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Virgin Media Business

Wi-Fi Cloud from Virgin Media O2 Business

Wi-Fi Cloud is a managed public Wi-Fi solution that’s free to end-users, simple and open to all, enabling engagement and communication with citizens, driving footfall and increasing productive dwell-time. It generates rich end-user behaviour insights. Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) can be added as an option.

Features

  • One-Step Registration , with no user names and passwords required
  • Ability to deploy Wi-Fi as greenfield or over existing infrastructure
  • Branded webpages that enable engage with Buyers' end-users
  • Content Filtering and Bandwidth management, provided as standard
  • Fast reliable and Secure
  • Diverse venue-base, helping to build a large end-user community
  • Scalable, and delivered through strong partnerships across variety of venues
  • For Meraki, Layer-7 Application Traffic-Shaping can prioritize business critical apps
  • Fully compatible with Wi-Fi-Calling. Supports Cisco-Apple Fast-Lane optimization initiative
  • Overlay Wi-fi service

Benefits

  • Free Wi-Fi gives immediate access to 7,000+ O2 Wi-Fi hotspots
  • Become part of O2 network irrespective of service-provider
  • Provides valuable in-depth data analytics of users within Buyers' venue
  • Used for family friendly access for Buyers' guests
  • Does not eat into mobile data allowances
  • Potential to use as 3G/4G/5G backup to primary WAN
  • Gateway into other services e.g. UC, SIP, Cloud services, MDM
  • Cloud app and traffic prioritisation, delivered alongside office Wi-Fi
  • Footfall and reliable zone reporting on venue usage and utilisation

Pricing

£180 an instance a month

  • Education pricing available

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

5 1 7 1 8 7 8 1 8 0 0 6 7 8 8

Contact

Virgin Media Business Diane Murray
Telephone: 07973 622296
Email: publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk

Service scope

Service constraints
None
System requirements
None

User support

Email or online ticketing support
No
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
24 hours, 7 days a week
Web chat support
Web chat
Web chat support availability
24 hours, 7 days a week
Web chat support accessibility standard
None or don’t know
How the web chat support is accessible
WCAG 2.0 AA or EN 301 549 9: Web
Web chat accessibility testing
Not applicable
Onsite support
Onsite support
Support levels
O2 Wi-Fi Cloud proactively monitor the following services across Buyer venues 24/7, 365 days, notably - Core network, Servers, Network components, Connectivity & Availability Core Network Service Levels: P1 Major – 6hrs P2 Medium – 12hrs P3 Low – 5 days Hardware, Router, AP, Cabling 24hrs – 8am to 8pm.
Support available to third parties
Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
Users click on O2 Wi-Fi Cloud SSID and open a browser, the user fills a form on the welcome page. A text with a user code is then sent to the mobile number provided by the user. Once the user is verified they get access every time they connect to O2 Wi-Fi Cloud.
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
End-of-contract data extraction
Not applicable to the service
End-of-contract process
Please refer to Service Definition documentation

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Using the web interface
Users will have access to manage their Wifi service using our portals. This gives Buyers the ability to view analytics (eg Usage reporting) and also make changes to their landing pages across their venues.
Web interface accessibility standard
None or don’t know
How the web interface is accessible
Through a URL, using credentials with optional Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
Web interface accessibility testing
None
API
Yes
What users can and can't do using the API
Registration API - Push
Provides registration data in real time as the user signs-up
Pull
Allows Buyers to pull a list of marketing opt-ins for a given day
Session API - Subscription API.
Raw session data, “start” (arrive at venue), “interim” (dwell) and “stop”) (leave venue) for opted-in users.
Dataset API
Allows filtering of session data. Insights API - Reporting
Buyers can obtain summary reports of usage e.g. devices, connection duration etc.
API automation tools
  • Ansible
  • Other
Other API automation tools
  • Subscription APIs require access token from OAuth 2.0 Identity
  • Obtained using credentials provided during the onboarding process.
  • Token must be included in an Authorization HTTP header
API documentation
Yes
API documentation formats
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • PDF
Command line interface
No

Scaling

Scaling available
Yes
Scaling type
Automatic
Independence of resources
There is a 10GB monthly usage allowance. If Buyers use more than 10GB in any month, we may give a written warning (by email or otherwise). In extreme circumstances, if the levels of activity don't immediately decrease after the warning, we may reduce the quality of Service for the rest of that month or permanently, suspend or terminate the Service.
Usage notifications
Yes
Usage reporting
Other
Other usage reporting
We will contact users about any service limits.

Analytics

Infrastructure or application metrics
Yes
Metrics types
  • Network
  • Other
Other metrics
  • Monthly Service Reports to the Buyer are produced
  • Based upon the system availability KPIs
  • Service Performance Summary Report
  • Service Desk Report
  • Incident Summary Report
  • Problem Management Report
  • Root Cause Analysis for Priority 1 and major Incidents.
  • Root Cause Bulletin
  • Install, Move, Add and Change (IMAC) Delivery and Order Summary
  • Service Performance (against Service Level Agreement targets) and more
Reporting types
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
Yes
Data storage and processing locations
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
User control over data storage and processing locations
No
Datacentre security standards
Supplier-defined controls
Penetration testing frequency
At least once a year
Penetration testing approach
‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
Protecting data at rest
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
  • Other
Other data at rest protection approach
Physical access controls at data centre. Encryption of physical media.
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
Equipment disposal approach
A third-party destruction service

Backup and recovery

Backup and recovery
Yes
What’s backed up
All key functional service components including databases
Backup controls
The back ups are automated and performed on a regular basis
Datacentre setup
Multiple datacentres with disaster recovery
Scheduling backups
Users contact the support team to schedule backups
Backup recovery
Users contact the support team

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
  • Private network or public sector network
  • Other
Other protection between networks
O2 Wi-Fi Cloud services are physically separated from the Buyer's network.
Data protection within supplier network
Other
Other protection within supplier network
Private WAN service. We comply to data protection regulations including the Data Protection Act (DP).

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
Availability is dependent on Local site infrastructure, connectivity and the Core Network. The guaranteed availability will be based on the specific combination selected for the Buyer.
Approach to resilience
We have full resilience across all aspects of the Core network. This includes resilience within the Data Centres, across the Data Centres and connectivity in and out of the Data Centres.
Outage reporting
Any service outage is communicated via our Service Desk through our case management tool, which is ServiceNow. Each incident ticket that is raised related to Buyers will result in Buyers receiving an e-mail when the case is opened, updated, resolved and closed.

Identity and authentication

User authentication
Other
Other user authentication
In order to use the O2 Wi-Fi Cloud service, users will go through a simple, one-off registration process. Once registered the device MAC address is used to authenticate the device onto the service.
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
Not applicable - we do not provide access to management interfaces as part of the standard service.
Access restriction testing frequency
Never
Management access authentication
Other
Description of management access authentication
Not applicable to the service
Devices users manage the service through
Dedicated device on a segregated network (providers own provision)

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information
No audit information available
Access to supplier activity audit information
No audit information available
How long system logs are stored for
Between 6 months and 12 months

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
British Standards Institution
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
23/01/2022
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
The ISO 27001 certificate covers the protection of Buyer and Supplier employee information that is managed within the Supplier's organisation.
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Cyber essentials
Yes
Cyber essentials plus
Yes
Other security certifications
Yes
Any other security certifications
  • ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management
  • ISO 20000 IT Service Management

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security
Yes
Security governance certified
Yes
Security governance standards
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
Other security governance standards
• Cyber Essentials Plus • ISO 20000 IT Service Management • ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management • ISO 9001 Quality Management System
Information security policies and processes
The Supplier has its own information security policy based on ISO 27001, with established internal processes for handling security events. The Supplier has security teams dedicated to specific areas, and is audited by external auditors to ensure compliance with the standards we adhere to.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard
Supplier-defined controls
Configuration and change management approach
A Change Advisory Board meeting is held to discuss the change. Any risks or conflicts with other changes are highlighted. Testing and roll back procedures are discussed. Only once authorisation has been granted can the work take place. The change management ticket is updated and closed with the outcome noted.
Vulnerability management type
Supplier-defined controls
Vulnerability management approach
Our process which starts with hardening the equipment to reduce the likelihood of some vulnerabilities. For this we use CIS benchmarks for server and network equipment build. We also use OWASP for web applications We scan our hosts and networks with Qualys. We operate an internal CERT function and receive alerts from multiple sources. We carry out regular PENetration. We carry out an impact assessment. We remediate the issues, following a formal change-control process, within defined timescales. If an issue cannot be remediated, the risk owner can raise an exemption. Regular governance meetings are held to discuss risk register items.
Protective monitoring type
Supplier-defined controls
Protective monitoring approach
We aim for GPG 13 best practice. We log centrally to the Arcsight SIEM. Alerts on events are recorded as tickets, escalated to the correct team and investigated.
Incident management type
Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Incident management approach
The Supplier has a CERT (Computer Emergency Response) team. They are a defined part of our wider Incident handling processes, and Cyber type Incidents are escalated to them via defined process steps. They have close links with technical and legal people as well a senior management.

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice
Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Separation between users

Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart
Yes
Who implements virtualisation
Supplier
Virtualisation technologies used
VMware
How shared infrastructure is kept separate
Not applicable as the end users do not directly connect to the virtualisation environment.

Energy efficiency

Energy-efficient datacentres
Yes
Description of energy efficient datacentres
ISO 14001 certified with published Carbon Footprint information.

Social Value

Social Value

Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

Fighting climate change

The Supplier’s approach to protecting the environment is detailed in our Environment Policy and guided by certification to internationally recognised standards and systems including ISO14001:2015. The Supplier has internal policies regulating water usage, waste disposal, minimising single-use plastics and carbon emission reduction.   

In April 2023, we received validation from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) for the following carbon-reduction goals:
• Net zero by 2040 with a 90% reduction in value chain emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3).
• Reducing operational emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 90% and scope 3 emissions by 50% by the end of 2030.
• Reducing operational emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 60% and scope 3 emissions by 25% by the end of 2025.

As of February 2024, the Supplier has reduced operational emissions by 45% (baseline FY2020). Here are some examples of the actions we’re implementing to achieve our goals:
• A stringent Code of Conduct requiring suppliers to have a board-approved carbon reduction plan with SBTi-aligned Net Zero goals and interim targets.
• Continuing to source 100% renewable electricity to power our network where we control the bill.
• Delivering a Mast De-Carbonisation Project to drive the landlords of third-party sites to source green electricity. In 2023, the Supplier has de-carbonised 1,128 masts.
• Transitioning our fleet of over 4,000 vehicles to electric by the end of 2030.
• Free-of-charge carbon footprint estimations for our solutions, so customers are better equipped to implement technology sustainably. Our model has been certified by the Carbon Trust.

The Supplier also aims to achieve zero waste operations and zero waste products by the end of 2025. To support this, all customers (including public sector organisations) can receive cash for trading in their unwanted devices and a minimum of 95% of this waste is recycled.

Covid-19 recovery

Immediate response to the pandemic:
The Supplier’s priority during the COVID-19 pandemic was to ensure that communities were safe and supported. Actions included:
• Providing 40GB of free data a month to support home-schooling families struggling to connect during lockdown.
• Offering any customer who worked for the NHS an extra 10GB of data monthly for six months from Summer 2020.
• Partnering with environmental charity, Hubbub, to launch ‘Community Calling’, which works with 400+ local community organisations to re-distribute smartphones to people who need them most.
• Offering vulnerable customers on mobile contracts unlimited minutes and an extra 10GB of data
• Launching an Essential Broadband tariff for existing customers who receive Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance and/or Income-based Employment Support.

Continued support for those impacted by COVID-19:
The Supplier recognises that COVID-19 exacerbated existing economic and social challenges, and created new ones, so we’re continuing to contribute to economic recovery and support the most vulnerable. Actions include:
• Continuing to provide return-to-work opportunities – the Supplier recently announced 200 new entry-level positions being created in 2024.
• To ensure our customers can access the information they need, the Supplier offers over 60 zero-rate sites including National Energy Action, Citizens Advice and National Debtline.
• 9.7 million people are now eligible to benefit from the Supplier’s Essential Broadband tariff.
• In 2022, the Supplier provided a £400,000 grant fund to launch the Tech Lending Community. This initiative makes tablets and free data available to community organisations supporting vulnerable individuals across the UK, all while extending the life of second-hand tech.
• In June 2021, the Supplier announced its support for the ‘Together Coalition’, by offering grants of £1,000 to 400 small charities that champion and celebrate the community spirit, belonging and togetherness across the UK.

Tackling economic inequality

The Supplier is committed to tackling economic inequality across the UK. This includes:
• Hiring over 2,600 apprentices since our award-winning scheme began in 2008. Our ‘blind recruitment’ process opens opportunities to those who have potential but may lack relevant experience.
• Working with organisations, such as ‘Blind in Business’ and ‘Step into STEM’ to help create opportunities for groups often facing barriers to employment.
• Supporting business creation and growth, through Wayra (start-up cohort) and 5G accelerator hubs.
• Hosting a virtual work experience programme for 14–16-year-olds, focused on driving diversity in STEM careers.

The Supplier works directly with our customers to provide employment and upskilling opportunities in their communities. For example, our nationwide network of 170+ ‘Future Careers Ambassadors’ provides support and guidance to pupils from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. The Supplier pays around £2.5m every year through the Apprenticeship Levy and has spent 55% of the levy to date on apprenticeships (versus a UK average of 39%).

Additionally, the Supplier has a significant focus on addressing digital exclusion since this is a key barrier to economic equality. By 2025, we aim to:
• Connect 1 million digitally excluded individuals.
• Equip 6 million people with digital skills, confidence, and tools.

The Supplier’s customers benefit from access to subject matter experts in this space, as well as our established partnerships. Our digital inclusion initiatives include:
• Partnership with the Good Things Foundation to create the National Databank, which provides free-of-charge SIMs for individuals experiencing data poverty. Since 2022, over 78,568 SIMs have been distributed.
• The Supplier’s nationwide ‘Connect More’ programme enables our employees to use their five paid volunteering days to deliver digital skills training through local authority and third-sector drop-in centres.
• As part of our ‘Community Calling’ initiative, over 18,292 phones have been re-homed.

Equal opportunity

The Supplier is dedicated to tackling inequality and enabling everyone across the UK to fulfil their potential.
The Supplier’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, ‘All In’, sets bold ambitions to be achieved by 2027. These are measured and reviewed regularly to ensure that the Supplier is on track.
To support ‘All In’, the Supplier has created an Inclusive Recruitment Programme to ensure our end-to-end recruitment journey for internal/external talent is fully inclusive.
The Supplier also reduces barriers through our policies aimed at providing the right support and flexibility for all employees. This includes:
• Industry-leading Family Friendly people policies which include up to 26 weeks’ paid maternity and adoption leave, 14 weeks’ paternity leave and up to 12 weeks’ paid neonatal leave, plus paid time off for caring, bereavement, emergencies, and more.
• Optimising our workplace adjustment process in collaboration with industry leaders, ‘Microlink’.
• Our ‘Work Smarter, Live Better’ hybrid working policy empowers our people to work in a way that helps them thrive.
• Integrating an ‘Adjustment Passport’ into our HR system, which provides comprehensive documentation of the accommodations provided for employees. This eliminates the necessity to divulge personal information.
• Regularly collaborating with our employee networks which represent the LGBTQ+ community, gender, disabled people, people who are neurodivergent, unpaid carers, and underrepresented ethnic groups.
• Signing up to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme and working towards achieving the Level 2 Disability Confident Leader standard.
• Attaining the 'Carers Confident' Level 1 classification and actively progressing toward Level 2.
• Funding gender transition treatment for our transgender and non-binary employees and helping them access medical care and support.

Additionally, all our suppliers must provide a Modern Slavery Transparency Statement detailing the actions they have taken to minimise the risk of Modern Slavery in their operations and supply chains.

Wellbeing

Improving Health and Wellbeing:
The Supplier promotes a culture of health, education, and wellbeing so that we can support all employees, both personally and professionally.
Our ‘Thrive’ programme provides a comprehensive range of advice, tools and policies to ensure our people can be their best at work. As part of Thrive, our employees have free 24/7 access to confidential support and advice from trained therapists via Bupa Healthy Minds. Our people can also access free online treatment, such as Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
The Supplier offers the following management development modules:
1) Stamp Out Stigma: Managers’ mental health awareness
2) Anxiety and Depression: Managers’ toolkit
3) Workplace Stress: Managers’ survival kit.
To support physical wellbeing, the Supplier’s employees are enrolled on the Bupa Medical plan from day one. Our people can even choose to extend this to their partner and/or children by paying an amount every month. The Supplier also offers a Ride-to-Work scheme to help our people improve their fitness, reduce their carbon footprint, and save money on the cost of a bike.
Personal development also has a crucial role in wellbeing, so the Supplier ensures that our people have the right knowledge, skills and behaviours to reach their full potential. We have a wealth of learning and development tools available, including unlimited access to 16,000+ online courses on LinkedIn Learning, which are taught by passionate real-world professionals.

Community Integration:
When delivering social value propositions, the Supplier prioritises collaborating with the community to help deliver a shared vision for the area. This includes partnering with the public sector, private sector, and third sector.
Additionally, all the Supplier's employees have five paid volunteering days per year to support and connect with their local communities, digitally and in person. Since 2023 alone, our people have supported over 443 charitable causes.

Pricing

Price
£180 an instance a month
Discount for educational organisations
Yes
Free trial available
No

Service documents

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.