Virgin Media Boost Some Upload Speeds Ahead of 500Mbps Launch
A growing number of Virgin Media’s UK cable broadband ISP subscribers, primarily those on their 350Mbps tier, are today reporting that their upload speeds have been given a boost to 35Mbps (Max Traffic Rate of 38.5Mbps). This is the same upstream rate as we’re expecting their imminent 500Mbps plan to launch alongside.
Back in February Virgin Media revealed that they’d be boosting their top download speeds from 350Mbps (20Mbps upload) to 500Mbps (35Mbps upload) during April/May 2019 (here), albeit using their existing Hub 3.0 router and DOCSIS 3.0 (EuroDOCSIS) network rather than the latest DOCSIS 3.1 standard (Gigabit speed 3.1 is due to follow in two cities later this year).
Since then some sources have indicated to us that the new 500Mbps plan may tentatively go live on 29th April 2019 (Monday) alongside a new “V.VIP” bundle, which may give subscribers more control over their premium TV channel choices and the ability to “boost” the package with a mobile SIM. But this has yet to be confirmed and officially it’s a no comment from Virgin Media.
On top of that one of those sources indicated that Virgin Media was also planning to increase their upload speeds “very soon.” Shortly after this we began to see posts on Virgin’s Community Forum and Twitter from customers noting that their upstream speeds had jumped to 35Mbps (note: sample image is from a WiFi test, hence the slower download rate than 350Mbps).
We think the aim here is to achieve a 10:1 ratio of downstream to upstream performance, which may eventually extend across all packages. However at present Virgin Media only seems to be deploying this for some of those on the 350Mbps plan (the necessary channel bonding isn’t yet ready everywhere, it seems) and others remain stuck on 20Mbps.
We have asked Virgin Media to comment on this and are awaiting their reply.
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 X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Can confirm mine has been updated as of a router reboot there now.
So will vip member get the 500mph will. Be pissed if there a better package more expensive released
I’m running my router in modem mode to my pfSense box. I’m guessing that would still be OK, were I to be in the lucky pile.
That’s the same setup I’ve got, and can confirm that the upload speed has been boosted to 35mbps!
It’s a boost but now that I use more and more cloud services, even that is now minuscule. Wish HyperOptic was available in my area. :/
Yeah I’m modem mode and now getting 396 down and 36.6 up…
How do i find my connection speed details / sync via the hub 3?
Go to 192.168.0.1 or if in modem mode go to 192.168.100.1 then go to Check router status then Configuration, Max Traffic Rate should show 38500089
If they can get their products to a 10:1 ratio of downstream to upstream performance that would be amazing! My 6Mbps upstream is the only complaint I have with my otherwise faultless VM connection, so a 10Mbps upstream would be great.
got mine in Newcastle
Same here as well. Rebooted Router and new upload speed updated. 350/20 now @ 350/35. I am under Area 21.
Just rebooted and got the boost: https://www.speedtest.net/result/8210741904.png
Can we now infer they plan on launching a 500/50 product? A lot of people were hoping for the 500Mb upgrade because of higher upload speeds, so it would make sense for the new product to have the same 10:1 ratio otherwise there’s much less reason to upgrade.
I originally expected it to be 500/50 before Virgin told me in Feb it would be 500/35. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did 500/50 on their SME packages though but we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t think 50Mbps is going to work in all of their areas just yet.
I agree they could do it in some areas but not others. Much easier to have one rate so 35 for now.
Can also confirm in the Gloucester area aswell.
Got mine in Derby
Edinburgh, after reboot: https://imgur.com/uMTjfbW
Yep after rebooting the router my upload got higher. https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/i/3211881392
Area 22 – I get a stable 400/38, pay for 350/20. Have got this since it was installed 3 weeks ago.
Yep, Area 22 here too and getting a faster upload.
I am able to confirm this also! So happy! Thank you, thank you for posting this article!
nice http://imgbox.com/p0r5Cy5t
Just rebooted now getting a constant 375Mbps / 36Mbps on speedtest.net
Hey I have just rebooted an have 36 upload now, are we getting 500 download for free ?
Any news on pricing? Or is it the same price for their 350mbps tier?
Same pricing.
Are we sure same price
Here in Loughborough the uploads have changed to the 35mb limit. Welcome freebie.
Waterlooville/Portsmouth also received the upgrade. Solid 385dowm 37up
35 upload working after re-boot in Rushden Northamptonshire
I don’t know what rock you are living under can I suggest
You update your investigative reporting. For over 2 years now I have downloaded a regular 350 to 501 Mbps with an upload of 35 to 57Mbps. Using of course HFC cable. I have of course downloaded a top speed of 602 Mbps this being at a time of after midnight.
Just thought I would bring you up to date. The Technology I use technology of course that was introduced in 1985 as you know.
Thanks. Philip
On Virgin Media?
A very random comment Philip and DOCSIS 3.0 didn’t exist in 1985. Assuming you’re referring to Virgin Media then there’s a big difference between isolated “tests” and general deployments like this. We see isolated tests of faster speeds happening all the time (500Mbps was tested about 18 months ago) but those aren’t really news until they become a proper roll-out plan or product.
[Admin note: post removed – no trolling pete]
Why are ISP’s so stingy with thier upload speeds?
xFinity 1Gb/s in US has a 20:1 ratio. 1,000 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up.
Openreach’s (+resellers) has by far the best I’ve seen 4:1.
Virgin Media before the update had 35:2 and now it’s a 40:7 which is shit.
It doesn’t cost them anymore to allow a higher upload throughput. ISP’s need to stop being so god damn stingy with their dl:ul ratio…
It’s 350:35, or if you like, 10:1
Actually it does cost cable operators more to provide higher upload speeds due to the nature of the underlying technology. Per Mb it’s way more expensive to them than download.
Amos – It’s 10:1 ratio not 40:7 do your maths again!
Partly due to the underlying technology’s limitations (FTTC and Docsis), and I suspect partly to differentiate from a Business offering (BT FTTP vs Ethernet service). They probably don’t want you running mini datacentres in your basement.
I keep coming back to this article to see an update from Virgin. I would so love to see the 10:1 ration being announced across all their packages!
Just for that comment Virgin Media are now capping your speeds lol! 😉
I don’t want my speed rationed please 🙂
got mine in sheffield
Still 6 megs down in rural Yorkshire 30 miles from the nearest fibre and reading folks are not happy with only 350. Lol. Wishing for more VM investment in network.
Unfortunately, John, there is no way VM, even if their expansion continues for a few more years, are going to come your way unless they have fibre close by already.
When you’re talking £50 a metre it gets really expensive to build a big diversion really quickly. They got burned somewhat doing this back in 2016/17. They might make the money back okay in the case I’m thinking of but that was building out to reach fairly densely populated suburban areas.
Anyone know when we will be getting the 500download, Any dates yet?
The date mentioned in the article is pretty solid.
Ive been on 500/35 since January speeds are brilliant.
Ive got it now from just a reboot of the router, worth doing if you haven’t already
im Area 30 I think
Teesside
36.65 upload now
On VMB 350/20 using GRE and statics in Northants and no change yet.
No 500 for free 🙁 only the v vip bundle
Called VM today upgraded from VIP bundle to VVIP for 500Mbps and the Unlimited SIM with no extra cost. My existing VIP bundle was £99 a month so as the new bundle is the same, no additional costs, the only difference is that I’m now tied in to a new contract which is fine as I have been happy with VM.
This is the result of the 500Mbps in area 20 not too bad seeing BT only offer 35Mbps download and only 10Mbps upload in my area.
http://dfkrkqaqb1zsx.cloudfront.net/speedtest/cdn/53986984.png