- Full fibre to the premises (FTTP) technology with average top speeds of 1,130Mbps delivered to Donaghadee, County Down
- Residents can benefit from broadband speeds 20 times faster than the local average, making it possible to download Ultra-HD TV shows and computer games in minutes
- Virgin Media O2’s engineers have worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure customers have access to vital connectivity when they need it most
Virgin Media O2 has connected around 4,000 homes in Donaghadee, County Down, to its ultrafast broadband network, bringing next-generation gigabit speeds to the area.
As part of its ‘Project Lightning’ network expansion programme, Virgin Media O2 is expanding its broadband network by bringing ultrafast speeds to more residents and small businesses.
Donaghadee is the latest location now able to access Virgin Media’s gigabit broadband speeds. The company’s Gig1 service offers average top speeds of 1,130Mbps, perfect for busy households working remotely, streaming TV shows and films, video calling friends and family and playing games online.
In November, Virgin Media activated gigabit services across its network in Northern Ireland giving around 400,000 homes across the country access to the fastest widely available speeds in the UK.
Virgin Media O2 is leading Britain’s gigabit charge and boasts the largest gigabit network in the UK. It is investing to rollout the next-generation services to its entire network – covering more than 15 million homes and businesses – by the end of 2021, helping to deliver nearly two thirds of the Government’s 2025 broadband target four years early.
In addition to its ultrafast broadband network, Virgin Media O2 was voted the UK’s best mobile network for reliability and coverage**. Its mobile network covers 99% of the nation’s population with 4G, with the business continuing to upgrade its 4G and 5G services to boost mobile connectivity around the country.
The company has committed to invest at least £10bn over the next 5 years in the UK and, building on the success of its existing fibre network expansion activity, is planning to go further and faster by deploying fibre to millions of additional homes across the country. This investment will see the business contribute even further to the Government’s connectivity targets – upgrading infrastructure in more parts of the country and bringing greater choice and competition to many areas that need it most.
Virgin Media has continued to expand its network and install new customers during the global COVID-19 pandemic to bring ultrafast connectivity to more homes and businesses across the UK when they need it most.
Ultrafast broadband boost for Donaghadee residents – now 20 times faster than the local average
Virgin Media’s ultrafast broadband speeds are 20 times faster than the local average*. Residents in Donaghadee will benefit from fibre to the premises (FTTP) technology which allows for smooth, reliable connectivity in the home. With 1,130Mbps connection, large files, films and games become very quick to stream and download:
- Download every Bridgerton episode in UHD (56GB) in 7 minutes, compared to two hours 26 minutes on the average local connection;
- Download Call of Duty: Cold War (133GB) on PS5 in under 17 seconds, compared to over five hours and 47 minutes on the average local connection***
Rob Evans Managing Director of Fixed Network Expansion at Virgin Media O2, said:
“We’re upgrading the UK and thanks to our continued investment in cutting edge technology, the whole of our Northern Ireland network is able to benefit from gigabit speeds. Donaghadee is the latest area to benefit, with residents now able to access speeds 20 times faster than local average.
“Hyperfast broadband combined with our unbeatable services mean whether you want to play video games into the night, host a video call from home or kick back with a movie, Virgin Media O2 has you covered.”
Gig1 – faster speeds, a powerful router and competitive pricing
Customers taking Gig1 will benefit from Virgin Media’s best ever equipped gigabit capable router – the Hub 4. The router is Virgin Media’s fastest to date and features improved Wi-Fi hardware to provide speedy and reliable connectivity throughout customers’ homes.
Gig1 broadband is available to new and existing customers and can be packaged with or without telephone, TV and mobile services. Prices start from just £62 per month on an 18-month contract with a guaranteed price freeze for at least 24 months.
New customers can also combine broadband, TV, home phone and mobile into one bundle, which offer outstanding value for customers.
With the Ultimate Oomph bundle, customers can enjoy the ultimate entertainment and connectivity experience at home or on the move with bundled TV, broadband and mobile services.
This includes broadband with average top speeds of more than 600Mbps as well as a mobile SIM with truly unlimited data, texts and calls. Customers can boost their ultimate oomph package with Gig1 speeds
Customers can also access Virgin Media’s new TV service, Virgin TV 360. The advanced TV line-up includes a new Mini box, new TV remote with voice control and smart new features which offer a fully integrated, voice activated and personalised service.
Offering the very best entertainment, Virgin TV 360 boasts all of the top TV channels and streaming apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer, all with 4k Ultra-High Definition and HDR viewing capabilities.
Ultimate Oomph also comes complete with more than 230 channels including Sky Sports, Sky Entertainment and Sky Cinema in Ultra HD and BT Sport in 4K Ultra HD, as well as inclusive anytime landline calls.
And with Virgin Media’s ultrafast broadband, multiple users in the home can stream and watch their favourite shows and content all at the same time in the highest resolution.
For those interested in Virgin Media’s fantastic services, they can go online now to check out our latest deals > http://www.virginmedia.com/
Ends
Notes to Editors
*The average (median) broadband speed in Ards and North Down is 54.8Mbps. Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations Report 2020, published 17 December 2020.
** O2 won Best Network Coverage in the uSwitch Broadband & Mobile Awards 4 years in a row from 2018 to 2021. Global Wireless Solutions (GWS) also awarded O2 the Best Network for Reliability for three years running: 2019, 2020 and now in 2021.
*** Download speeds calculated using www.download-time.com
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