O2 just can't keep it up
Another data outage over Bank-holiday weekend
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O2 again showed its commitment to mission-critical wireless by dropping the national data network on Saturday, another unexplained outage that left customers having to talk to each other again.
The statement we finally managed to get out of O2 this morning simply admits that there was an outage, and that it lasted for around two hours on Saturday, though the O2 forums, and reports from El Reg readers, would seem to indicate a longer downtime.
It's not the first time that O2 has forced customers to find other sources of entertainment. Customers were left disconnected three times during July, but August seems to have been a more reliable month at O2's offices in Slough. Perhaps having half the country on holiday helped.
Given the operator's reluctance to explain what went wrong last time, we can only assume that whatever it was still isn't fixed. We'll continue to ask how O2 is going to reassure customers that its data network can be relied upon, when outages are not only commonplace, but also unexplained. ®
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COMMENTS
Only 4 more months to go
and then I can make O2 unlock my iphone and try using someone who actually has a 3G network - those 3G coverage maps of the UK, showing O2 to have the worst 3G network of anyone, were very telling.
O2's business model seems to be to get all the smartphones going on exclusivity deals, and then not provide any network to use them on. Shame.
Tut tut...
Relying on a data connection for your maps has always struck me as far too much faith in technology. I'm far happier with Nokia maps' pre-loading ability.
I also have paper maps in the car in case of a terminal technology failure, and I'm also known to check routes before departing (shock horror!). Then again I'm one of those rare few who can still read road signs, and doesn't just blindly follow sat navs down rivers and over cliffs.
Has everyone forgotten
O2 were spun out of Cellnet, which was a division of BT. This means I wouldn't touch them with your bargepole, no matter how many shiny geegaws they offer.
Also means that cloud computing/always connected is still a pile of poo, at least in the UK. You can have my CAT5 cable when you pry it... etc. At least for the next few years.
Grumpy luddite b*stard icon, please.
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