Virgin Media O2 launches GBP £3m device reuse fund

Virgin Media O2 has launched a £3 million fund to expand local device reuse networks across the UK, with the programme due to run until 2030.

The Tech Rehome Network Fund will support councils, charities and community organisations that recover, refurbish and redistribute unwanted phones, tablets and laptops. An initial £500,000 round will back a small number of city-wide projects, with further rounds planned.

The move follows research commissioned by the telecoms group, which found about 460 million digital devices are sitting unused in UK homes and businesses. Of those, around 267 million are thought to be suitable for reuse or repair.

At the same time, 1.5 million people in the UK do not have access to a smartphone, tablet or laptop. The findings point to a gap between the stock of unused technology and the systems needed to get devices to people who need them.

Unused stock

The study found households hold an average of seven unused digital devices, while businesses hold an average of 45. More than half of consumers said the oldest unused device in their home had been sitting unused for at least five years.

Nearly half of businesses said they keep spare devices in case another employee needs them. Yet when staff do need equipment, 42% said they buy a new device, compared with 34% that reassign an existing one.

The fund is intended to strengthen local programmes in cities where reuse schemes already exist but need funding to become sustainable. It also forms part of Virgin Media O2's wider responsible business plan and its goal of promoting device reuse in 30 cities by 2030.

The research suggests willingness to donate is not the main barrier. Nine in 10 consumers said they would donate an unwanted device if they knew it would help someone in need, while 82% of businesses said the same.

Local trust also appears to matter. Nearly three quarters of consumers and businesses said they would be more likely to donate if they knew devices would remain in their local community.

Awareness, however, remains low. The survey found 61% of consumers do not know of a local organisation where they can donate unwanted technology, while 64% of businesses said the same.

Digital divide

The findings also highlight limited public understanding of digital exclusion. Nearly six in 10 people said they were not familiar with the term, and more than half had never considered that an unused device could help someone who lacks access to digital technology.

Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: "Digital exclusion affects millions of people across the UK, yet our study shows the technology that could help tackle it is already sitting in homes and businesses across the country. Through the Tech Rehome Network Fund, we're investing in trusted local organisations to build the networks cities need to keep devices in use for longer. By making it easier for households and businesses across cities to pass on unwanted technology, we can give devices a second life while helping more people get online."

The government welcomed efforts to increase the supply of second-hand devices for people without access to technology. Ministers have been seeking to encourage wider reuse of IT equipment through national schemes.

Vicky Foxcroft, Minister for Digital Inclusion, said: "The costs of purchasing a phone, tablet or computer can be a major barrier to people getting themselves online. The reality is that there are countless unused devices sitting in homes around the country. Through schemes like our IT Reuse for Good Charter, government is setting the direction on getting unused devices into the hands of people who need them most, but we can't do it alone. Closing the digital divide requires government, businesses, civil society and communities to work together, and I'm pleased to see Virgin Media O2 pioneering practical solutions that will make a real difference to people's lives."

Building locally

The new fund builds on Virgin Media O2's work with Coventry City Council on the #CovConnects digital inclusion programme and device bank. That scheme takes end-of-first-life devices from businesses and public sector organisations and redistributes them through local community networks.

Virgin Media O2 wants applicants from England, Scotland and Wales, particularly in cities where the basis for reuse networks already exists but more support is needed to expand operations. The focus is on creating local systems that can collect unwanted devices, prepare them for reuse and place them with residents who would otherwise struggle to get online.

The research behind the announcement was based on two online surveys of 1,002 UK adults and 1,102 business decision-makers. The estimate of 460 million unused devices was calculated using average numbers reported by households and businesses, then applied to national totals.

For Virgin Media O2, the case rests on a mismatch between dormant equipment and unmet need: millions of devices are in storage, while large numbers of people remain without the tools needed to access online services, work and communication.