Mobile crash has readers in a panic

Published on 20/07/2012 09:34

IT was like living in some by-gone era, well, the mid-90s anyway.

That’s how local O2 customers felt this week when a total network crash left them without a mobile phone connection.

They joined an estimated eight million others to be left completely in the dark for 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday.

The issue was resolved by Friday morning, said the provider, with the company’s chief executive Ronan Dunne apologising for the crash.

He added that the company would look to offer some form of compensation to its customers, but hasn’t said yet what that would be.

Mobiles play a huge part in everyday life nowadays and for some act as a tool for accessing e-mail or social media sites as well as for sending texts and making calls.

One Mail reader, George Barr, says his mobile is vital to his professional life as a painter and decorator.

He said: “It was very annoying as I run my business from my phone.

“I was also working away from home for this week and that was a bit stressful.”

It is believed that the crash was caused by a faulty software upgrade to one of O2’s core systems.

This led to the company’s systems being unable to correctly register handsets to some customers over the 24-hour period and explains why the outage was nationwide, not as it would have been if a mast had gone down.

On Thursday Mail reader Jenna Crookston posted on our Facebook page: “I didn’t have a phone since yesterday dinner time until the same time today.

“You really don’t realise how much you depend on your phone until you don’t have it.

“It’s working now though, thank God.”

Kerry Kay said the problem had been “so stressful” saying that you don’t realise today just how much you need your phone.

Kerry added on Thursday evening: “My phone came back on today.

“I was so glad as most of my family and friends are 02 as well.”

O2 is now expected to face a full enquiry by telecoms regulator Ofcom.

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Mobile crash has readers in a panic

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