Virgin Media launches Intelligent WiFi Plus
Virgin Media has today announced a new WiFi service called Intelligent WiFi Plus that it claims will give millions of customers faster broadband speeds in more areas of their home.
The technology from US company Plume combines a suite of new, automatically deployed features on Virgin’s Hub 3 and Hub 4 routers with brand new Intelligent WiFi Pods that help to extend WiFi reach and speeds throughout the home.
Virgin claims the technology will transform in-home WiFi by combining faster speeds with more reliable connectivity, giving customers WiFi speeds up to three times faster in more locations of their property. In-home WiFi coverage is extended through the creation of a cloud-controlled ‘mesh’ network which constantly adapts and evolves.
The new WiFi Pods come exclusively with Intelligent WiFi Plus and can be simply plugged in and moved to any location in the home. However, all Virgin Media customers with Hub 3 or Hub 4 routers will still be able to benefit from the new Intelligent WiFi features, which have been rolled out at no extra cost.
New research from Virgin Media reveals that more than half of Brits have experienced poor in-home WiFi in at least one room of their home, with bedrooms said to be the trickiest place to get a reliable signal.
But with millions of people working remotely, people say they would prioritise faster and more reliable speeds in the areas of the home where they work to keep them connected.
The launch of the new service comes at a time when Virgin Media saw record breaking levels of data consumption in 2020 driven by an increase in smart-home devices in households, remote working, streaming, video calling and online gaming.
Says Jeff Dodds, Chief Operating Officer at Virgin Media:
“Intelligent WiFi Plus is our most advanced and impressive WiFi service to date that will help remove broadband blackspots and bring faster and more reliable speeds throughout the home. Whether our customers are working, streaming, browsing, playing or keeping connected online, the combo of new Hub features and WiFi Pods provides a step-change in connectivity that won’t let you down.”
Intelligent WiFi Plus is available now at no extra cost for Ultimate Oomph and Gig1 customers with other Virgin Media customers able to upgrade to the new service for just £5 per month. Customers will be able to request the new service by calling customer care.
