UK mobile network operator Virgin Media O2 has expanded its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network to cover several major towns across Dorset.

The telco has switched on its 5G SA network in Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Swanage, and Christchurch.

It means that Virgin Media O2's 5G SA network is now available in more than 500 locations across the country.

Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA network back in February 2024.

5G SA is a network that is not reliant on older mobile generations and solely uses a 5G core network; it will be better equipped to embrace AI.

“Our new 5G Standalone network is now live in Dorset, providing an impressive upgrade for local people and businesses and creating new opportunities in and around the county," said Dr Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2.

"We are investing every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers, futureproofing our connectivity and paving the way for exciting innovations that lie ahead.”

The carrier's 5G SA expansion is part of Virgin Media O2's £700 million ($962m) Mobile Transformation Plan to bolster its connectivity across the country.

As of September, Virgin Media's total 5G SA footprint sits at just over 70 percent of the UK's population.