By Joe Longman | Posted December 22, 2025
It’s one thing to know what’s going on with handsets in 2025 but network news can’t be left behind. What’s going on behind the scenes can make the most difference when using your mobile without you even realising it. Believe us – you’ll know if you’re having difficulties with your data connection and 3G/4G connectivity. Let’s give you some of the most important news of 2025 regarding networks…
In May 2025, Vodafone and Three made a huge decision to merge their two companies. The merger itself cost an eye-watering £16.5 billion, forming VodafoneThree. This combination of the two companies means they now have a larger customer base than EE and Virgin Media O2 with a total of 27 million customers.
Improving 5G was a part of their merging promise. They’ve stated that they’ll invest an impressive £11 billion into improving 5G, over the next 10 years, across the UK meaning you’ll experience reduced dead spots and slow data speeds whilst on the move.
A benefit of the merge is the level of coverage which has improved for their customers. In short, customers can make use of towers previously owned by Vodafone and Three.
Vodafone have a blog on their website which makes it easy to find out more, if you’re interested. You can find it here: How Vodafone and Three are sharing their mobile networks: everything you need to know.
In August 2025, O2 Daisy was created and officially launched. Virgin Media O2 Business and the Daisy Group decided it would be best to combine forces to improve their offering and on 4th August, Virgin Media O2 made the official announcement.
Day one of the merge meant that normal customers would have access to the following:
– Secure cloud-based communication tools
– Managed IT and cybersecurity services
– 5G networks
– AI-powered products such as O2 Motion
For those interested, Virgin Media O2 still own 70% of this merge with Daisy Group owning 30%.
The main goal for this merge was to bring together two highly successful businesses and offer everything businesses would need all in one place.
If you haven’t already heard, the 3G network is being switched off around the UK and networks have been in the process of removing its functionality since the start of 2025.
The reason for doing it isn’t to force you to upgrade to a better plan – they know better – it’s to allow for the upgrade to 4G and 5G data connectivity. 4G, and more recently 5G, have been the baseline for data networks for a while now. With most networks having this as standard, the way they’ll get ahead of their competitors is to improve their network performance and reach. After all, 4G and 5G are much faster and efficient than those old untrustworthy 3G systems.
Who is affected?
In most cases, you should be fine with the mobile you currently have, as long as it’s not too old. It’s best to check with your current provider. Let’s cover all the areas which may get affected.
– Older devices which are fitted with 3G-only software
– Older simple phones without 4G capability
– Older SIM cards which are 3G only
– Some other personal items such as in-car systems and security systems which rely on the 3G network
Aside from making sure you’re compatible with the changes, you’ll likely have nothing to worry about. Your networks will typically let you know of any updates which concern you but if you’d prefer to do you own research, companies like Aerial Direct provide updates regarding the 3G switch off as they have direct contact with O2, being their largest UK partner. Check out their 3G Switch Off updates on their website.
With the 3G switch off happening, naturally, 5G improvements are rolling out through many of the networks. Everyone from Virgin Media O2 to EE are working on making sure all their customers stay online in as many places as possible and have efficient speeds.
5G connectivity is widely used across most of the UK but there are some areas where networks are trying to improve their level of cover. What we mean by this is that even though you’re connected to 5G, it might not be any good. The process of improving 5G allows for more bars of connection on your device which means higher speeds, reliable browsing and call quality.
How are networks improving 5G?
As we mentioned above, Vodafone/Three are looking to invest £11 billion over the next 10 years to improve their 5G connectivity. They’ll have a lot of competitors also trying to improve their coverage. This is especially the case with BT’s EE. EE are heading for the top spot with development reaching more places around the UK, leading the charge in the top quality 5G coverage.
In September 2025, 5G.co.uk published an article stating that O2’s 5G coverage reached a staggering 70% of the UK. That incredible figure is only going to go up. It’s worth noting that EE’s 4G speeds are leading the battle with O2 close behind. Green Smartphones did some tests with some impressive results, figures reaching over 100mbps. See more for yourself – ‘EE vs O2 – compared‘.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the 5G updates and making sure you don’t fall behind. If you need a new SIM plan for your business which is 4G/5G compatible, take a look at our instant offers for business mobiles.
