Thousands Report Vodafone Outage Across the UK
Thousands of Vodafone customers across the UK were left without broadband or mobile data on Monday afternoon following a major outage that affected both home and business users. According to monitoring site Downdetector, more than 130,000 users reported issues with Vodafone broadband and mobile connectivity, sparking widespread concern and frustration online.
The company, which serves more than 18 million UK customers, including nearly 700,000 broadband users, confirmed that its services were disrupted but assured that the Vodafone network was “recovering” by Monday evening.
Vodafone Acknowledges the Issue
In an official statement, a Vodafone spokesperson said: “This afternoon the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services. 2G voice calls and SMS messaging were unaffected, and the network is now recovering. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers.”
The disruption reportedly began shortly after 3:00 PM BST, impacting large parts of the country, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Glasgow. Many customers took to social media to ask, “Is Vodafone down?”, while others complained of being unable to contact customer support due to the outage.
Customers Struggle with Connectivity and Customer Support
Users expressed frustration over being unable to access both Vodafone broadband and mobile data, with many reporting that even the company’s website and app were temporarily inaccessible.
“Sort it out soon please,” wrote one customer on X (formerly Twitter), saying they had to use a coffee shop’s Wi-Fi to continue working. Another user commented, “I’m self-employed and can’t do anything right now. I regret having my broadband and mobile on the same network.”
Some Vodafone stores, including one in Clapham, south-west London, were seen displaying printed notices about the network issue, as customers gathered outside seeking updates.
Widespread Impact: Voxi, Talk Mobile, and Lebara Also Down
The Vodafone outage also disrupted services for several mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that rely on Vodafone’s infrastructure. Users of Voxi (owned by Vodafone), Talk Mobile, and Lebara reported similar problems, with many saying their mobile internet and calls were completely down.
Telecoms expert Sabrina Hoque from Uswitch said that such large-scale outages are “a really frustrating experience for customers, especially when it’s not clear how long they could last.”
Internet watchdog NetBlocks confirmed on X that Vodafone was experiencing a “national outage” impacting both broadband and mobile data. Similarly, Cloudflare Radar, which tracks internet traffic globally, noted that Vodafone had “effectively dropped off the internet, with traffic dropping to zero.”
Experts Weigh In on the Cause
While Vodafone has not disclosed the exact cause of the outage, cybersecurity experts suggested that it was likely due to a technical fault or configuration error, rather than a cyberattack.
“Incidents like this are often caused by misconfigurations or internal system errors,” explained Daniel Card, a cyber expert with the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. “Having teams capable of diagnosing and responding rapidly to network failures is key to maintaining public trust and keeping the UK’s digital infrastructure running smoothly.”
Network Recovery Underway
By late Monday evening, many users reported that their services were gradually coming back online, although some continued to experience intermittent issues. Vodafone said it was monitoring the situation closely and working to fully restore connectivity across all affected areas.
However, customer sentiment on social media remained mixed. While some appreciated Vodafone’s quick communication, others criticized the lack of real-time updates and transparency during the outage.
What to Do If Vodafone Is Down in Your Area
For those still experiencing problems, experts recommend restarting routers and mobile devices, checking local service maps on the Vodafone website, or visiting Downdetector for live outage updates. Users can also contact Vodafone support through social media platforms for quicker responses during large-scale disruptions.
Customers relying on Vodafone for business operations were particularly hard-hit, highlighting the growing dependence on reliable broadband and mobile connectivity in the UK’s remote-working economy.
Conclusion
The Vodafone outage serves as a stark reminder of how deeply integrated internet connectivity has become in daily life. As Vodafone continues to restore services, users across the UK are calling for greater investment in network resilience and faster communication during service disruptions.
For those affected, the company has yet to confirm whether compensation or bill credits will be offered, though similar cases in the past have resulted in refunds for extended outages.
As of late Monday, Vodafone said services were “largely restored”, with teams continuing to monitor network performance across all regions.
To stay updated on the latest in technology, business, and startup news, visit Startup News.
