Virgin Media is one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Their range of broadband plans are currently among the most impressive available in the UK. Virgin Media offers some of the fastest speeds in the industry and they are especially well-known for their excellent fibre optic broadband packages provided by their very own fibre optic cable network. So how did it all start and what should you know about Virgin Media?

A brief history

Virgin Media was actually started in 2006, though within just one year it became the first company to offer home phone, TV, broadband and mobile packages. It has come a long way over the years and as you would expect, it has been one of the most innovative broadband service providers in the country.

In March 2010, the company announced it was starting trials to deliver broadband and TV services via telegraph poles in Woolhampton, Berkshire. Capable of delivering up to 50Mb speeds, if successful the trial would give hope to over one million homes in the UK; particularly those in rural areas.

Virgin continued to deliver some of the most impressive broadband speeds year after year. However, it was in November 2013 when it released its 152Mb downstream broadband service. This is the fastest fibre optic broadband available in the UK.

A few interesting facts

It may be one of the most well-known broadband providers on the market, but while you may have heard of the brand, you may not know very much about its broadband services. Below you’ll discover some of the top facts to know about the company and its broadband services…

• All of their packages are fibre optic – Most broadband providers give you the option to upgrade to fibre optic, but offer a standard basic package
• Virgin Media was rated first by Ofcom in a UK broadband speed test in July 2009 and 2010 – If you’re looking for a fast, reliable connection then Virgin is definitely the provider to go with. Even as of May 2016, a speed test showed its speeds actually came very close to the ones advertised.
• The fibre optic broadband is supplied to a cabinet on the street, rather than into the customer’s home – One of the more unique things about Virgin is the fact it does not deliver its broadband packages straight into the home. Instead, they are run via cables that connect to a cabinet located on the street. You would think this would mean its packages wouldn’t be as fast as its competitors, however as you’ll see above, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The above are just three useful facts about Virgin’s broadband service. It has proven year upon year that it is one of the key players in the market, delivering the fastest speeds, along with great deals.

Overall Virgin is one of the best broadband providers, with the only potential downside being you would have to have a cable installed within the home if there isn’t one already, in order to benefit from its fibre optic packages.