Virgin Media O2 installs AI monitoring across mobile network to prevent outages

Virgin Media O2 has installed new AI monitoring tools across its mobile network to predict and prevent any potential issues in order to minimise downtime.

The telecommunications firm said the move will provide a more reliable and consistent experience for its customers across the UK.

The technology focuses on monitoring network performance, identifying patterns and behaviours, detecting and resolving issues faster, and anticipating faults before they escalate into service issues.

Virgin Media O2 claims the technology will help improve performance during periods of high demand and allow operational decisions to be made before customers are even impacted.

The technology utilises the core Google Cloud platform and features such as Gemini and to deliver AI-enabled autonomous network capabilities.

To install the system, Virgin Media O2 has expanded its partnership with technology firm Zinkworks.

Building on two years of experience monitoring its fixed broadband network, where the technology reduced repair times by more than a third and cut the need for engineer visits by 12 per cent, the operator is now extending this approach into its mobile network.

Virgin Media O2’s said the installation supports its aim to transform and evolve its networks as it moves toward more autonomous network operations, enabling “greater resilience and performance” as customer demand grows.

“At Virgin Media O2, we are investing every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers,” said Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2. “Greater automation will help us predict and prevent issues and allow us to better spot and fix problems when they arise, reducing downtime and ensuring customers can trust us to deliver the dependable mobile experience they rely on.”