Over the past few years iPhone customers across the UK have complained about network issues, including dropped calls and lack of 3G data access. Some people blamed O2 for these issues but in a recent interview with the Financial Times, O2’s CEO, Ronan Dunne, is quoted as saying that O2’s network difficulties had been caused by an “explosion” of demand for data services on smart phones but insisted the problems were largely confined to London.
In other words, O2 wasn’t prepared for the iPhone but Dunne goes on to explain that O2 is working with Nokia Siemens Networks on software modifications to help improve voice and data connections. O2 is also installing an additional 200 mobile base stations in London, which should increase the traffic load the network can handle and finally O2 is talking with smart phone manufacturers to learn more about data-heavy applications.
It all sounds good but we’ll have to wait and see if these measures are adopted quickly enough to stop angry O2 customers jumping ship to other iPhone networks, such as Orange or Vodafone.
Leave a Reply