O2 was launched on 1 January 1985 as Cellnet. After rebranding in 2002 and forming Virgin Media O2 in 2021, O2 today serves approximately 23–24 million connections. On 26 February 2026, O2 became the first operator in the UK and Europe to launch direct-to-device satellite mobile via SpaceX Starlink, extending UK landmass coverage from 89% to 95%. O2 is the only major UK MNO keeping EU roaming free on all standard plans.
O2 Satellite — Europe's First
O2 launched Europe's first satellite-to-phone data service on 26 February 2026 via SpaceX Starlink.
- Extends UK landmass from 89% to 95%
- Samsung Galaxy S25 at launch; iPhone 13+ added 28 May 2026
- Apps: WhatsApp, Google Maps, AccuWeather, BBC Weather
- Does NOT support voice calls or emergency calls
Free EU Roaming — All Plans
O2 is the only major UK MNO not to reintroduce EU roaming charges.
- 49 European destinations free on all standard Pay Monthly plans
- 25GB data fair-use cap per month while roaming in EU
- O2 Plus: +27 worldwide destinations
- O2 Ultimate: 75-country roaming + O2 Satellite bolt-on free
O2 Priority Rewards
Free loyalty programme delivering weekly rewards and discounts.
- Weekly freebies: food, drinks, entertainment via Priority app
- 48-hour presale tickets to UK concerts and festivals
- Discounts at 200+ retailers (up to 15% back)
- Volt: Virgin Media customers get double data + broadband boost
O2 5G — Independent Data
From Opensignal and umlaut — not O2's own marketing.
- Opensignal Jan 2026: O2 won Coverage Experience award (9.0/10)
- 5G in 700+ UK towns and cities as of 2026
- 5G+ Standalone: ~87% UK population as of Q1 2026
Plan Overview — No Pricing
O2 SIM Only, Pay Monthly (Refresh), PAYG — visit o2.co.uk for costs.
- SIM Only: 30-day, 12-month, 24-month options
- O2 Refresh: device and airtime billed separately
- Switch Up: upgrade device every 11 months on eligible plans
O2 eSIM
eSIM activation on all qualifying devices.
- Compatible: iPhone XS+, Samsung S20+, Google Pixel 3+
- Activate via My O2 app or QR code
- Dual eSIM: iPhone 13+ can run two active lines simultaneously
MVNOs on O2
Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, and Tesco Mobile run on O2's towers.
- Giffgaff: EU 5GB/38 destinations; eSIM; no annual rises
- Sky Mobile: data Piggybank rollover (12 months)
- Tesco Mobile: 5.7M customers; Clubcard frozen prices
Your Ofcom Rights on O2
Legally protected consumer rights.
- PAC: text PAC to 65075 — free code within minutes
- Any annual rise stated in exact £/p at sign-up
- 30-day penalty-free exit if rise not disclosed