Cable ISP Virgin Media has lately disclosed the names of 30 UK communities where it will upgrade its existing network to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) so the homes and businesses can get download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
The 300Mbps FTTP rollout is a part of the cable broadband provider’s £3bn Project Lighting which includes plans to improve its cable coverage to more than two thirds of the UK over the next three years.
Virgin Media cable broadband currently covers more than 13 million homes across the UK. The Project Lightning investments would enable the ISP to reach 17m homes with its fibre based, cable network, while its ultra-fast, 300Mb broadband will be available to more than 1m premises by 2019.
By including parishes and smaller communities for its fibre upgrades, Virgin is now all set to bring ultrafast broadband and top-notch TV to homes in villages by spring 2017.
The selection of the communities was based on demand and votes from rural communities and so far 40 communities have been chosen for Virgin Media’s FTTP rollout.
“We have been overwhelmed by the response from the local communities and as a result we have decided to speed up our network expansion plans” said Virgin Media’s COO, Paul Buttery.
The 30 villages that have been included in the latest list of fibre upgrade are:
Chineham & Old Basing (Hampshire), Oakley (Hampshire), Farnham Common (Buckinghamshire), North Cornelly (Bridgend), Watchfield (Oxfordshire), Wargrave (Berkshire), Lickey, Catshill, Marlbrook & Barnt Green (Worcestershire), Cullingworth (West Yorkshire), Shrivenham (Oxfordshire), Baddesley Ensor (Warwickshire), Windlesham (Surrey), Sutton Courtenay (Oxfordshire), Balsall Common (West Midlands), Harden (West Yorkshire, Broughton Astley (Leicestershire), Grimethorpe (South Yorkshire), Wigginton & Haxby (North Yorkshire), Copmanthorpe (North Yorkshire), Grassmoor (Derbyshire), Pontyclun (Rhondda), Darfield (South Yorkshire), Talke & Talke Pits (Staffordshire), Cudworth (South Yorkshire), Duffield (Derbyshire), Shafton (South Yorkshire), Denham (Buckinghamshire), Llanharry (Rhondda), Marcham (Oxfordshire), North Leigh (Oxfordshire) and Repton (Derbyshire)