Does O2 have a slow data network?

[Annonymouse]

I’ve just swapped from another provider on the EE network. I’m finding using data roaming on O2 to be painfully slow (even when showing four bars of 4g) across south London & central London (my home address is the same, but O2 say they’re repairing a mast at that location). Do I just need to accept that O2’s data network is just pretty crap or are there any solutions ? Thanks

[Cleoriff · Accepted solution]

I find it fine. Different areas of the country get different speeds

Check these guides.

Guide: How can I sort out my network issues? 

Guide: Is the network down for me or everyone? 

Guide: Do you have poor coverage / signal Indoors? This may help Explain / resolve it 

[Enlli]

I'm in the position of having access to three networks. EE, Vodafone and O2. Of the three I would say O2 is the slowest on average. However, can't say I have had unusable data.

[Annonymouse]

EE was pretty fast, though I don’t need fast internet. Now many apps simply grind along or fail to load due to the slow network. At least I won’t run out of data.

[madasaf1sh]

I have access to all 4 networks (and some test networks). and find them all the same to be honest... 

It is all swings and roundabouts, as they all have slow spots and blackspots...   

[garetc]

O2 have the largest combined user base (considering other virtual mobile networks that use their infrastructure) and a woeful amount of spectrum compared to EE and the other networks. When you take into account their subscriber numbers in places like London it can be pretty frustrating, under land the network can grind to a halt!

They're somewhat restricted by their partnership with Vodafone where Vodafone manage a portion the country for O2 and vice versa. The biggest problem is that in areas managed by Vodafone for O2 suffer from a lack of capacity because Vodafone concentrate on their network rather than O2's. The experience is the same for Vodafone customers who are in an area managed by O2 to the point where Vodafone have taken some of those areas back in-house.

O2 have invested a lot of money buying more spectrum (capacity) recently and those investments are in the middle of being rolled out but it feels quite slow at the moment. O2's 5G rollout also seems to have slowed, hopefully this will pick up soon.