Virgin Media UK Build 1Gb Broadband to 4250 Extra Homes in Cheshire East

Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (VMO2) has confirmed that they’ve just expanded their gigabit-capable fixed line connectivity – via Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology – to cover an additional 4,250 homes in Cheshire East (England). Most of the expansion appears to have taken place in the town of Alsager, which is home to around 12,000 people.

Virgin’s existing Project Lightning deployment has already covered 3 million homes, and their overall UK network coverage is expected to complete at just over 16 million by the end of 2022. Some 14.3m of this is via their older Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network, with the rest using full fibre (FTTP) via Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG) technology.

However, aside from upgrading that HFC to FTTP (XGS-PON) by 2028 (Project Mustang), the operator also plans to deploy full fibre broadband to an additional 5-7 million UK premises – via a new Joint Venture (JV) – in new greenfield areas by 2027 (here). The same company may also bid on the Government’s Project Gigabit contracts. Access to all this will be offered at wholesale for rival ISPs to harness.