Virgin Media O2 puts the National Databank on the High Street

With the cost-of-living crisis deepening and around two million UK households at risk of digital exclusion, Virgin Media O2 is helping more people in need access free mobile data by piloting the National Databank for the first time on the High Street via 10 O2 stores across the UK.

The National Databank, founded by Virgin Media O2 and digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, is like a foodbank but for free mobile data, texts, and calls. Virgin Media O2 has committed more than 61 million GB of free O2 data to the initiative by the end of 2025. People can now access the National Databank directly on the High Street via O2 stores and get 20GB of free O2 data per month for up to six months – enough for around 220 hours of internet browsing per month – so they can get online and stay in touch with loved ones. The O2 stores taking part in the pilot are in towns and cities where the free data will help those most in need. This includes communities where people are most likely to be digitally excluded or places where people have not been able to access the National Databank in their area before.

The O2 stores taking part in the pilot are in Ballymena, Broadstairs (Thanet Westwood Cross) Colchester, Hastings, Hull (Jameson Street), Norwich, Newport, Perth, Plymouth, and Stockton-on-Tees (Teesside Retail Park). Those eligible can get support by going to one of the participating stores and asking an O2 employee, who has been trained to use the National Databank’s platform, for a 20GB data voucher. The National Databank can also be accessed via a network of more than 650 participating community partners nationwide.

On top of this, Virgin Media O2 is also providing an additional 1 million GB of free O2 data to help even more people stay connected this Christmas. Special ‘O2 Christmas SIM Cards’ are available in O2 stores nationwide and online, while stocks last, helping those who need it access 7GB of free O2 data. The ‘O2 Christmas SIM Card’ can also be gifted to anyone who needs it, and they can get a free O2 SIM card if they need one, to ensure they can use the data and get online.