Virgin Media connects Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus to gigabit speeds

Seamus McCorry (Virgin Media Regional Director for Northern Ireland), Paul Murphy (Virgin Media Engineer) and Economy Minister Diane Dodds outside Parliament Buildings, Belfast, to mark the launch of Virgin Media’s Gig1 broadband being made available to homes across Northern Ireland. Credit: VirginMedia/Declan McKenna

Some 45,000 homes in Newtownabbey can now access gigabit broadband, with 13,000 in Carrickfergus.

It offers average download speeds of 1,140Mbps, more than 25 times faster than the regional average.

The major connectivity boost comes at a time when many people are increasingly reliant on their home broadband to stay connected to the things and people that matter to them.

It forms part of Virgin Media’s plan to bring gigabit speeds to more than 15 million homes across its entire network by the end of 2021.

Economy Minister, Diane Dodds, said: “I welcome Virgin Media’s investment in Northern Ireland and this significant achievement in further expanding gigabit capable fibre services to citizens and businesses. This comes at a time when the importance of telecommunications has become so prominent. Connectivity will play a vital role in re-building the Northern Ireland economy as we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis.”

Seamus McCorry, Northern Ireland Regional Director at Virgin Media, added: “As part of our continued multimillion pound investment in Northern Ireland, the country now boasts some of the world’s fastest broadband speeds as a result of Virgin Media’s latest Gig1 switch-on.

“These hyperfast speeds will empower those working from home, learning online, video calling friends and family, or binging on a box set in 4K – all of which can be done at the same time, without delay.”

Virgin Media has invested more than £150 million in Northern Ireland since 2016, improving connectivity by expanding its network across the country as well as opening a brand new office in Belfast.

The company also won a Government-backed Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) contract in Belfast last year which saw more than 200 Belfast City Council locations connected to its ultrafast network, including offices, parks and tourist attractions across the city region.