Virgin Media UK Set to Extend Discount on Plume Mesh WiFi

Last year Virgin Media launched an invitation-only trial that gave “selected customers” of their broadband ISP and TV network a special discount on Plume‘s smart home Mesh WiFi system (here). Now parent operator Liberty Global has signed a new deal that seeks to expand the service to all customers.

TalkTalk was the first ISP to offer this earlier in 2019, although it’s also possible to purchase the Plume Adaptive WiFi (mesh) system independently of any ISP for £99 per year. The product essentially consists of several plug-in “SuperPod” devices, one of which must connect directly into your broadband router via an Ethernet cable (you only get 1 pod with the £99 service and the price doubles for 2 pods etc.), and an app to help manage them.

Each SuperPod is designed to extend WiFi coverage for up to 2 rooms, although Plume also offers a lower spec “PowerPod” that is said to be “ideal for smaller homes and should be placed slightly closer together.” SuperPods feature 2 Ethernet ports and tri-band wireless connectivity, whereas PowerPods include 1 Ethernet port and dual band wireless speeds.

As we recall, those invited to Virgin Media’s trial were offered a range of options, including a 3 pod (2 PowerPods and 1 SuperPod) Plume package for £6 per month and a cheaper £4 per month option (1 PowerPod and 1 SuperPod); both worked out a fair bit cheaper than Plume’s own retail rate and more pods could be added. We assume this discount will now be extended to the rest of Virgin’s UK customer base.

Enrique Rodriguez, Liberty Global CTO, said:

“Combining Plume with Liberty Global’s gigabit network capabilities releases the full potential of broadband speeds and spreads them throughout the home, adapting to the unique environment each connection operates in. The expanded partnership with Plume builds on our commitment to creating the next-generation of broadband by working with partners to enhance our network capability and go beyond speed-leadership.

This strongly positions Liberty Global to offer a highly reliable internet residential services in the home that enables smart homes, online gaming and wide variety of use cases which rely on wireless connectivity.”

The operator continues on to say that a “first selection of these services were made available to Virgin Media customers last year and as a result of a new deal, all Liberty Global customers will be able to benefit from intelligent WiFi in all gateways to set controls around online access for guests and children, pause internet use on specific devices and monitor broadband performance remotely.”

Sadly the announcement doesn’t say precisely when customers will get access to the new service, only that they will aim to “roll out Smart Home Services from Plume across its footprint this year.”

Features of Plume Membership

* Plume Adaptive Home WiFi™: Plume learns your environment and optimises performance for a powerful, reliable home WiFi experience

* AI Security: Grant Internet access, create and share custom passwords, and assign certain devices to guests–all within a single WiFi network

* Manage household devices: Monitor which devices are accessing your WiFi, which SuperPod or PowerPod they are connected to, and their signal strength and bandwidth.

* Parental Controls: Give people or devices a time-out, monitor level of Internet usage, and set the hours when kids can get online. Restrict internet access based on predefined levels or block specific websites.

* Secure and Protect: Block annoying advertising and potentially harmful websites

* Easy Setup: Set up your SuperPods and pods with the app in minutes. Just plug in and connect

* Measure and track performance: Quickly measure speed and performance to your devices and pods, no matter where you are

* Map your home: See where your SuperPods and pods are, how they’re performing, and to what they’re connected through an interactive map

* New features: Access to never-ending sets of new features, capabilities and controls

* Rolling hardware warranty: The initial 12-month hardware warranty extends another 12 months with each annual membership renewal

* 24/7 Support: We are always here for you

* Free delivery: Free delivery of hardware within the UK

* 60 day returns: Return Plume Webstore purchases within 60 days and get a full refund for the membership and hardware

* While-you-sleep updates: We’ll auto update your pod firmware when the network activity is low

* Keep your ISP honest: Measure your pipe, see if you’ve been getting what you pay for

Enjoy peace of mind with the ability to set parental controls, monitor WiFi performance from your phone, and safely grant guests WiFi access. With 24/7 support and cloud-powered updates, the Plume Membership always has you covered.