Mobile network operator O2 in the UK has owned up and apologised to customers who have suffered poor network availability and reliability in London.
In an interview with the Financial Times O2 executive director Ronan Dunne admitted that some customers in London were unable to make or receive calls and the transfer of data was slow and unreliable because of pressure placed on O2's network from smartphones.
O2 stated that the situation occurred in the second half of the year and has now been rectified with a £30 million investment in the capital during December to help improve network capacity. Detailing the improvements further O2 said that it was working with its infrastructure supplier Nokia Siemens Networks on software modifications, installing 200 additional mobile base stations in London. O2 will also liaise with smartphone manufacturers to become aware of heavy usage applications.
In the article O2 failed to recognise a country wide issue with multiple outages occurring across the country during 2009.
"Where we haven't met our own high standards, then there's no question, we apologize to customers for that fact," said Dunne. "But it would be wrong to say O2 has failed its customers en masse."