Virgin Media O2 is helping more people in need across the North West of England access free mobile data this Christmas.

It is rolling out the National Databank to all 17 O2-owned stores in the region, alongside increasing the amount of data available to help those who need it to get online and stay connected to loved ones.

O2-owned stores across Manchester and the North West, including Bolton, will provide free O2 data, plus texts and calls to anyone experiencing data poverty, regardless of their mobile provider.

This includes Bolton’s Middlebrook and Market Street stores.

The National Databank, created by Virgin Media O2 and the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, is like a foodbank for data, providing free O2 mobile data, texts and calls.

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Virgin Media O2 has committed more than 61 million GB of O2 data to the initiative by the end of 2025.

Virgin Media O2 has further boosted the amount of free O2 data available via all National Databank Digital Inclusion Hubs in the North West 25GB per month for six months, which is enough for around 275 hours of internet browsing per month.

Rob Orr, chief operations officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “To help people most affected by the cost-of-living crisis across the North West we’re opening the doors to more National Databank Digital Inclusion Hubs than ever before and making it easier for people to get connected.”