Virgin Media UK Confirms 300Mbps Broadband Package.. for SMEs

Last month Virgin Media dashed hopes a little by increasing their top cable (EuroDOCSIS3) broadband speeds from 152Mbps to 200Mbps, which was below the long predicted rate of 300Mbps (here). But the ISP has today confirmed that a 300Mbps service will come, albeit initially only for businesses.

According to the announcement, which was made at today’s Broadband World Forum event in London, the new 300Mbps service will launch via Virgin Media Business to SME customers during the first half of 2016 (probably towards the earlier part of the year).

It’s important to distinguish this new 300Mbps package from VMB’s other leased line and big business focused products, which can already deliver much faster speeds. The new tier would instead slot in alongside VMB’s existing “Fibre Business Broadband” products that are aimed at smaller businesses, which currently only go up to 152Mbps (12Mbps upload) for £35-40 per month (related products).

Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media CEO, said:

“In the coming weeks we will announce that from next year we will take our top small business speed to 300mbs. From next year we will say to small businesses and home office workers that they can have 300 mbps. That will help entrepreneurs across the UK.”

Historically the related products have tended to closely mirror those of Virgin Media’s domestic tiers. The usual rumours have already hinted that a 300Mbps product may yet surface for residential consumers during early 2016, most likely alongside the release of Virgin Media’s new SuperHub v3 router that is currently in trial, but this has not been confirmed.

UPDATE 1:30pm

Added a quote from Tom Mockridge’s speech today.