• Virgin Media’s unrivalled broadband offered to 5,000 extra homes
  • New network being built in Hartlepool, Darlington, Sunderland and Stockton-On-Tees

Virgin Media today announced it is expanding its network to 5,000 more homes across Teesside, providing internet access at speeds up to 152Mb or eight times faster than the national average.

Work is underway to connect more households in Hartlepool, Darlington, Sunderland and Stockton-On-Tees and is expected to be complete by the end of October.

The expansion will see the UK’s fastest widely available broadband, twice as fast as BT, Sky or TalkTalk, as well as the Company’s unrivalled TV service, Virgin Media TiVo®, made available to more people across Teesside.

Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Extending our network across the region means thousands more homes will benefit from the UK’s fastest widely available broadband for the first time. We are proud to be supercharging Teesside, helping people make the most of the UK’s exciting digital future.”

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham, who was instrumental in encouraging network expansion to areas such as the Hardwick estate in Stockton through collaborating with residents and the local council, added: “We are very happy that Virgin Media is expanding its network across the region and not just in Stockton. By working together with residents, Virgin Media and the council we’re helping local people get faster broadband speeds and have created a model for other areas to follow when it comes to building better broadband.”

Helen Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland and Shadow Minister for Culture Media and Sport added: “We welcome Virgin Media’s investment in better broadband in the North East. I have also been lucky enough to learn of the innovative new techniques that network builders like Virgin Media are exploring to lay faster broadband more quickly and efficiently, which has to be good news for closing the digital divide.”

As well as better broadband, residents across Teesside will also have access to more entertainment with Virgin Media TiVo. This brings together hundreds of TV channels, including every BT Sport and Sky Sports channel; thousands of hours of On Demand TV, with entire Box Sets, blockbuster movies and music videos; and the best of the web such as Netflix and YouTube.

Virgin Media’s flexible Big Bundles offer an unbeatable combination of great value TV and superfast broadband with home phone packages and, for the first time, mobile SIM only deals.

Virgin Media’s Big Kahuna bundle features top of the range 152Mb broadband and Virgin Media TiVo for just £45 per month. An exclusive mobile SIM with 250MB of data, unlimited texts and minutes is available for just £5 extra per month.

Residents who want to see if Virgin Media’s new network is coming to their street should visit virginmedia.com/comingsoon.

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About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. And we’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services to customers. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest widely available broadband speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 27 million customers across 14 countries.

Journalists can contact the Virgin Media O2 press office on:
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