I am getting, at all! It's basically unusable.

I recently took a visit to North Wales and visited many different towns over a 3 days weekend but the internet was pretty much completely unusable. Despite having full 4G signal in most places, some speed tests were completely failing, eventually got some speed tests work and got between 0.01 Mbps and 0.8 Mbps down.

In Liverpool, standing outside central station, a speed test was 0.06 Mbps down on full 4G signal. Outside M&S arena, on half 4G signal, speed tests completely fail. I tried for an hour, couldn't get on the internet at all. Even throughout the city where there was 5G, the speed tests didn't really get any better than 5 Mbps.

In Manchester, standing in St Peters Square, again on full signal, speed test are typically under 1 Mbps down. Moving around the city the speed tests can improve to 10 Mbps, but for 4G in 2022 even that's very poor.

In Warrington, again the best download was 3.3 Mbps, with an upload of 0.16 Mbps upload.

The train line between Liverpool and Manchester, while there is always coverage, the internet is completely unusable for most of the journey.

I was almost starting to believe my phone was broken, but having taken two trips to Europe since joining O2, I don't believe it is. Having spent a time in four European countries, I haven't seen a speed test less than 64 Mbps, with speeds up to 155 Mbps 

So why is O2 so terrible in the UK?

[Reg2000]

Personally I checked coverage and was assured by O2 and their coverage checker I would get good signal inside and out. I should need to have to conduct spot surveys. I agree O2 is terrible as a data provider. Despite having a full 4g signal in loads of places I get no data. That's not slow data, that's no data. That's unworkable. It's happening to me right now sat in the novatel in Bristol. Full 4g signal and can't even ping the BBC website. Terrible service can't wait for my contract to end. 

[gmarkj]

The coverage checkers are a computer generated simulation rather than based on user experience @Reg2000 .

OpenSignal are a 3rd party that offer unbiased coverage maps that use data from people that download the app to build a more accurate picture.

When people say they are looking at moving provider we always recommend getting some pay as you go sims to check what the signal is like in your area.

[Enlli]

Last weekend I was at a location which claimed good 4G on all networks according to their maps

O2 was totally missing

EE was available but data was unusable

Vodafone was marginally better but struggled 

Maps don't tell the whole story. As in the case of EE and Vodafone above it was more to do with the quality of signal and not the coverage, calls would have been fine.

[badnetwork]

i was with virgin since 1995 no problems whatsoever until virgin merged with O2 I've had nothing but a headache friends and family couldn't hear me talking and the mobile data what's  the point it wouldn't make any difference if they gave me 1 terabyte i get 40 gb and at the end of the month i still have 39.98 gb left 

[pgn]

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@badnetwork wrote:

i was with virgin since 1995 no problems whatsoever until virgin merged with O2 I've had nothing but a headache friends and family couldn't hear me talking and the mobile data what's  the point it wouldn't make any difference if they gave me 1 terabyte i get 40 gb and at the end of the month i still have 39.98 gb left 

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Moving all of the Virgin Mobile userbase to an already creaking network probably has not helped, alongside the dodgy batch of SIM cards VM used which need to be replaced with branded O2 SIM cards for the migration to work as intended.  Have you replaced your old VM SIM with a shiny blue O2 one, @badnetwork? It does help.  The e-mail offering you this probably went to a long-dead e-mail account if you have been with VM since 1995...

[PBirkby]

O2 is absolute dog ******e. I’ve got 4 contracts with them and am counting down the days until I can cancel. 

I’ve literally got reminders in my calendar the month before so I’m not with them a day more than I should. 

cannot wait to join EE or 3, Lyca, smarty, basically anyone other than o2. 

[madasaf1sh]

@PBirkby 

So is EE, 3 and Vodafone in some parts of the country as is o2 in some parts.... 

Also I would advise against joining LycaMobile unless you like your card details been compromised...   and I would suggest getting some PAYG sims as not all MVNOs are treated equally by the host network... 

[Oxonian]

@PBirkby 

A couple of things to look at with a view to improving your O2 experience :-

Guide: How can I sort out my network issues? 

Guide: Is the network down for me or everyone? 

My Network App - Find Out More About Your Network Coverage | Apps | O2

https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/my-network

Even if you do want to leave, those might help make the position more tolerable in the interim. 👍