O2 down in parts of UK
The O2 network is down in parts of the UK, leaving O2 and GiffGaff customers with an unreliable phone or data signal.
The O2 network is down in parts of the UK, leaving customers with an intermittent phone or data signal. O2 is investigating the problem, which is also affecting GiffGaff customers.
We first spotted complaints popping up in our Facebook news feed, as friends around the country wave their phones in the air with a puzzled look before turning to Facebook -- probably while they're supposed to be working, the feckless chancers. It appears that problems started at 1.30pm, and both phone and data signal have been coming and going ever since.
The O2 service status currently reads there are 'ongoing' problems with calls and data.
"Parts of our network aren't working," O2 says. "This means your service might come and go until we fix the problem." On Twitter, the network is telling anyone who complains that "engineers are working on a network issue as we speak".
The problem is also affecting GiffGaff, the discount network that uses O2's infrastructure. "We are currently experiencing an outage for voice and data (2G and 3G)," GiffGaff says. "We are investigating the issue and hope to have it up and running as soon as possible. All users will experience intermittent voice and data for the duration."
Friends in York and London have even tried turning their phones and off -- they're technologically gifted, our mates -- but still no joy. On the O2 forums, disgruntled O2ers from as far afield as Weymouth, Glasgow and South Wales are bereft of bars. Strangely, some of those affected report that other O2 customers in the same room or office are working fine.
Are you on O2? Are you suffering problems with your phone? Tell me what's going on with your signal in the comments or on our Facebook page.
To cheer yourself up and to catch up on everything else that's been happening in the world of phones this week, hit play on our jaunty Phone News video below.
Update 12 July: O2 says its 2G network is back up, and 3G service should resume today. I've found turning off 3G boosts my 2G signal, so give that a go if you're still having problems. Thank you for all your comments so far -- let me know how you get on today.