VMO2 nears gigabit milestone
November 9, 2021
By Colin Mann
UK multiplay telco Virgin Media O2 says it is close to completing its national gigabit rollout programme with more than 90 per cent of homes across its network now able to access its hyperfast gigabit broadband.
As part of its latest gigabit switch-on, Virgin Media O2 has upgraded its network with 1.6 million extra homes gaining access to next-generation connectivity in towns and cities including Lincoln, Bath, Lancaster, Fife, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Slough and Salisbury among many others.
Virgin Media says its next-generation Gig1 broadband service, with average download speeds of 1,130Mbps, is the fastest available from a major broadband provider in the UK – 22 times faster than the national average. By the end of 2021, the company will deliver gigabit broadband speeds across its entire network of 15.5 million homes.
“We’re making great strides ahead in upgrading the UK and are within touching distance of bringing the benefits of future-proof gigabit broadband to everyone on our network,” declared Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media O2. “With our gigabit rollout progressing at an unmatched pace, we’re building the next-generation broadband network that’s ready for the technology of tomorrow.”
As part of its mission to upgrade the UK, the company has committed to invest at least £10 billion (€11.7bn) over the next five years in the UK and, building on the success of its existing fibre network expansion activity, is actively exploring options to go further and faster by deploying fibre to millions of additional homes across the country.
This investment includes an accelerated monthly rollout of gigabit speeds to multiple locations across the UK between now and the end of 2021.
Recently, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – using ThinkBroadband data – revealed that more than 50 per cent of UK homes now have access to gigabit broadband and praised Virgin Media O2 for its major contribution.
Virgin Media O2 has also recently announced its intention to upgrade its fixed network to full fibre to the premises (FTTP) with completion in 2028. This technology is capable of delivering symmetrical 10Gbps download and upload speeds meaning Virgin Media O2 will be well equipped for the decades ahead as the demand for speed and capacity continues to rise.