Vodafone Outage Disrupts Thousands of Broadband and Mobile Users Across the UK
Tens of thousands of Vodafone users in the UK faced significant service disruptions on Monday, causing widespread frustration. The issues began around 3 PM and quickly escalated, with reports reaching over 135,000 by 3:20 PM according to Downdetector.
Extent of the Vodafone Outage
The service disruptions primarily affected Vodafone’s broadband and mobile services. An analysis of the reports revealed the following:
- More than two-thirds of complaints related to broadband services.
- Nearly 25% of reports involved mobile internet access.
- Approximately 8% of users could not make calls due to a lack of mobile signal.
Additionally, some customers experienced difficulties accessing the Vodafone app and website, compounding the issues.
Areas Affected
Reports of service failure came from numerous cities, including:
- London
- Birmingham
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- Manchester
Importantly, the outage was confined to Vodafone customers and was reportedly unrelated to any cyber-attack.
Service Restoration
Vodafone acknowledged the problem and stated connectivity was restored late Monday afternoon. A spokesman indicated that the incident impacted broadband, 4G, and 5G services, while 2G voice calls and SMS messaging remained unaffected.
Despite the restoration, around 4,000 issues were still reported on Downdetector just after 6 PM.
Impact on Customers
Vodafone serves over 18 million customers in the UK, with more than 700,000 relying on its broadband services. The company recently merged with Three UK, creating the largest mobile provider in the country, which now serves over 27 million subscribers.
Customers of Three were not impacted by the Vodafone outage.
Regulatory Context
Experts have noted the implications of such outages. Sabrina Hoque from Uswitch.com emphasized that persistent issues may entitle affected customers to compensation. According to Ofcom regulations:
- Customers might receive £9.76 per day for prolonged broadband outages.
- Compensation for mobile signal outages varies based on specific circumstances.
While some other networks, such as BT and Virgin Media O2, reported normal operations, the disruptions faced by Vodafone customers highlight ongoing challenges within the telecommunications sector.
