Virgin Media’s plans for gigabit connectivity

The operator is continuing to expand its network, which provides average broadband speeds of 516Mbps as well as TV and phone services, with around half of all homes and businesses in Northern Ireland now connected.

This investment has brought life-changing connectivity to 30 towns and villages such as Belfast, Bangor, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Craigavon, Lurgan, New Buildings, Portadown, Magheramason, Sion Mills, Templepatrick and many others. Virgin Media will soon be ramping up its broadband speeds after it committed to introducing gigabit connectivity to its entire footprint by the end of 2021. This next-generation connectivity will boost Northern Ireland’s digital infrastructure and aid its digital and creative sectors.

To date, Virgin Media has invested more than £100m in Northern Ireland and recently opened a new, state-of-the-art office in Belfast which houses the majority of the company’s 350 employees in the country.

In 2019, Virgin Media won a major contract with Belfast City Council after bidding to expand the local full fibre network in the region with public services, businesses and residents all set to benefit. The multi-million pound contract will connect vital public service buildings across Belfast as well as creating new opportunities to bring Virgin Media’s ultrafast, gigabit-capable network to more businesses and residents.

Seamus McCorry, Regional Director for Northern Ireland at Virgin Media, said: “We’re expanding our gigabit-capable network in Northern Ireland so that more homes, businesses and public sector organisations can benefit from our ultrafast, reliable and resilient network. Our investment is benefitting citizens right across the province and laying the digital foundations that will continue to support growth and drive forward Northern Ireland’s digital agenda.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you