Virgin Media O2 has expanded its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network to more than 70 percent of the UK's population.

Providing an update to its 5G SA network rollout, the telco revealed the network is live in 500 towns and cities across the country.

Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA network in February of last year.

The 5G SA network is not reliant on older mobile generations - it solely uses a 5G core network - and is based on the cloud.

The service increases network capacity, cuts latency, and can connect to an increased number of connected devices.

5G SA enables network slicing, which allows telcos to offer dedicated services for a host of business use cases.

The telco reached its 500th location with its 5G SA network this week in Bakewell, Derbyshire. Bakewell is the home of the Bakewell Tart, a pastry-based dessert containing almonds and jam. To celebrate the milestone, a giant Bakewell Tart was created.

“We are investing £2m ($2.73m) 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.

"By expanding our 5G Standalone network to 500 towns and cities and 70 percent of the population, we are continuing to deliver on that and are excited about the opportunities the new network will bring. This customer-centric rollout is about futureproofing our network and will pave the way for exciting customer-led innovations that lie ahead.”

Earlier this year, Virgin Media O2 announced plans to invest £700 million ($955m) into its mobile network this year in an effort to improve its reliability, speed, and coverage across the UK.

The telco is currently switching off its 3G network and expects to complete the shutdown by the end of this year.