virgin-media-boosting-digital-connectivity-across-the-glasgow-city-region

• Virgin Media has now connected almost 50,000 homes and businesses across the Glasgow city region to its ultrafast broadband network through Project Lightning
• Offering speeds almost 18 times faster than the regional average
• Virgin Media’s Glasgow network now passes more than 500,000 premises

Almost 50,000 homes and businesses across the Glasgow city region have benefitted from Virgin Media’s Project Lightning ultrafast broadband expansion programme, including those in Shettleston, Carluke, Paisley, Barrhead and Stepps. Virgin Media’s network now passes more than 500,000 premises across the Glasgow city region.

This continued expansion by Virgin Media will be a welcome boost to the Glasgow City region with its network offering download speeds of up to 362Mbps, almost 18 times faster than the average (median) download speed of 20.3Mbps*.

With a 362Mbps connection, files, films and games become unbelievably quick to stream, download and upload**:

• Download a standard HD movie file (5GB) in under two minutes, compared to over 35 minutes on the average local connection;
• Download a 25GB console game in less than 10 minutes, compared to almost three hours on the average local connection.

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 scale of the Virgin Media roll out was made public at a Seminar on progress and learning from the Glasgow City Region City Deal attended by Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader and City Convener for Inclusive Economic Growth at Glasgow City Council and Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, Lorraine McMillan, the Chief Executive of East Renfrewshire Council, MSPs Graham Simpson and Bob Doris as well as Julie Agnew, Virgin Media’s Regional Director for Scotland.

Julie Agnew, Scotland Regional Director for Virgin Media, said: “The Glasgow city region has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of our Project Lightning programme and we are planning to connect thousands more homes and businesses this year. We hope that working more closely with the Government and local authorities will help accelerate Glasgow and Scotland’s digital ambitions more effectively and efficiently.”

Councillor Tony Buchanan, Leader of East Renfrewshire Council and holder of the Infrastructure portfolio for the Glasgow City Region, said: “It is fantastic that so many more residents and businesses across the Glasgow City Region are able to benefit from ultrafast broadband and the enormous social and economic benefits which it brings. This extended service will provide many opportunities across the region, and I am encouraged by Virgin Media’s plans to connect thousands more homes and businesses over the next few years.

“The eight Glasgow City Region councils are committed to closer collaboration with our key utility providers to better understand the investment plans and constraints facing telecommunications, water, power, gas and transportation and consider how all parties involved can work together to maximise investment plans and deliver enhanced services to residents across the region.”

Over the past year Virgin Media has invested approximately a billion pounds in its network and this significant investment continues to bring real benefits to its customers. Under new rules introduced this year to bring greater transparency to broadband advertising and consumers, Virgin Media was the only major provider to see its advertised speeds increase.

Backed by parent company Liberty Global, Virgin Media has connected 1.3 million premises to its ultrafast broadband network through Project Lightning since 2015. It plans to connect additional premises which could extend the total reach of its network to up to 17 million homes and businesses. This private investment programme makes Virgin Media the largest new broadband builder in the UK over the past two years, more than all of its competitors combined.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The average download broadband speed in Glasgow City Local Authority is 20.3Mbps. Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations Report 2017, published December 15 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.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international TV and broadband company. Liberty Global connects 21 million customers through operations in 10 countries across Europe subscribing to 45 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. It also serves 6 million mobile subscribers and offers WiFi service through 12 million access points across its footprint.

Press contacts

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

Twitter: @VirginMediaCorp

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