O2's response to COVID-19

As an O2 Direct Partner, we want to keep you up-to-date and fully informed on our response to COVID-19 and our partner's responses.

O2's latest business update on COVID-19:

"We're all having to face this challenging and uncertain time as best we can. And although it's challenging to predict exactly how COVID-19 (coronavirus) will continue to impact the UK, we can assure you we're staying close to government advice to make the right decisions for our people and everyone who relies on the O2 network. We understand the importance of keeping Britain moving at a time like this - and we don't underestimate the role we have to play. As we all limit our movements and physical interaction, connectivity is more important than ever. So, we'll continue to do everything we can to keep the UK connected whilst we manage and support the wellbeing of our people and customers."

Supporting our customers:

"We want to help keep everyone connected so that customers can work remotely and flexibly and can keep their employees and business connected too. We're making it free for everyone to access NHS advice most conveniently. Calls to the NHS 111 helpline have always been free, and now we're supporting that by zero-rating NHS UK websites. This means any data your employees use on these sites won't be chargeable or count towards monthly data allowances on your standard business tariffs."

Supporting our people:

"We update our people daily, sharing the latest guidance and advice. We've taken steps to support more people working from home and encouraged as many meetings as possible to use the various connectivity methods rather than face-to-face. We also have a dedicated internal hotline that our people can call if they have any concerns over their personal situations. We realise we have many people in customer-facing roles and understand the particular challenges that come with that. We thank them for their incredible effort and understanding during these unprecedented times. The situation in the UK is changing every day, and we'll continue to monitor developments, so we have the most up-to-date information and react as quickly as possible. Our people and our customers are our priority, and we're here to support each and every one."

Steps O2 are taking to keep the UK connected when we all need it most:

For O2 customers:

• O2 are helping keep everyone connected so that customers can work remotely and flexibly and can keep their employees and business connections too.
• O2 have made access to NHS websites free, and the 111 helplines have always been free. This means any data your employees use on these sites won't be chargeable or count towards monthly data allowances on our standard business tariffs.
• You have 24/7 access to your account on My O2 Business, giving you instant access online to your bills, and you can request changes to your account, swap sims and much more.
• O2 are holding flexible working webinars for hundreds of businesses to help them adapt to new ways of working.

About O2's shops:

• O2 has closed all O2 shops in the UK to protect both their customers and their people. They can still serve you through My O2 Business.
• They're protecting their people's base pay whilst their shops are shut.

O2's network:

• O2 is investing £2 million every day in their network to make it as reliable as possible.
• Over the last few days, they've increased their capacity even further to help handle the extra demand. They'll continue to do this.

For government:

• O2 are working with the government to help them use mobile data and technology to manage the pandemic.

For O2's people:

• All staff have base pay protection if they need to care for others or isolate themselves.
• O2 updates its people every day and has a dedicated internal helpline for any concerns.

Mark Evans, CEO at O2, said, "Our customers are the most important thing to us. We want to ensure that they have the support they need throughout this difficult time. Further to our previous announcements, we're ensuring that additional websites providing financial, health, and emotional advice and support can also be accessed by our customers. It can be accessed without using any data allowance for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis."

You can find the complete list of zero-rated sites by clicking here.