Virgin Media Details UK Fibre Capacity Deal to Boost 4G Mobile from O2
Virgin Media Business has today released more information about its “significant” ten-year deal with O2 (Telefonica UK) for the provision of new backhaul network capacity to 1,500 sites, which is intended to help “supercharge data speeds” and support the operators imminent launch of 4G based mobile broadband services.
The deal itself was first confirmed in April 2013 (here) but at the time no further information was released about how extensive it would be. Apparently each one of the Ethernet “high speed links“, between cell sites and their aggregation network, will use fibre optic cables to deliver speeds of 1Gbps (Gigabit per second).
George Wareing, VMB’s Director of Mobile and Broadcast, said:
“Backhauling data is absolutely critical to ensuring that mobile operators are able to provide customers with fast and reliable data services. Over the last two years we’ve secured mobile backhaul contracts with all four of the UK’s major mobile network operators.
It’s a sign that the backhaul market is moving extremely quickly and thanks to the speed and resilience of our fibre network, we’ve been able to make the most of that opportunity. By working closely in partnership with mobile operators we’ve been able to develop and deploy innovative and unique technologies that enable Sync–E as standard.
This approach means we’re able to arm their networks with the extra capacity needed to make sure that customers don’t experience slow speeds because of data bottlenecks, and that they’re prepared for the future of 4G services and beyond.”
Readers might recall that O2 has also recently signed a similar ten-year deal with BTWholesale (here).
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on Twitter, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Never mind this, I want a virgin media cable broadband with 200/20
who would want virgin they are rubbish
I am with Virgin Media, I have 20 meg BB, and get just over 20 meg speed, even during peak times, their telephone system is very reliable, and very clear and loud, compared to Bt’s, I have been a customer with the company for a very long time, since Nynex, and get a great deal from them. Just because you, and some people expericence problems with them, which indeed, happens with any company, I have Sky tv, and have been with Bt, both have problems, does not mean everyone else does have problems. And before you ask, no I don’t work for Virgin Media. There are plenty of people, with Virgin, who want them, and are very happy with them.
I guess they will be using fibre to connect the masts, the home service they offer is not fibre. it’s HFC. direct fibre/eth would always be better.
I have to wonder how they are sooo busy signing up mobile networks to provide backhaul that they can’t even sort out their own retail network and remove traffic management as well as upgrading their capacity across the country. They are too busy providing speed bumps without actually investing in the necessary capacity to support it.
Capacity is always being upgraded in the background but VMB and VM tend to operate semi-separately from one another. It’s a bit like confusing a TalkTalk Wholesale line with one of their retail products, two very different sides of the same coin.
Important point Mark. It certainly seems to me that despite the existence of sites like this our understanding of telecomms and broadband is getting worse, not better. I’d admit it. Not the same as our perception though. Are you doing something wrong?