Virgin Media continues its aggressive expansion of ultrafast broadband across Northern Ireland, announcing that its Gig1 service will reach 12 additional towns by the end of 2025.
This expansion represents a significant investment in Northern Ireland's digital infrastructure, bringing gigabit-speed internet to rural and suburban communities that have historically struggled with slower connections.
Towns Receiving Gig1 Service
The rollout will prioritize areas with the greatest demand for high-speed internet, focusing on communities with growing business sectors and remote working populations.
Virgin Media's Gig1 service offers download speeds of up to 1.13 Gbps, making it one of the fastest consumer broadband services available in Northern Ireland. This speed is particularly beneficial for households with multiple users, businesses requiring reliable video conferencing, and content creators who need to upload large files.
Investment in Infrastructure
The expansion requires significant infrastructure investment, including the installation of new fiber-optic cables and network equipment. Virgin Media has committed to working with local authorities to minimize disruption during installation.
This development comes as part of Virgin Media's broader strategy to ensure that Northern Ireland remains competitive in the digital economy. The company has previously stated its commitment to reaching 95% of NI households with its network by 2026.
Alternative High-Speed Options
While Virgin Media's Gig1 expansion is significant, Northern Ireland residents have several other high-speed broadband options available. BT Openreach continues to expand its full-fiber network across the region, offering speeds of up to 900 Mbps in many areas.
Sky, EE, and Plusnet also provide competitive fiber broadband services through Openreach infrastructure, typically offering speeds between 67-150 Mbps for most residential customers.
For rural areas not yet covered by fiber networks, satellite broadband services and 5G mobile broadband are becoming increasingly viable alternatives, with improving speeds and coverage.
Market Outlook for Northern Ireland
The broadband market in Northern Ireland is becoming increasingly competitive, with multiple providers investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades. This competition benefits consumers through improved services and competitive pricing.
Government initiatives like Project Stratum are also playing a crucial role in bringing superfast broadband to the most remote areas of Northern Ireland, ensuring that geographic location is no longer a barrier to accessing high-speed internet.
Industry analysts expect this trend of network expansion and competition to continue throughout 2025 and beyond, with Northern Ireland potentially becoming one of the best-connected regions in the UK.
For residents considering an upgrade to their broadband service, now is an excellent time to compare available options and take advantage of competitive promotional offers from various providers.