Virgin Media O2 has issued an apology as thousands across the UK faced significant internet disruptions on February 24, 2025. Reports of issues began surfacing just after 10:00 AM GMT, rapidly increasing on tracking site DownDetector, which confirmed over 10,000 complaints by midday. Users reported various connectivity problems, with the most common complaint centered on the inability to access the internet entirely.
The majority of users reported issues with their landline internet, with approximately 72% of complaints relating to this specific service, whilst 18% experienced complete disruptions, rendering their connections inactive. The difficulties began as early as 9:50 AM, peaking around 10:30 AM. Restive customers, many working remotely on what is usually the most demanding day of the week, took to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustrations.
A Virgin Media spokesperson addressed the outages, stating, "We’re aware some customers are experiencing intermittent issues with their services. We apologise for any inconvenience and are working to fix this as a priority." This public acknowledgment came amid intensified complaints about the provider's reliability—a concern evidenced by Virgin Media’s standing as the UK's most-complained broadband provider as of January 2024. Yet, by February 2025, Ofcom reported improved incidents, with fewer complaints compared to other providers like TalkTalk and EE.
Users noted some specific challenges, particularly with Microsoft services. Reports highlighted interruptions relating to Microsoft Teams and Office 365, as many struggled to log onto these platforms, hampering productivity for both remote workers and students. Complaints centered around gaming services, particularly Xbox Live, which added to the growing frustrations surrounding Virgin Media's service during peak usage times.
Interestingly, some users found temporary solutions to their connectivity problems. Several reported success when switching to third-party Domain Name System (DNS) providers or utilizing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as workarounds. This suggests the disruption wasn't necessarily with the broadband connection itself but rather with the routing of the data traffic managed by Virgin Media and its partner networks.
By early afternoon, many users reported some restoration of service, but complaints remained significant. Virgin Media indicated they were continuing to work on resolving the issues, asking affected customers to monitor the service status page for updates. Meanwhile, users expressed their disdain online, capturing the collective sentiment with comments such as, "Oh look, Virgin Media is on fire again. Must be the weekly outage," and, "My lord, @virginmedia has to be the worst internet provider in the UK."
With the outage persisting before signs of recovery, the company had to contend with the frustration of users taking to social media platforms to share their experiences. While some documented humorously intended frustrations, such as one tweet declaring the service disruption must be the habitual "weekly outage," others expressed serious dissatisfaction. Comments reflected growing concerns about the provider's reliability and overwhelming service pricing amid frequent interruptions, leading some to publicly contemplate switching to alternative internet providers.
This latest outage is only the most recent incident highlighting Virgin Media's operational difficulties. Consumers have expressed disappointment about the perceived value of their service, especially after experiencing consecutive service interruptions. The outage coinciding with working hours highlighted the dependencies users have on stable internet connections for remote work, meetings, and other commitments. The social media outcry provides insightful reflections of how such technological issues are felt widely across different sectors of society.
While service restoration began to emerge as complaints receded, many users remained skeptical and frustrated by the overall experience. With reports dwindling, Virgin Media continued to monitor issues, promising users clarity and confidence as they worked to stabilize service and increase reliability moving forward.
Through these persistent customer challenges and Virgin Media's struggle to address them, this situation reiterates the importance of reliable broadband, especially as more people integrate digital services and remote working models across everyday life. With the infrastructure under scrutiny, it will be imperative for Virgin Media to improve customer communication, operational reliability, and service quality to regain user trust.