Virgin Media speeds up 100Mbps fibre broadband rollout

Up to 100Mbps fibre optic broadband services will be available to every home on the Virgin Media network by this spring, the cable company has announced.

The ultra-fast broadband technology can now be accessed by more than ten million homes, with Bromley, Dundee, Norton Hawkfield in north-east Somerset and Staverton in Gloucestershire the latest communities to be connected.

According to Virgin Media, the deployment is ahead of schedule and will be finished several months prior to the original mid-2012 deadline.

Jon James, executive director of broadband at the internet service provider, said: "Broadband is coming of age as more people give up on slow DSL in favour of super-fast fibre optic speeds."

His comments come just days after Ofcom claimed more than four in ten households signed up to broadband services offering speeds of 10Mbps or less would be able to benefit from faster download rates for little or no extra cost by switching provider or package.