O2 and Virgin Media O2
O2 became part of Virgin Media O2 when O2 UK and Virgin Media combined in 2021. The O2 brand continues for mobile, and the business arm now trades as Virgin Media O2 Business. When you buy an O2 fixed IP SIM, it runs on the O2 radio network, and that is how we refer to it on this site.
O2 has a long history in IoT, including connectivity for the UK smart meter programme across central and southern England and Wales, so it has experience of very large device estates.
Why choose O2
O2 is often strong in towns, cities and along transport routes, and is a natural partner for EE or VodafoneThree in a dual SIM router. Because O2 is an independent network group, it adds genuine diversity to any resilient design. As with every network, test the signal at the exact location before committing to single network O2.
The O2 3G switch off
O2 was the last UK network to retire 3G, completing the process in early 2026. O2 has also stopped accepting inbound 2G and 3G roaming from foreign SIMs for business customers. If you run devices that relied on O2 3G, or foreign roaming SIMs that fell back to 2G or 3G, they need a 4G capable replacement. A 4G or 5G router with an O2 fixed IP SIM, or a multi network SIM, is the straightforward fix.
Questions we are often asked
Is O2 the same as Virgin Media O2?
Virgin Media O2 is the company. O2 is its mobile network and brand. An O2 SIM runs on the Virgin Media O2 mobile network.
Can I get a fixed public IP on O2?
Yes. We supply O2 SIMs with a fixed public IP, a fixed private IP on a private APN, or a dynamic IP.
Is O2 good for IoT?
O2 has run large IoT and smart meter estates for many years and supports low power IoT on its 4G network in many areas.