Virgin Media (NASDAQ:VMED LSE:VMED), the UK’s leading broadband provider, today
announced the launch of a new 30Mb broadband service, due to replace the existing 20Mb service from February 1st. Unlike other fibre optic broadband services based on VDSL technology, such as BT Infinity, Virgin Media customers can expect to receive speeds close to the stated headline 30Mb speed1, and aren’t subject to the ”speed lottery” that plagues broadband delivered over telephone wires.
With the huge take-up of smartphones, the growing interest in WiFi-enabled tablets, coupled with the increased demand on broadband bandwidth from consumers watching TV shows online, the new service will give Virgin Media families 50% more bandwidth to share between all their connected devices at no extra monthly cost.
The new ‘XL’ service will cost just £18.50 per month, down from the previous price of £20 when taken with a Virgin Media home phone. The new service offers unlimited downloads and with speeds cranked up to 30Mb, is expected to give customers faster average speeds than BT Infinity whether it’s catching up on the latest TV shows, or downloading games and music. With the new 30Mb service Virgin Media customers can enjoy a consistently faster, unlimited service, for significantly less than BT Infinity products.
|
Virgin Media XL 30Mb |
BT Infinity Option 1 |
BT Infinity Option 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
Price including landline |
£18.50+£12.24 = £30.74 |
£20+£13.60 = £33.60 |
£25.60+£13.60 = £39.20 |
Price difference |
- |
£2.86 |
£8.46 |
Minimum contract |
12m |
18m |
18m |
Service cost over 12m |
£368.88 |
£403.20 |
£470.40 |
Service cost over 18m |
£553.32 |
£604.80 |
£705.60 |
Download speeds |
Up to 30Mb |
Up to 40Mb |
Up to 40Mb |
Upload speeds |
Up to 3Mb2 |
Up to 2Mb |
Up to 10Mb |
Data allowance |
Unlimited |
40GB |
Unlimited |
Expected download speeds |
Over 90% of stated |
Dependent on location |
Dependent on location |
Prices correct at time of press and based on paying by Direct Debit. One-time Installation/Set-Up fees apply. Virgin Media expected download speeds based on Broadband Performance Monitoring; see www.virginmedia.com/speedhonesty. BT Infinity speeds are dependent on copper line length and degrade over increased distances. BT does not disclose real-world typical performance of its BT Infinity service.
Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media said: “As consumers continually demand more and more from their broadband, the unique power of our next-generation network means that we’re able to turn up the dial to meet their needs. With so many devices connecting to the internet at home these days, our new 30Mb service will give Virgin Media families that extra boost needed to make everything run smoothly, with speeds that don’t slow down depending on where you live.”
Existing customers already on ‘XL’ broadband at 20Mb are being invited to upgrade to the new ‘XL’ at 30Mb from 1st February, with only a one-off upgrade fee of £30 to cover activation and exchange of their old modem and router for Virgin Media’s state-of-the-art ‘SuperHub’3. The ‘SuperHub’ combined DOCSIS 3.0 modem and router is capable of Gigabit wired connectivity as well as dual-band ‘N’ WiFi for the ultimate in wireless connectivity to make the most of Virgin Broadband throughout the home.
Virgin Media’s fibre optic broadband product range from February 1st will feature 10Mb, 30Mb, 50Mb and 100Mb, and is now enjoyed by over 4 million homes with a true next-generation network delivering consistent speeds wherever a customers lives – making Virgin Media larger than TalkTalk and second only to BT Retail. With a total footprint covering nearly 13 million homes, Virgin Media services will be made available in new areas as Virgin Media expands its network4 across the UK.
To find out more about Virgin Media’s products and services, please visit www.virginmedia.com
