Virgin Media O2 this week has announced the availability of gigabit broadband to the residents and businesses in Skipton and Glusburn. This latest network expansion of Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) brings the total number of homes and businesses benefiting from the high-speed broadband service to more than 7,000.
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Gigabit Broadband Expansion
According to VMO2, the new service offers download speeds of up to 1,130Mbps, a 23-fold increase compared to the local average. This speed makes it ideal for busy households where multiple devices are connected simultaneously, allowing for seamless streaming, video calls, gaming, and online work.
Virgin Media O2 said, "7,000 more people in Skipton and Glusburn can now feel the benefit of Virgin Media's services - with packages that include everything from next-generation gigabit broadband to easy-to-use TV streaming and entertainment services."
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Nexfibre Partnership
This expansion was facilitated by nexfibre, a joint venture between InfraVia Capital Partners, Liberty Global, and Telefonica. Their multi-million-pound investment is bringing full-fibre broadband to millions of homes across the UK, with a target of 5 million covered by 2026, said the official release. Virgin Media O2 serves as the anchor tenant for this initiative, utilising nexfibre's infrastructure to deliver its high-speed services.
For mobile users, VMO2 offers mobile network with 99 percent population coverage for 4G and ongoing 5G rollouts to bring the latest mobile connectivity to more parts of the country.
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Virgin Media O2 Showcases the Power of Network Slicing at Comic Con
Virgin Media O2 and Ericsson partnered to demonstrate the potential of network slicing at Comic Con Birmingham. Using a dedicated slice on Virgin Media O2's 5G standalone network, the augmented reality esport Hado facilitated remote play and live broadcasting for competitors and viewers worldwide.
Players from Birmingham, USA, and Korea competed in real-time thanks to a dedicated 5G slice guaranteeing bandwidth, latency, and jitter. According to VMO2, even with over 8,000 visitors at Comic Con, the network slice ensured seamless gameplay and a smooth live broadcast for thousands of viewers worldwide.
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"The real benefit of network slicing is the ability to reserve a slice of the network for critical applications or services. In this example, the slice is optimised to provide the best latency possible, but equally it could be for something as critical as the emergency services at a busy event or live TV news broadcasting. The possibilities are endless," said VMO2.
