Virgin Media delivers a connected Christmas

The average Virgin Media household had five different internet-enabled devices connected to their network on Christmas Day.

According to the latest figures more than 25.7 million devices such as TVs, tablets and smartphones were used across 4.9 million active broadband connections between 5pm and 10pm on Christmas evening.

This was an increase of almost eight per cent on last year, when 23.8 million gadgets were connected to the network.

A merry ‘Snapmas’ for mobile users

Almost two million devices were connected to the Virgin Media mobile network in total over Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Customers took advantage of fast 4G when they were out and about celebrating the festive period, using almost 12 terabytes of data in total to send Christmas wishes via text, tweets or by video calls. This is the equivalent of almost 50 million pictures being sent via Snapchat or 275,000 videos being streamed on YouTube.

On average, each 4G customer used around 81 MB of data, which is the same as uploading 326 photos to Facebook.

It has been estimated that around one million WhatsApp messages will be sent by Virgin Media mobile customers at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day. It has also been calculated that in total around 98,000 MB of data will be sent by 4G, as people take to their phones to welcome in 2017, where the average user could send five pictures via Snapchat or Facebook, or tweet 129 celebratory messages.

Virgin Media mobile customers can send their New Year messages via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for free without eating into their January data allowance, thanks to a range of new 4G plans which were introduced last month.  

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The broadband connection data is based on customers connected to Virgin Media’s network. 

Active broadband connection – measured as at least one device connected and some data transferred over the monitoring period.

Between 5pm and 10pm on Christmas Day, 25,756,453 devices were measured on 4,952,236 active broadband connections.

Between 10am and 12noon on Boxing Day, 20,442,996 devices were measured on 4,617,544 broadband connections.


About Virgin Media

In November, Virgin Media launched 4G on its mobile network, which included free messaging on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger on all new plans.   

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. We’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises by the end of 2019.

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. 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 speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company, with operations in more than 30 countries.


For all Virgin Media press enquiries please contact;

simon.feldman@virginmedia.co.uk  / 0333 000 2900 @VirginMediaCorp