- New ‘Collections’ feature powerful combination of TiVo and ‘superfast as standard’ broadband
- 100Mb service roll-out completed ahead of schedule
- David Tennant and Richard Branson to star in new Virgin Media TV ads
Launching in April, Virgin Media has created a range of market-changing packages featuring Virgin Media’s highly acclaimed TiVo service and its cutting-edge fibre optic broadband to create a new powerful combination of digital services for consumers looking for the latest and very best in home entertainment. The bundles, called ‘Collections’, herald in a new era of next-generation services in the UK and are designed to meet the increasing mainstream demand for faster broadband and intelligent connected TV services, whilst also providing unprecedented value for consumers.
The new Collections come hot on the heels of the completion of the roll-out of Virgin Media’s 100Mb broadband service across its cable network of 13 million homes. Creating a significant milestone for the UK, half of all homes are now able to take advantage of some of the fastest broadband speeds in Europe, helping propel the country up the global broadband speed charts and powering consumers for the next-generation of digital services. The completion of the 100Mb roll-out comes in time for an exciting ‘Summer of Sport’, primed to power the explosive growth of ‘connected’ devices including smartphones, consoles, TVs, computers and tablets now commonplace in the home.
As part of the complete revamp of its bundles, Virgin Media has also updated its standard broadband product offering to create a clear distinction between its advanced digital services and those of its competitors. With most ISPs in the UK still delivering broadband over telephone wires and barely delivering half of their advertised maximum speeds* of around 20-24Mb, Virgin Media’s broadband product offering is now uniquely ‘superfast as standard’ offering consumers a choice of up to 30Mb, 60Mb, or 100Mb**, with customers on older tiers such as 10Mb or 20Mb being upgraded at no extra cost as part of Virgin Media’s Double Speeds programme.
In the new Collections, the updated broadband tiers are complemented by Virgin Media’s pioneering digital TV service, featuring Catch up TV, TV on Demand and basic HD at no extra cost as standard. Virgin Media’s award-winning TiVo service now forms part of the standard product offering for customers, with the V HD box providing options for additional boxes or for customers that don’t require recording functionality. The new Collections will feature in Virgin Media’s new TV adverts featuring David Tennant and Richard Branson, due to air from primetime on Saturday 31st March.
Andrew Barron, chief operating officer at Virgin Media said: “Virgin Media has been leading the evolution of digital entertainment in the UK, and with services such as TiVo and 100Mb, we’ve catalysed a massive growth in the consumption of digital entertainment. This is the first time we’ve combined these leading products in this way and these ground-breaking Collections mark a new chapter for digital services in the UK, with superfast broadband and next-generation TV services now attracting the mass consumer market and families looking for the best way to enjoy their digital lives across the numerous connected devices found inside – or outside – the home today.”
The new collections are available to both new and existing customers looking to update their services ready for an exciting Summer of entertainment. To celebrate the launch of the new Collections, Virgin Media is also offering new customers the chance to get six months half price when taking a Collection on an 18 month contract. For more information on Virgin Media’s Collections, head to www.virginmedia.com/bundles.
Notes to Editors
The new Collections feature:
| Collection | Digital TV Box | TV pack & Channels | Included HD Channels | Fibre Optic Broadband | Telephone | Included Extras | Price
/month |
| Essential | TiVo 500GB | M+ (75) | 6 | 30Mb | Talk Weekends | £25 | |
| Premiere | TiVo 500GB
+ V HD |
XL (175) | 23 | 60Mb | Talk Weekends | Includes 3m Spotify, ESPN/ESPN HD | £45 |
| VIP | TiVo 1TB +
V HD |
XL (175) | 36
(Includes 13 HD channels for Sky Premiums) |
100Mb (120Mb**) | Talk Unlimited | Includes Sky Sports & Movies collection, HD fee for Sky Premiums, 3m Spotify, Talk Plan extras (Mobile/ International/08), ESPN/ESPN HD | £90 |
Table 1: Collections. All prices are when taken with a Virgin Home Phone line at £13.90 per month, e-billing and with payment via Direct Debit. All Virgin Home Phone services include unlimited calls to UK voice landlines, 0870 numbers and Virgin Mobiles during inclusive talk periods. All Virgin Broadband services come complete with SuperHub dual-band wireless ‘n’ router and a free security suite featuring Parental Controls for the lifetime of a customer’s broadband subscription. All Virgin TV services come with access to Catch Up TV (featuring BBC iPlayer, ITV Net Player, 4OD, Demand Five and Sky Anytime on Virgin Media), Virgin TV on Demand, and basic HD at no extra cost (£7 fee payable for Sky Premiums in HD). Installation fee of £49.95 applies. Standard contract terms 12m for new or existing customers. 6m Half Price offer only available to new customers taking a Collection on an 18m contract. Subject to change. See www.virginmedia.com/bundles for full details and additional terms.
* Ofcom’s review of UK broadband speeds published in February 2012, based on November 2011 test results -http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/02/02/jump-in-uk-broadband-speeds/
** Virgin Media will be upgrading the 100Mb service to 120Mb as part of its ‘Double Speeds’ programme currently rolling out across Virgin Media’s network (www.virginmedia.com/doublespeeds). Existing customers on 50Mb or 100Mb will be automatically be upgraded to 120Mb, with customers on 100Mb also benefiting from a price reduction to align their broadband service with the price for the 50Mb service.
Virgin Media uses traffic management on its network to ensure the vast majority of customers receive the high quality of service they expect. As part of the speed doubling programme, customers will receive faster speeds and with the significant additional investment being put into its network, Virgin Media will be trialling a variety of different approaches to traffic management over the coming months to make the system more intelligent and flexible, whilst ensuring optimal quality of service. For more information see www.virginmedia.com/traffic.
About Virgin Media:
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company’s cable network – the result of a multi-billion pound private investment – delivers ultrafast broadband connections to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 100Mb, and is being expanded to reach thousands more people across the country.
Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of UK households.
Virgin Media also operates the most popular virtual mobile network in the UK which, when launched, was the world’s first such mobile phone service. It is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
Virgin Media Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market and the London Stock Exchange (VMED).
For journalist enquiries contact:
Press Office
Email: pressoffice@virginmedia.co.uk