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It’s the first of March, which has spurred Virgin into action on its promise to double everyone’s broadband speed for free. The first 30 areas to get the speed boost in March and April have been announced, while Virgin’s thrown up a “Double Speed” checker for the rest of us.
Good news if you happen to live in Belfast, Newcastle, Ashford, Ipswich, Dundee or Cambridge — you’re all on the list for immediate roll out. Here’s the complete list:
Newcastle, Tilbury, Southend, Ely, Melton, Andover, Poplar, Dover, Ashford, Rawtenstall, Belfast, Solihull, Maidstone, Castlecary, Grimsby, Ipswich, St Mellons, Flitwick, Preston, Dundee, Glenrothes, Wakefield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Cambridge, Cosham, Hemel Hempstead, Mansfield, Oldham, and Bedford.
Others will roll out over the next 18 months with everyone from 10 to 50Mbps getting a doubling, while 100Mbps customers will only get a modest 20Mbps bump. Those upgraded to 100Mbps will also see a bump to 120Mbps when it rolls out, with the top-level package being reduced in price.
Here’s to faster broadband for all, even if it does cost you more in the long run. [Virgin]
Image credit: Speedo from Shutterstock
NUTS!! Cosham is just down the road from me – the speed checker does say that it will be March/April for me though, so hopefully not too long to wait.
No T in Hispwich!
Oh God, I can’t edit that monstrosity of a failed comment.
/points HA-HA!
“while 100Mbps customers will only get a modest 20Mbps bump. Those upgraded to 100Mbps will also see a bump to 120Mbps when it rolls out”
That sounds pretty redundant to me, maybe i’m reading it wrong. But yay, solihul… I think i count as there
As in, 50Mbiters upgraded to 100Mbps, will also get a bump to 120Mbit when it rolls out.
Those on the xxl (currently 100Mb/s) plan will have a little knocked off their bill as well…
Nice, I’m on the list.
lol, i live in bradford, we can only get 50mbit, we aint even ready for 100mbit, the date keeps getting put back, anyhow – the 50mbit i had at my parents was stable and constant and i was always achieving 50mbit so im hopefull that when the 100mbit and 120mbit is available in (july as they say now) that it will be constant with no issues, im a regular reader of the virginmedia community forums and i dread the issues that people have had with the 100mbit service so far.
ill just add, i have since downgraded all my parents services as im paying them and have moved but didnt want to loose my email accounts, my street has now been cabled and soon it will be active, i can then move my account over and close the national account i have (which they gave me temporary until the street cabling was done).
All in all, VM have been very good with me
still no upgrade for me…………*impatient*
Wakefield but not Leeds? I guess they will add the biggest cities later on? Just an odd choice is all I’m thinking.
The checker say it’s between October 2012 and July 2013 for me. That’s a pretty big window!
Virgin Media are pissing me off right now.
I get sent a note saying my bill is increasing (within contract period no less!), yet they dare tell me I’m getting a “free” speed upgrade?
Try fixing your crappy modem before offering me a faster pipe guys.
Reading please (nothing else happens here)
Virgin are the best in the UK right now, best service I’ve come across and I never get throttled, though it probably depends on how many people are on Virgin in your area and looking at the Wifi, everyone is on BT.
+ Woot Bedford!
I’ll be far happier when Usain Bolt is telling me I can bin that utter pile of crap that is the Superhub.
Hah, it is a pile of crap indeed. The wifi on it does seem abysmal. Still, VM have been good in regards to upload/download limits and speed. However their customer service could do with an overhaul. Seems to run you in circles far to often for my liking..
I would prefer that they kick off laying more cable for everyone else to connect to fast broadband. It’s not like BT is rushing with its fibre optic efforts.
Hemel Hempstead YEAH!
Did not expect my town to be on that list
Why does it take so long to up the speed? Most of us can already pay to have the faster speeds which we’d get right away without any hardware changes.
It needs to upgrade its back bone to, no point in giving 100meg to people if the contention ratio is crap