Virgin Media To Extend Broadband Network Coverage

Virgin Media has announced plans to extend its cable broadband, TV and phone network to a further half a million UK homes over the next few years with 50,000 homes to be connected during 2009.

The fibre optic cable company has identified homes whose proximity to its existing access network makes it a commercially attractive opportunity to extend its network.
Virgin Media has also commenced customer trials of its new 200Mbps broadband supply, with up to 100 households in Ashford, Kent testing the new service.
The Chief Executive of Virgin Media, Neil Berkett, said, “Two years ago, when we were testing 50Mbps broadband, you would have asked what it was needed for. In two year’s time, where people are now asking about how many people are taking up 50Mbps, they will be asking what is the take-up of 200Mbps broadband.”

In Virgin Media’s latest financial results, the company reported a slowdown in customer growth. Gross customer additions were 167,200 in the quarter to the end of March, down from 193,000 in the previous quarter and from 181,000 in 2008.

However, the company’s record low churn rate of just 1.1% meant that it experienced a net total customer increase of 7,100 in the quarter, up from 5,000 a year ago. Some analysts had forecast a loss of 2,000 customers.

Commenting on this, Neil Berkett said “the company had enjoyed a quarter of sound operational and financial performance.”

Information on Virgin Media’s existing 10Mb, 20Mb and 50Mb broadband packages can be found at the virginmedia.com website.