Virgin: 50Mbps broadband for all next year

Virgin Media will launch 50Mbps broadband from next year

Virgin Media's top executive has said that the company will be launching a 50Mbps broadband package in 2008. Speaking at a next-generation broadband summit and reported by Channel 4 News, Virgin's acting CEO Neil Berkett said: "We'll never know exactly what demand there'll be for super-fast broadband until it's in people's homes and workplaces up and down the UK.

And Berkett was keen to announce Virgin's plans for next year. "[Our] network has a unique potential to revolutionise consumers' experience and we're convinced that 2008 is the moment to take the lead with the commercial launch of a 50Mbps product."

Virgin has already been trialling 50Mbps broadband in some areas. Indeed, the trial has now developed significantly, and Virgin is offering it to any customers in the Ashford, Folkestone and Dover areas for £47 a month until the end of December.

Fibre to the cabinet

The seminar was organised by the Minister of State for Competitiveness, Stephen Timms. It followed up a gathering of many interested parties, including Tech.co.uk at last week's Westminster eForum discussion about next-generation broadband.

At that event, Virgin's CTO Howard Watson pushed home benefits of cable over traditional copper-based ADSL. Watson suggested that copper's limitations was responsible for the "'up to' which had created the unfortunate need for the 'up to' lexicon in the broadband industry."

"We have 12.5 million homes (52 per cent) where I have fibre to a cabinet within 800 metres of those homes. We have 15 million short copper loops [going into those homes] And we have coaxial which has this ability to carry something around 4Gbps to each of the 500 homes off each network," explained Watson.

"So we have a next-generation access network serving [those homes]. One of the great things about that is because of the fibre being deep with that network."

Contributor

Dan (Twitter, Google+) is TechRadar's Former Deputy Editor and is now in charge at our sister site T3.com. Covering all things computing, internet and mobile he's a seasoned regular at major tech shows such as CES, IFA and Mobile World Congress. Dan has also been a tech expert for many outlets including BBC Radio 4, 5Live and the World Service, The Sun and ITV News.

Latest in Wi-Fi & Broadband
Eero 7 mesh Wi-Fi system on a wooden table
I tested the affordable Eero 7 mesh Wi-Fi system, and as long as you don't need 6.0GHz Wi-Fi, it's great for bringing those dead spots back to life
Eero 7 on a nightstand
Amazon's new Eero 7 and Pro 7 complete a 'comprehensive lineup' for its customers – here's everything you need to know
A hacker wearing a hoodie sitting at a computer, his face hidden.
I just learned something awful about my home Wi-Fi setup thanks to iFixit’s ‘worst of CES 2025’ awards
Extendable WiFi 7 KV
Don't buy a router, buy a fast and secure ASUS WiFi 7 extendable router
Netgear Nighthawk router next to its box on a table
Netgear Nighthawk RS200 review: Netgear’s latest Wi-Fi 7 router is competitively priced – but makes compromises to get there
Netgear Orbi 770 router system resting on a table
Netgear Orbi 770 review: fast speeds, low Wi-Fi 7 prices
Latest in News
EA Sports F1 25 promotional image featuring drivers Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman.
F1 25 has been officially announced, with this year's entry marking a return for Braking Point and a 'significant overhaul' for My Team mode
Garmin clippd integration
Garmin's golf watches just got a big software integration upgrade to help you improve your game
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is currently making a major announcement about Avengers: Doomsday's cast on YouTube, and I think it's going to be a long-winded reveal
Samsung QN90F on yellow background
Samsung announces US prices for its 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, and it’s good and bad news
Nintendo Switch Lite
Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch is getting one last hurrah in a surprise Nintendo Direct tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch