Broadband News

Virgin Media to boost 50Mb broadband customers to 120Mb

Wednesday 18 January, 2012

By Duncan Heaney

Virgin Media clarifies broadband upgrade plans.

Virgin Media has made a correction to its previously announced plans to double customers’ broadband speeds.

Fortunately if you’re a Virgin Media customer, it’s the good kind of correction - the company’s 50Mb customers will now have their speed boosted to 120Mb, rather than the previously announced 100Mb.

The news emerged after Virgin Media accidentally sent the wrong notification email to many customers. The message alerted customers’ to the fact that their broadband speeds would increase from 100Mb to 120Mb.

However, it also claimed that it would be lowering prices to match its 50Mb Broadband XXL package. Unfortunately, the email was sent to customers other than just those with 100Mb connections.

Virgin Media apologised for the confusing mixed messages, explaining that the email was sent to sub-100Mb customers by accident.

“We’re sorry for any misunderstanding and will be writing to customers again soon to clarify how the upgrade will affect them. In the meantime, as part of our double speed programme we are delighted to confirm that 50Mb customers will actually be upgraded to 120Mb, meaning even more Virgin Media customers will be able to take advantage of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK.”

Some people have speculated that the decision to bump speeds up to 120Mb was an attempt to clear up confusion caused by the earlier miscommunication. Whether or not this is the case, it’s great news for Virgin Media 50Mb customers.

The increase in speeds won’t be instantaneous though. Unlike the rest of Virgin’s big upgrade project, the bump from 50Mb to 100Mb broadband will take place over two phases. First, the speeds will be increased to 100Mb, as previously stated. Then, in the second phase, customers will be lifted up to 120Mb broadband.

The big Virgin Media upgrade project starts next month and is planned to last 18 months, concluding in the middle of 2013.