August 2009 sees Virgin Media breaking the 7 Mbps barrier
Virgin Media has been awarded the distinction of being the first ever broadband provider in the country to provide speeds of more than 7 Mbps, according to a research conducted recently by a popular broadband news site.
The recent survey has shown that the broadband services which are currently being provided by Virgin Media are at least twice as fast as other broadband providers in terms of the average downlink speed, expect 2 service providers, which are Be Broadband and O2.
Virgin Media’s fibre optic network, according to an industry expert, is the benchmark for top – class broadband in the country. The 7 Mbps barrier being trampled down is yet another first in the list of achievements by Virgin Media.
A large number of broadband speed tests were conducted by the broadband news site with a help of a set of regular broadband users located throughout the country during August 2009 and the results were then calculated.
The industry expert also added that the fibre optic network is clearly providing the edge for Virgin Media. He also urged the government to take seriously plans to bring fibre optic cables to all homes in the UK and not just the urban areas which are being supplied by Virgin. A new digital divide is currently prevailing in the country, with more than 50% of the population unable to get access to fibre optic cable, thereby leaving them behind!
The overall average broadband speed over all broadband network providers for the month of August was about 4.33 Mbps which, though it was higher than the July 2009 results, didn’t actually beat the 4.340 Mbps record set in June. The improvement of the broadband network of Virgin Media was the reason for the increase in the average speed.
The completion recently of the high – speed fibre broadband network of Virgin, along with the new special offers on the 50 Mbps package, is sure to bring about more increases in average speed during September 2009.
Virgin Mobile Broadband
Virgin Mobile is an affiliate of the giant Virgin Media since early 2007. It is not a telecoms company on its own like O2 or Vodaphone. Rather, it is actually classified as a “mobile virtual network operator or MVNO – a company that uses a Telco’s network of its mobile phone and broadband service which in Virgin’s case is T-Mobile. It was, in fact, the world’s first MVNO when it launched in 1999. But it was the last to get into the 3G band wagon, offering the service in the UK starting last October.
It offers only one USB broadband dongle, limited monthly postpaid plans and no pay-as-you-go plan. Its bundled broadband service with a laptop is rather late in coming but is unique. Rather than offering Toshibas or Samsungs like other mobile network operators do, Virgin is opting to put out its own brand with the Virgin Media Freedom Netbook for just 20 per month on a package that has 10 GB download limit with fixed line broadband and telephone.
Its advantage lies in the fact that it is positioned within the Virgin Media Quadplay package that offers cable TV, telephone, fixed line cable broadband and mobile phone services. The mobile broadband service should put it as a 5th service, but we don’t see a Virgin Media Quintoplay forthcoming anytime soon.
Virgin’s Post Paid Plan
Virgin Mobile offers a monthly payment scheme on a couple of Post Paid plans. You can opt to get a 1 GB download limit on its 12-month post paid contract at a special price of ₤5 when you buy with L or XL cable broadband. Or get a larger 3 GB download limit for 18 months at ₤15 per month. In either plans you get a free broadband dongle with a 3GB download allowance and advertised speeds up to 1.8Mb.
Why Choose Virgin Mobile
- There are no connection fees.
- The sleek black and silver socket is the same Huawei E116 used by T-Mobile that’s compatible with either Mac or PC. It has a socket for external antenna for improved mobile reception and a microSD slot that makes it a flash drive in one.
- Virgin uses the T-Mobile network, so you can be confident about its coverage across much of the UK. You just won’t get access to T-mobile’s Wi-Fi hotspots.
There’s a 6-month half price on all Post-Paid contracts.
Virgin Media formed a new partnership
Just recently, Virgin Media announced its new offering to their customers which will come in this exciting package: an extensive variety of reliable sets of mobile broadband, which comes in a very fast and reliable broadband connection in the UK and the newest offering, which is the mobile portal.
More recognized as RoundU, this new portal is specifically designed for mobile broadband users from the United Kingdom using Virgin Media's newest broadband service. It aims to offer information regarding the subscriber’s physical location.
Mobile commerce is a location-based specialist, which provides important information to their subscribers.
Through the use of RoundU service, people will have the ability to search for their precise location and be furnished with vast information regarding the location they are currently in. The information they can find include the following: the most accessible amenities, and Thompson listings, for personal and business purposes respectively.
In addition, they can also find some other information regarding amusement sites from various associations and society. There are also certain guides and other useful information that an individual can make use of to know more about a specific location.
Steve Page, Mobile Commerce’s head manager expressed his gratitude and pleasure to be partnered with Virgin Media. He said that he was truly gratified when Virgin Media agreed to work with his company. He assured the people who are supporting them that they will continue to provide them with quality products and services.
Almost two million business listings, and up to 11 000 location sites in the UK will be provided to its users by RoundU. This will cater to their various needs like where to dine in and where to stay and enjoy while they are in the country.
Virgin Media Offers Free Laptop Deal
In this time of great competition between communication firms Virgin has come out with a bundle offering a free laptop.
Recent reports show that Virgin Media has started to offer a new bundle deal to customers. This particular bundle includes a laptop, cable broadband service up to 20Mbps, unlimited voice calls to landlines in the United Kingdom, at an introductory price of £28.95 per month.
The laptop included in the bundle is an HP 550 Notebook PC currently valued at about £329 in local stores. The unit comes with Windows Vista Home Basic and has a 15.4 inch widescreen liquid crystal display screen. The package also comes with a free wireless router and a security software package that can help protect the new laptop and network from threats like viruses and pop up advertising.
Customers who avail of this promotion must sign up for up to a minimum of eighteen months. The introductory price of £28.95 applies for the first six months of the contract. The standard monthly fee, which is about ten pound more than the introductory price, is applied for the rest of the contract duration. Customers may also add a digital television service to the package at an additional eleven pounds per month.
Current market trends show the increasing numbers of special offers, like this one by Virgin Media, are becoming the standard fare among telecommunications companies. The technique of throwing in special deals and packages that often include high tech gadgets, such as laptops, mobile phones, or free coverage periods and discounts seem to be working. New customers should be aware of these discounts and free products in order to make the best value for money deals available in this ever changing market.
Virgin Media Eyes Complementary Mobile Broadband Market
According to the executives at Virgin Media the mobile broadband market has limited appeal to most customers and that they intend to change this by allowing the service to complements the existing range of services in their product bundles.
Virgin Media has strong roots in high-end broadband, television, and mobile communication bundles. Because of this they have firm belief that their incursion into the mobile broadband market will be highly successful.
The company, known for being the first quadruple play company in the United Kingdom, is listed in New York but operates only in the UK. During its entry into the mobile broadband market last month, they offered mobile broadband services at fifteen pounds per month. Virgin Media also plans to roll out their mobile broadband service in bundles similar to the Virgin Mobile bundles already available in the market today.
During the annual Morgan Stanley technology, media, and telecoms conference in Barcelona, Virgin Media chief executive Neil Berkett said that “Mobile broadband, in the short to medium future, will be a complementary product in the UK.” Furthermore he adds that “at the top end of products, a dongle (mobile broadband modem) will be very cheap indeed.” This reflects the company’s view on the mobile broadband market as an available resource that can be successfully tapped.
Current views from Ofcom, the media regulatory body, which states that BSkyB, a pay-TV company, should provide wholesale level access to premium, high-definition, and sports content, is fully supported by Berkett. He said “I have a high degree of confidence there will be a remedy in the marketplace, but not in the next quarter or so”. The current cost of premium content has prevented the increase in market share and has limited its spread to only about six million households.
Virgin Media Announce New Mobile Broadband Packages
In a bid to increase its online customer base Virgin Media has launched its own mobile broadband packages. They have become the last of the six major telecommunications operators in the United Kingdom to launch mobile broadband services.
Virgin media mobile broadband subscribers will be get up to 3GB worth of mobile downloads a month at standard monthly fee of fifteen pounds. Subscribers need to sign an 16 month contract with Virgin Media for the mobile broadband access which currently makes use of the T-Mobile cellular phone network as its backbone. Subscribers will also get a free USB modem for use on their laptops and tablet devices.
Market Expansion
The recent increase in interest on mobile broadband technology has lead to fears of mobile network congestions and slow downs. Members of the GSM Association, which includes companies like Microsoft, Dell, Toshiba, Ericsson, Vodafone, and T-Mobile, are increasing network capacity and introducing new technologies to support the rapid expansion of the mobile broadband market.
One such technology may allow future users to have instant out of the box access to the internet using cheap dongles that allow access to the mobile broadband network. New laptops are being equipped to become broadband network ready without the need for additional devices. Increasing worldwide demand for such devices has led to tremendous financial backing from various telecommunications companies.
WiMax, a new technology set to rival or replace the current HSDPA mobile broadband networks, has been rolling out slowly in Europe but has seen tremendous growth in the US. Today, telecommunications companies are watching what effects the WiMax protocol will have on the current mobile broadband market trends and are planning to respond accordingly.
Virgin Media Steers Clear from Mobile Broadband Price Wars
Virgin Media’s entry into the mobile broadband market has lead to new speculations on how it will affect the current active price war among competitors in the field. However from its initial launch Virgin Media has made it clear that they have no intention of joining the price war and intend to approach the market in a different way.
Industry experts expect Virgin Media will avoid the price war altogether and look towards the loyalty of its current customers for the expansion of their mobile broadband customer base. This they say is because Virgin Media believes that its good reputation among its current customers and brand name recognition will be enough for them to gain a good customer base without lowering their prices enough to become involved in the price war. According to one report "Virgin will not be using price to compete for mobile broadband customers, rather the company hopes its reputation for providing good fixed line broadband services will help create interest in the service."
After the launch of their mobile broadband service a Virgin Media official said that “The launch of our Mobile Broadband product means UK consumers can now get all of their broadband needs from the UK's leading broadband expert.” Also adding that “Virgin Media already provides the fastest broadband in the UK over our fiber-optic network and now customers can enjoy our broadband both at home and when on the move."
Virgin Media mobile broadband services are currently being offered at a cost of fifteen pounds a month at available bandwidth that would be equal to two hundred music files, a hundred two minute video streams, a hundred hours worth of web surfing, and over two thousand emails.
