Virgin Announced broadband speeds are doubling for free in February

People may find the following information as posted to the official VM Forum of some information:


We're doubling our customers' broadband speeds

We've just announced that we're doubling the speeds of over four million of our broadband customers and we'll be boosting our top speed to 120Mb, strengthening our position as the fastest broadband provider in the UK, helping to meet the growing demand for next generation broadband and marking a step change in the UK's digital development.

Starting in February 2012, the upgrade programme will take continue over 18 months and we expect it to be complete by mid 2013. If you're on our current 10Mb, 20Mb, 30Mb and 50Mb service you will see your speed at least doubled and if you're on 100Mb you'll see a significant increase to 120Mb. These speeds will help ensure you get high quality access to the huge growth in new online services.

The widespread availability of superfast broadband supports the Government's ambitions of ensuring that UK consumers have access to the best broadband services in Europe by 2015. Our upgrade programme forms part of our on-going commitment to delivering the fastest broadband speeds in the UK and will catapult Britain into the world's broadband premier league.

Does everyone get their speed doubled?

All existing customers will get a broadband boost, and in most cases you'll get double your current speed. 20Mb customers are getting their speeds tripled, while 100Mb are getting an increase to 120Mb – the fastest broadband widely available in the UK.


How are my speeds changing?

This table shows you what speed you'll be getting. If you're not sure which package you're on, check your bill or log into My Virgin Media.

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Note: Upstream speeds and traffic management fair usage amounts will be increased in proportion to the increase in downstream speed.


What do I need to do to get my broadband speed boost?

In most cases, absolutely nothing! We'll do everything behind the scenes, and then let you know when it's done. Then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy an ever faster broadband experience.

If you're using one of our older modems then there might be a little more to it. You'll still get a speed boost, but we might need to swap your modem for a Virgin Media Super Hub to make sure you get the best from your new speed. If so, we'll supply the Super Hub without charge. And don't worry - we'll be emailing or writing to you in good time to let you know what you need to do.


When will my broadband speed be increased?

We'll be giving everyone a speed boost, but not all at the same time. To find out when your area is being upgraded, we're putting a postcode checker online which will always have the most up-to-date information. The website will go live on Friday evening; check back here for the URL.

Please note that the post code checker does not apply to 100Mb customers whose boost will be happening from the summer of 2012. We will be writing to you with more information as to when their speed boost will be happening shortly.


Will my upload speed increase, as well?

Yes! It's not just your downloads that'll become much faster. Your upload speeds will be automatically increased as we upgrade our network, so you get the best of both worlds.

Depending on the progress of the network upgrade there maybe a delay after your download speed is increased before your upload speed boost occurs.


I'm an existing customer. If I change my package, will I get a second speed boost for free?

If you upgrade your broadband speed before we give you the speed boost, then yes we'll give you the new speeds on top when your area is ready.


I'm a new customer. Do I get my broadband speed boosted?

Yes! If you join us on a L10, XL30, XXL50 package at the moment, we'll give you a speed boost on top of whatever broadband speed you select when your area is ready.


How will I know when my broadband speed has been increased?

After your speed has been increased we'll send you an email or letter to confirm that what speed you are now on. You will also be able to see your new speed displayed on your Virgin Media bill and when you log in to My Virgin Media.


What will I see on my bill after my speed boost?

Your new speed will appear on your bill and will look like one of the following:
Broadband size: S (up to 5Mb)
Broadband size: M (up to 20Mb)
Broadband size: L (up to 20Mb)
Broadband size: XL (up to 60Mb)
Broadband size: XXL (up to 100Mb)
Unless you change to a new package, you'll pay the same as before you were upgraded.

The amount you pay only changes if you are already on 100Mb. If you are, then we'll shortly be giving you a discount on your monthly subscription. We will be in contact to let you know when the discount will be applied.


Why do I have to wait for my Speed Boost?

Over the next 18 months we're going to be upgrading over four million customers. Doubling everyone's speed is a pretty big job so it can't happen overnight. Our engineers will be working as fast as they can to upgrade 38,000 street cabinets and 186,000km of cable (enough to go around the equator four times).

As soon as the network is ready and tested in a region, we'll upgrade everyone in that area as quickly as possible.


Where can I ask some more questions about this?

If you post them in this question and answer thread on the forum we'll do our best to answer them.

We
 
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I had this 'tickle' come through the post about 6weeks ago
it said on there 'limited customers only' but I guess they've changed that to ALL

the postcode checker told me my upgrade would be June-December 2012....
50mb to 100mb
 
They may double the speed but that doesn't mean to say you are guaranteed to get it
 
So if some of us will be waiting until next year while others get the upgrade a lot sooner, will VM be reducing the bills of those who've not yet received the upgrade? I can understand the technical reasons why they cannot give everyone the upgrade straight away, but why not make the transition fairer by reducing everyones BB bill until they've had the upgrade? As it stands, some customers will be paying the same for half the service others are getting and this could be the case for over a year!

Here's the best bit:
The amount you pay only changes if you are already on 100Mb. If you are, then we'll shortly be giving you a discount on your monthly subscription. We will be in contact to let you know when the discount will be applied.

Meaning that someone who'd been upgraded will actually be paying less than someone who hasn't and who is still on 100Mb!
 
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So if some of us will be waiting until next year while others get the upgrade a lot sooner, will VM be reducing the bills of those who've not yet received the upgrade? I can understand the technical reasons why they cannot give everyone the upgrade straight away, but why not make the transition fairer by reducing everyones BB bill until they've had the upgrade? As it stands, some customers will be paying the same for half the service others are getting and this could be the case for over a year!

Here's the best bit:


Meaning that someone who'd been upgraded will actually be paying less than someone who hasn't and who is still on 100Mb!
We're getting our BB speeds doubled at no extra cost, be happy that man...:facepalm:

Now repeat after me: "The glass is half full!" :smashin:
 
They may double the speed but that doesn't mean to say you are guaranteed to get it
No sh!i Sherlock :rolleyes: That's always been the case

Personally, I couldn't be happier :D

So if some of us will be waiting until next year while others get the upgrade a lot sooner, will VM be reducing the bills of those who've not yet received the upgrade? I can understand the technical reasons why they cannot give everyone the upgrade straight away, but why not make the transition fairer by reducing everyones BB bill until they've had the upgrade?
Or they could just charge you double for the upgrade :rolleyes:

Seriously! What is wrong with some people :confused:


I've always got the speed i pay for with virgin, or near as dammit.
Me too :)
 
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Neither am I. So what. We're ALL (except those on 100MB, actually) getting our speed doubled; for FREE.

Be happy :D
 
Neither am I. So what. We're ALL (except those on 100MB, actually) getting our speed doubled; for FREE.

Be happy :D

So I' should be happy because I may get my speed dobled in 18 months time, but until then I pay the same for half the service others may be getting? :confused:

You can be happy if you want, but do not take it upon yourself to dictate to me how I should be feeling. You must be on drugs? I'm not a VM customer because I think VM are a charity or that I owe them some kind of debt of gratitude, nor do I put their profits above my well being. As a consumer I seek what is best for me and not the organisation I pay for services from.

A person paying the exact same amount as me could potentially be getting double the service, not just in the short term, but potentially for period of up to 18 months!

By the way, it isn't for FREE! You pay for it!


If so fare then why are those on the 100Mb packae getting their bills dropped down to that of the 50Mb package customers? Why aren't the other packages having their prices dropped until the upgrade takes place, or having the option of the same speed after the upgrades, but for less?

Half price would have made me a lot happier and I'm sure there are others too who don't need the extra speed who'd prefer cheaper broadband instead?
 
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...do not take it upon yourself to dictate to me how I should be feeling.
It wasn't an order :rolleyes:

You must be on drugs?
Yeah. That's the only possible explanation :rolleyes:

A person paying the exact same amount as me could potentially be getting double the service, not just in the short term, but potentially for period of up to 18 months!
On the other side of the coin, though, you might get your upgrade 18 months before someone else.

That's how it works and I don't know what you think they are supposed to do about it :confused:

By the way, it isn't for FREE! You pay for it!

I can't see any mention anywhere of the price also increasing, at the same time, as a direct consequence of the upgrade so would you please cite a source for this claim. (Though going by past experience of your not being able to back-up any of your claims, probably not :()

There is this, which you quoted yourself.

Unless you change to a new package, you'll pay the same as before you were upgraded.

Which, to me, suggests that there won't be a price increase. But apparently I'm on drugs so what would I know, right? :rolleyes:

If so fare then why are those on the 100Mb package getting their bills dropped down to that of the 50Mb package customers? Why aren't the other packages having their prices dropped until the upgrade takes place, or having the option of the same speed after the upgrades, but for less?
Apparently, this is because they are only getting a 20% speed boost, rather than double. |link|; which seems fair enough to me.

Half price would have made me a lot happier and I'm sure there are others too who don't need the extra speed who'd prefer cheaper broadband instead?
That's not a bad idea, but it would also mean more speed tier levels for them to manage. So perhaps they thought of it but dismissed as un-workable or something.
 
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Here's the best bit. As I said, I'm not a 100Mb customer, but VM today sent me an email telling me this:

Hello

Good news - we're giving you even faster broadband, for less.

You're already getting the UK's fastest widely available broadband, and starting this summer we'll be starting the roll-out to boost your speeds from up to 100Mb to up to 120Mb. We'll also be lowering the price of your broadband package in April to match the price of our 50Mb Broadband XXL packages.

These are nice extras we do to make you smile. We call them Virgin Media tickles, and we only give them to people we know and like - our customers.

Our ongoing commitment to offering the UK's fastest broadband.

Virgin Media offers the fastest broadband speeds in the UK*, as proven by Ofcom for three years in a row. And we're committed to keeping it this way. Which is why we're upgrading our award winning fibre optic network over the next 18 months.

As part of this upgrade, you may have seen we'll be doubling many of our customers' broadband speeds. But, because you already get our fastest broadband, we're upgrading you to up to 120Mb and giving you a discount instead.

So whether you love streaming HD movies, ruling the gaming world or downloading tunes in super quick time - you'll soon be able to do it even faster and for less.

You don't have to lift a finger.

The 120Mb upgrade kick off in the summer and will have a slightly different roll-out schedule to our other work. We'll let you know nearer the time when to expect your broadband speed boost. In the meantime, see what you can do with faster speeds at virginmedia.com/evenfaster.

We'll be in touch in a few weeks with more details about your price reduction, so there's no need to call us, or do a thing – except keep enjoying what is already the UK's fastest broadband.




Kind regards,



Yet more VM ineptitude. I'd prefer they get their admin and customer services in order before anything else.


because you already get our fastest broadband, we're upgrading you to up to 120Mb and giving you a discount instead.

:rolleyes::confused::confused::confused:


I just need to sit back and wait for them to start overcharging me (again).
 
dante01 said:
Here's the best bit. As I said, I'm not a 100Mb customer, but VM today sent me an email telling me this:

Yet more VM ineptitude. I'd prefer they get their admin and customer services in order before anything else.

:rolleyes::confused::confused::confused:

I just need to sit back and wait for them to start overcharging me (again).

Just leave virgin, if you're that fed up. Go on do it!

If you went to sky and adsl you would have a whole other host of problems to whinge about, imagine how much more exciting your life would be.

A secondary benefit would be that the rest of us would not have to listen to your bleating.
 
Just leave virgin, if you're that fed up. Go on do it!

If you went to sky and adsl you would have a whole other host of problems to whinge about, imagine how much more exciting your life would be.

A secondary benefit would be that the rest of us would not have to listen to your bleating.

Sorry, I pay for this service and I want what I pay for. I shouldn't have to go elsewhere and should get the service I'm charged for. Are you saying it is acceptable for Virgin Media to have such a poor service just because they have competitors? THe whole idea of there not being a monopoly is to improve levels of service, not diminish them!

I'm not a SKY customer, I'm a Virgin Media customer. I don't have to think the sun shines out VM port hole to be a customer. I sometimes wonder what this country has become? Rather than think it right to complain about anything in order to improve something, people become protective and defensive as if they actual get the service for free!
 
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dante01 said:
Here's the best bit. As I said, I'm not a 100Mb customer, but VM today sent me an email telling me this:

Yet more VM ineptitude. I'd prefer they get their admin and customer services in order before anything else.

:rolleyes::confused::confused::confused:

I just need to sit back and wait for them to start overcharging me (again).

I just got that email too... Hilariously badly written... Yes, keep sending me random gibberish blathering wrong info spreading confusion... I'd fire the clowns who wrote this email... Clowns...
 
I just got that email too... Hilariously badly written... Yes, keep sending me random gibberish blathering wrong info spreading confusion... I'd fire the clowns who wrote this email... Clowns...

I'm now getting paranoid that they actually start billing me for the 100Mb service. THey've done worse in the past :D
 
yes you get 100mb for free If your on 50mb.. do not see the issue here.
 
yes you get 100mb for free If your on 50mb.. do not see the issue here.

So it will not cost me anything at all? It will be gratis? I don't actually need 100Mb BB and would be much better served by having the cost of my 50Mb service halved. In fact I may just drop my service to the 30Mb package and get it doubled to 60Mb (before they hike the prices next year).

Do you really believe VM are doing this out of the goodness of their heart or because this country needs betterBB? What this country needs is affordable BB for all, and I don't see that in the announcement. It is PR crap! Virgin Media is a US owned public company with shareholders to keep happy. Nothing is free.

And it isn't that I mind paying for something I want, I mind paying for such a poor service that so many herald as being in some way superior because of half kept promises and the misuse of the word Free.
 
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So it will not cost me anything at all? It will be gratis? I don't actually need 100Mb BB and would be much better served by having the cost of my 50Mb service halved.

nothing there just upping your current line to 100mb for the same as 50mb prices,
if you do not need it wait it to happen, then after that so the prices get sorted and just drop the speed to cut your bill :)


Vm have upped the BB before for free, had this 2 times now i.e 5mb to 10mb then 10mb to 20mb with no change to the bill.
 
nothing there just upping your current line to 100mb for the same as 50mb prices,
if you do not need it wait it to happen, then after that so the prices get sorted and just drop the speed to cut your bill :)


Vm have upped the BB before for free, had this 2 times now i.e 5mb to 10mb then 10mb to 20mb with no change to the bill.

Sorry if I sound banal, but it isn't free, not unless I can give them back the 50Mb they charge for and I just keep the other 50Mb? :D
 
Jesus wept. You gotta laugh when you get something extra, for no extra cost, and people still whinge about it - and then try to back up their whinges by being pedantic about wording...

I'm on 10mb - so I'm getting boosted to 20mb; and it's not costing me a penny more. So, and I'll try to word it so the simpletons can understand it; I'm getting a 100% increase in speed for 0% increase in cost
 
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so half price then :D

No, don't be silly :nono:


:D


Actually, I did suggest that earlier in the thread. I think more people would benefit from half price BB than doubling the speeds of existing customers? Maybe even lay some more cables instead?
 

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