Virgin Media accused of ignoring rural broadband needs

Virgin Media has been criticised for ignoring the needs of rural communities with its rollout of ultra-fast fibre optic broadband.

By this spring, all 13 million homes served by the Virgin Media network will be able to sign up for fibre broadband with download capabilities of up to 100Mbps, with this headline figure set to rise to 120Mbps over the coming months.

Bromley, Dundee, Norton Hawkfield in north-east Somerset and Staverton in Gloucestershire are the latest communities to gain access to the service.

However, the Country Land and Business Association argued Virgin Media and other major telecoms firms are overlooking rural areas and focusing on conducting speed upgrades in towns and cities that are already well connected.

Dr Charles Trotman, the campaign group's head of rural development, commented: "Rural areas are still losing out in the broadband provider war.

"Virgin Media's latest rollout ignores homes and businesses in the countryside to give areas that already have good broadband even faster connections."