Virgin begins broadband speed doubling

Virgin Media has announced that the company has begun its planned extensive program of broadband speed upgrades.

This was first announced back in January, with many customers getting doubled up speeds thanks to a £110 million investment.

The upgrade program will run over the next eighteen months, with this first batch of increases due to reach 1.5 million homes. Initial target areas include Newcastle, Ashford, Ipswich, Dundee, Belfast and Cambridge.

You can check whether your particular area will be involved here. 4 million household will eventually feel the cost-free benefit.

All customers will see their lines speeds at least doubled, with 20Mbps subscribers actually getting tripled up to 60Mbps, with one exception. That’s the top-end 100Mbps users, who a doubling up isn’t feasible for, although they will see an improvement to 120Mbps.

Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media, commented: “Virgin Media has driven broadband development in the UK and we’re delighted to be boosting our customers’ broadband speeds once again.”

“Following our Double Speeds programme, all of our customers will be ‘superfast’ as standard and ready to access a new breed of high bandwidth entertainment services. By continuing to give our customers faster speeds and greater value services, we’re committed to providing our customers the best broadband in the UK.”

BT is due to begin boosting broadband speeds shortly, with fibre-to-the-cabinet services getting an uplift from 40Mbps to 80Mbps.