Virgin Completes 100Mbps Rollout, Claims 30Mbps Baseline

Virgin launched a range of ‘Collections’ bundles all of which will feature 30Mbps connections or above today, whilst announcing the early completion of its rollout of 100Mbps across its network.

The ISP claimed it was going to be the only “superfast as standard” provider, as it will upgrade all those on older connections like 20Mbps to at least up to 30Mbps. Up to 60Mbps or 100Mbps options are also available.

Blame it on the baseline?

Not all Virgin customers will get up to 30Mbps, as some reports have suggested. Some will require a modem update to get 30Mbps, but Virgin expects some will be happy to get an upgrade to 20Mbps, a spokesperson told TechWeekEurope. It forms part of Virgin’s pledge to double speeds for all customers.

The cost of the Essential Collections package, which offers up to 30Mbps, will be £25 a month. Premiere, with its 60Mbps offer, costs £45, whilst the top VIP service with 100Mbps – and soon up to 120Mbps – costs £95. All come with varying TiVo offers.

The 100Mbps rollout was completed earlier this week and new customers will be able to get the Collections packages from this weekend, the spokesperson confirmed. As for existing customers, the upgrade programme is to continue over the next 18 months. Customers can check whether they are due an upgrade here: www.virginmedia.com/doublespeed.

Various service changes, including TiVo updates and other upgrades, do mean prices will rise, however, with the average cost of a Virgin connection to go up £2.68 a month from April. The better the service the bigger the price rise.

“Virgin Media has been leading the evolution of digital entertainment in the UK, and with services such as TiVo and 100Mb, we’ve catalysed a massive growth in the consumption of digital entertainment,” said Virgin’s chief operating officer Andrew Barron.

“This is the first time we’ve combined these leading products in this way and these ground-breaking Collections mark a new chapter for digital services in the UK, with superfast broadband and next-generation TV services now attracting the mass consumer market and families looking for the best way to enjoy their digital lives across the numerous connected devices found inside – or outside – the home today.”

BT is working on speed upgrades too. Earlier this month, the telecoms giant pledged to double the speeds of its Openreach Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC) service from April.

The product will offer downstream headline speeds of up to 80Mbps and upstream speeds of up to 20Mbps.

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