Virgin Media has revealed the latest towns and villages to benefit from the UK’s fastest broadband; giving residents access to nearly twenty times the national average connection1. Virgin Media’s highly anticipated ultrafast 100Mb broadband service is now on sale for the first time in:
- Cheshunt, Hertfordshire;
- Hatfield, Hertfordshire;
- Pentwyn, Cardiff, Wales;
- Southport, Merseyside; and
- Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
These join the original 200k homes in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan; Colchester, Essex; Farnborough, Hampshire; and Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire as the first places in the country to be able to access next generation broadband, making them the fastest internet locations in the UK.
The 100Mb service allows users to download an entire music album in as little as 5 seconds; a TV show in around 30 seconds, a high quality movie in as little as 1½ minutes and a high definition movie in around 7 minutes2. However Virgin Media research has shown the service will truly come into its own when more than one person is online at home at the same time, using connected TVs, computers, games consoles or mobile smartphones.
The explosion in the use of these devices means that internet data consumption on Virgin Media’s network has increased over 215% in the past three years. Following successful consumer trials of 100Mb and 200Mb speeds, Virgin Media confirmed that faster broadband speeds provide users with the greater bandwidth to ensure a hassle-free and enjoyable way to access entertainment and everyday services, particularly in shared households.
As well as providing 100Mb download speeds, the service will also deliver 10Mb upload speeds, giving Virgin Media customers the ability to share content such as live high-definition video with ease3. The new 100Mb package comes with a custom built, energy efficient, combined modem and wireless ‘N’ router4, which has the potential to deliver speeds of up to 400Mb as new services roll-out in the future5. A family will be able to get the new ultrafast service for as little as £35 a month6 when bought in a bundle, or just £45 per month when bought as a sole product.
Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media said: “From establishing the UK’s first ever broadband service to the launch of 100Mb just ten years later, Virgin Media has led the greatest developments in digital Britain. We’ve invested many billions of private money in order to build a growing network that already passes approximately 13 million homes across the UK. We’re racing to get these ultrafast speeds across this entire area as fast as we can to meet demand.”
As well as investing in the expansion of its network through traditional underground cable building work, Virgin Media is also conducting trials of innovative new methods to deploy high speed networks over telegraph or electricity poles and is exploring potential opportunities to connect more towns and villages to its next generation network.
