Virgin Media O2 completes gigabit broadband upgrade
Virgin Media O2 has today completed the upgrade of its entire national network to gigabit speeds, delivering nearly two-thirds of the Government’s broadband ambition four years ahead of the target date.
The operator completed its rollout after switching on gigabit speeds to a final 1.1 million homes for the first time, meaning all 15.5 million homes passed by Virgin Media O2’s network can now access this hyperfast connectivity.
Virgin’s Gig1 broadband service offers average download speeds of 1,130Mbps – 22 times faster than the national average – which enables households to do more online at the same time and on multiple devices. Gigabit broadband also paves the way for future technologies and applications such as metaverse style augmented and virtual reality experiences and cloud gaming.
Since Virgin Media first launched gigabit services in September 2019, the UK’s average broadband speed has increased by almost 50%.
Says Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media O2:
“Just two years ago we set out to spearhead the UK’s gigabit revolution and today we’ve delivered. Our investment to bring gigabit broadband to every home on our network has catapulted the UK’s digital infrastructure forward by a decade and forced others to up their game.
“As the country’s largest gigabit provider by far, we’re the driving force behind widespread gigabit availability four years ahead of the Government’s target.
“Having reached this major milestone in just two years, we’re doubling down on our mission to upgrade the UK by continuing to innovate and invest in our network to support the technologies of tomorrow – there’s no slowing down at Virgin Media O2.”
Adds Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch.com:
“Virgin Media O2 deserves a feather in its cap for making the whole of its network gigabit capable – the first provider to do so.
“Bringing speeds of up to 1,130Mbps to its 15.5 million customers is a massive achievement, but there’s still a long way to go for the rest of the country to hit the government’s 2025 broadband target.
“Openreach has a long way to go to catch up, recently hitting six million premises able to receive gigabit speeds nationwide – but they are on track to upgrade 25 million homes by the end of 2026.
“Virgin Media O2 is certainly keeping the pressure on its rivals with these latest developments.
“Ofcom’s recent announcement of ‘One Touch Switch’ will simplify the process of switching between networks when it is introduced in 2023.
“If you are considering upgrading your broadband package, use an online speed checker to see what speeds you’re currently getting, then do a comparison online to see what deals are available to you.”
