Dunfermline to receive ultrafast broadband boost

Virgin Media bringing ultrafast broadband to up to 4,200 properties

Offering speeds more than 16 times faster than the local average

Virgin Media is announcing that up to 4,200 homes and businesses in Dunfermline will be next to benefit from an ultrafast broadband and entertainment boost. **

As part of its ‘Project Lightning’ network expansion programme, Virgin Media is expanding its ultrafast broadband network across Scotland bringing speeds of up to 350Mbps for residents and small businesses.

To date, Project Lightning has now connected more than 120,000 premises across Scotland to ultrafast broadband since 2016. In total, more than one million premises in Scotland are now able to access Virgin Media’s gigabit-ready broadband network.

The expansion in the Headwell and Beveridgewell areas of Dunfermline will help transform the quality of broadband in the town where the average (median) download speed is currently just 21.5Mbps. Work is underway already with completion expected by the end of 2018.

With a 350Mbps connection, files, films and games become unbelievably quick to stream, download and upload*:
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• Download a standard HD movie file (5GB) in just over two minutes, compared to over half an hour on the average local connection;
• Download a 25GB console game in just over 10 minutes, compared to more than two and a half hours on the average local connection.

Virgin Media will be holding a drop-in community information event at Baldridgeburn Community Centre (Baldridgeburn, Dunfermline, KY12 9EH) on Monday 9th July, 4pm-6pm. This will give residents and businesses the opportunity to ask any questions or raise any concerns they may have.

Julie Agnew, Scotland Regional Director for Virgin Media, said: “Time-strapped families and small businesses across Dunfermline will soon be benefiting from our brilliant broadband service. Giving them greater speeds will enable them to do the things they need to do and love doing more quickly and more easily.”

Cllr Helen Law, Convener, City of Dunfermline Area Committee, Fife Council, said: “This is positive news for Dunfermline. Thanks to further investment another 4,200 homes and businesses will receive fibre in the area. Whatever you do online can be done even better with fibre. With the rise of on-line services good connectivity is essential as it allows businesses and homes to make the most of the internet. We are committed to a Fairer Fife that is ambitious, connected and empowered – increase availability of broadband is helping local people be better connected online.”

Virgin Media will be using narrow trenching techniques, where suitable conditions allow, to ensure its build is as efficient as possible and helps create minimal levels of waste and reduces the disruption to the community.

Virgin Media will post information leaflets to premises which might be affected at least a week before work starts on their street. Its Local Community Liaison Officers will also be available to discuss the community’s concerns.

Virgin Media’s gigabit-ready lines will mean residents can also sign up to Virgin TV and benefit from the latest entertainment on its new smallest, smartest, fastest, 4k-ready V6 set-top box.

This is on top of great programming with up to 260 TV channels (including up to 50 HD channels) and all the football from Sky Sports and BT Sports. Virgin Media also offers Sky Movies and Netflix, as well as an extensive on demand library of TV box sets and movies; giving customers seamless access to the TV they want, all in one place.

Residents can also benefit from Virgin Mobile’s fast 4G connectivity, which for pay monthly customers includes data free Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter, as well as the ability to rollover unused data each month and have truly unlimited data packages.

For any questions about Virgin Media engineering works, residents can do the following:

E mail: ExpansionWorks@virginmedia.co.uk

Phone: 0333 000 5925 (option 1)

For further information, visit: www.virginmedia.com/lightning/network-expansion

Ends

Notes to Editors

*The average (median) broadband speed in Fife is 21.5Mbps. Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations Report 2017, published 15 December 2017.

** Download speeds calculated using www.download-time.com


About Virgin Media

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

Our dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely-available broadband speeds to homes and businesses and we’re expanding this through our Project Lightning programme, which could extend our network to up to 17 million premises.

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

Virgin Mobile launched the world’s first virtual mobile network and offers fantastic value and innovative services with 4G connectivity. 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 TV and broadband company. Liberty Global connects 22 million customers through operations in 11 countries across Europe subscribing to 46 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. It also serves 7 million mobile subscribers and offers WiFi service through 12 million access points across its footprint.

Jamie Clarke, Virgin Media – 0333 000 2984, press@virginmedia.co.uk