Give O2 a break - you shouldn't be so dependent on your phone

A large chunk of the country is up in arms over O2's well documented network failure, leaving many people up the creek without a paddle.

However, as we witness frustrated O2 customers imploding on Twitter and Facebook, we think to ourselves hang on; maybe everyone should just chill out.

Let us take you back to a simpler time, say 10 years ago, where app stores and video streaming on the go were the stuff of dreams, and mobiles were predominantly used for their initial purpose, calls and texts.

Back then people managed to get through day to day life without having to check their phone every 20 seconds for the latest news or status update – we could happily go hours, if not days, without really engaging with our phone.

Spoiled by smartphones

Back to the present day and the role of the mobile phone in every day live has grown exponentially, and we seem to have forgotten that yes, it is indeed possible to get through a 24 hour period without one.

Smartphones spoil us with their vast range of features and functions, and although incredibly useful, they are certainly not the be all and end all.

Sure it's a pain you can't check your emails on the bus, or update the world on what sandwich you'll have for lunch, but isn't that what computers are for anyway?

2G back, remember Wi-Fi?

O2 has messed up with the network outage, but at least it's been transparent, providing regular updates on the situation.

It got its 2G network back online by 8am this morning (12 July) – meaning calls and texts should now be working for everyone.

Ok so you can't download the update for Angry Birds through the network just yet, but seriously, who cares?

The number of free Wi-Fi hotspots now available in many areas of the country also means that it you desperately need to get online with your phone you can jump into the nearest MacDonalds or coffee chain and tweet the world about how fed up you are with O2, while weeping into your mocha.

Or, of course, you could be patient – make calls and send texts, do some actual work and wait until you get home to check your favourite websites and social networks – because let's face it, O2 is going to be working round the clock to get this fixed, and it'll probably be sorted by dinner.

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