Virgin Media announced the launch of the UK’s first 100Mb service meaning that UK customers will have access to ultrafast broadband speeds by the end of 2011.
Virgin will roll out the new service nationwide at the end of 2010 and throughout next year,…
Virgin Media announced the launch of the UK’s first 100Mb service meaning that UK customers will have access to ultrafast broadband speeds by the end of 2011.
Virgin will roll out the new service nationwide at the end of 2010 and throughout next year, while it also said it was expanding its 200Mb pilot as part of the push to become a “broadband nation”.
News of the launch comes as Virgin Media said it connected 28,600 households on a net basis – those joining the group, less those leaving – in the fourth quarter of 2009 as its superfast connections attracted new business.
The group, which is 4% owned by Sir Richard Branson, now has a total of 4.77 million cable customers.
Its operating cash-flow – or underlying earnings – rose 15.3% to £366m in the quarter, with the group putting the rise down to its high-speed offering. It said more than 55% of its customers have 20Mb speeds and above, which is up 45% on a year previous.
The new 100Mb service will help the UK catch up with other markets that are pushing ahead with broadband, such as Japan and Korea, which are rolling out 1Gb broadband.
It is able to take advantage of its fibre optic cable network to offer the speeds that other ADSL providers struggle with.
Neil Berkett, chief executive of Virgin Media, said: “The launch of Virgin Media’s 100Mb service will be a historic moment and will mean the UK will be comparable to other leading broadband nations.”
Virgin Media claimed the service will allow web surfers to download a music album in as little as five seconds, an hour-ong TV show in 31 seconds and a high-efinition movie in less than eight minutes.
