UPDATE2 Virgin Media Prepping 300Mbps Home Broadband Upgrade

Reports indicate that Virgin Media are likely to upgrade their top 200Mbps (VIVID 200) tier to 300Mbps (20Mbps upload), possibly at some point during this autumn, with the existing paid HomeWorks+ add-on also being boosted from 300Mbps to 350Mbps at the same time.

The move, which is yet to be officially confirmed, would not come as a surprise and indeed we were initially expecting it to surface last year before instead being presented with a lesser boost of up to 200Mbps (here). At the time we suggested that the 300Mbps upgrade was likely to follow later, probably after Virgin’s new SuperHub 3 router had been given a wider distribution.

Since then we have seen the cable operator launch a paid upgrade to 300Mbps via their HomeWorks+ add-on for domestic based home workers (here), yet their top consumer package has remained stubbornly stuck at 200Mbps (plus the new 200Mbps GAMER service with faster upstream and no traffic management).

However since the start of this month it’s been noted that some normal customers are starting to see 300Mbps (VIVID 300) as an option, which is sometimes presented as if it will be a free upgrade for existing 200Mbps subscribers. Some of Virgin Media’s support agents also appear to be touting this as a forthcoming option, albeit unofficially and more as a soft launch. Thinkbroadband has also picked up on the same music.

On top of that Virgin Media’s “FeelGood summer” scheme has been quietly busy offering free upgrades to their latest SuperHub 3 router, which could be seen as one way of ensuring that their user-base is ready for the wider-scale deployment of a 300Mbps option.

The fact that BT has just announced a wider-scale pilot deployment of the 300Mbps G.fast technology is probably no coincidence because Virgin have always liked to stay ahead of them (here), although G.fast’s top speed is actually 330Mbps (50Mbps upload).

Mind you peak time usage continues to put a strain on Virgin’s normal 200Mbps option, which could be a problem when they jump to 300Mbps.

Virgin Media’s August 2016 Speed Test Results (from their website)

We have put the question to Virgin Media’s PR wing and are waiting to hear back.

UPDATE 27th September 2016 (8:59am)

Some information suggests that the 300Mbps service could attract a +£10 per month premium over Virgin’s existing 200Mbps package (we’re not talking about the HomeWorks+ add-on here). Meanwhile we are still waiting for Virgin’s PR team to come back with a response and strongly encourage readers to continue taking this all with a pinch of salt.

UPDATE 27th September 2016 (2:17pm)

Virgin Media has confirmed that a “few” of their domestic broadband customers (again.. not HomeWorks+ users) have indeed been given access to a 300Mbps service, but they added that at present “there isn’t a date” for this to be offered to the whole cable base. This rather hints that a date will be set, but they just haven’t decided on one yet.