Virgin Media Business Wholesale Update on Progress Toward XGS-PON Based EoFTTP

The wholesale division of UK broadband ISP Virgin Media Business (VMB / VMBW) recently brought together more than 100 partners at its Partner Connect event in London to discuss AI, rising data demands and the need for higher-capacity networks. The business also shared a progress update on its XGS-PON-enabled Ethernet over FTTP (full fibre) proposition.

For those who may be unfamiliar. Ethernet over Fibre to the Premises (EoFTTP) technology typically sits somewhere in the middle between consumer FTTP broadband lines, which often have no or very little in the way of guarantees regarding reliability or higher bandwidth when put under pressure by heavy usage, and more expensive Ethernet leased lines that offer guaranteed higher bandwidth with a strong Service Level Agreement (SLA).

The EoFTTP solution is thus more intended to cater for smaller businesses that don’t need a leased line, but where consumer FTTP might well be too risky for some of their needs. Quite a lot of VMB’s rival networks already offer EoFTTP products via 10Gbps capable XGS-PON full fibre infrastructure and Virgin intends to join them.

According to the latest update, VMB said their Early Adopter Phase of EoFTTP will be “continuing through the end of the summer“, allowing their team to test orders through the full end-to-end process, gather further feedback from trial users and continue refining the experience ahead of an expected full market launch “later this year“.

Diego Tedesco, Executive Director of VMBW, said:

“Partner Connect is a great opportunity to bring our partners together, reflect on how the market is changing, and share more about where we’re heading as a business. Competition is as intense as it’s ever been, technology keeps evolving and customer expectations continue to rise. That means the ability to work together with trust, clarity and shared purpose has become more important than ever. That is the kind of wholesale business we are building. One designed not just to deliver connectivity, but to help partners grow and succeed in the market ahead.”