Virgin 2Mbit users get free 10Mbit upgrade

Virgin Media is to upgrade all its 2MBits/sec customers to "up to 10Mbits/sec " for free, the company announced today.

The upgrade, and a 20Mbits/sec service, will start in May and will be available to all its customers. The company announced the rollout of a 50Mbits/sec service last year, which is due to be completed this summer.

The 10Mbit/sec service costs £14 a month when taken with an £11-a—month phone service (which includes free weekend calls). Virgin claims this total of £25 a month is at least £5 less than the cost of an 8Mbits/sec ADSL+ service.

The company also says that the difference in speed is more that the throughput ratings would suggest because DSL technology is more susceptible to line noise and distance from an exchange, and faces more contention.

It quotes figures from Cardiff-based Epitiro showing that Virgin's 10Mbits/sec service deliver a real average throughput of 6.9Mbits/sec, compared with 3.4Mbits/sec on BT, 2.5Mits/sec on Tiscali, 2.1Mbits/sec on Orange), and 1.2Mbits/sec on Pipex – all services rated at "up to 8Mbits/sec..

Chief executive Neil Berkett claimed Virgin Media's entry-level broadband was now twice the speed of rivals. "With our new 10-20-50 range, we clearly offer the highest quality broadband service in the UK."