Virgin to use BT infrastructure to expand broadband coverage

Media and communications giant Virgin Media has announced that it will be expanding its broadband coverage further by using the infrastructure of rival provider BT.

It was recently announced that the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, had decided that telecoms giant BT would have to allow rival broadband providers to use its infrastructure so that high speed broadband in the UK could be more effectively and quickly expanded. BT was told that it could set its own price for use of its infrastructure as part of the deal.

It has now been announced that one of BT’s main rivals, communications and media giant Virgin Media, has decided to expand its own broadband coverage through the use of BT’s infrastructure. The move by Virgin Media will further deepen the rivalry between the two providers, and according to reports could enable Virgin Media to extend coverage to around sixteen million homes in the UK.

Virgin Media is expected to lay fibre optic cables along telegraph poles that are owned by BT. Virgin is said to have requested access to the telegraph poles earlier this year, but failed to reach an amicable agreement with BT. However, following the Ofcom ruling the media giant is now planning to continue with its previous plans and potentially increase its broadband market share within the UK.

The plans from Ofcom have been welcomed by officials from Virgin Media, with the provider stating that it will help to expedite the rollout of high speed broadband across the UK. The company said that the Ofcom ruling has removed a major hurdle when it comes to high speed broadband expansion.

Source – Carrentals