Virgin Media’s plans for next generation broadband requirements

Financial Times has reported that Virgin Media, the second largest broadband service provider in the UK, has done trials of next-generation mobile services using the transmitters connected to its fiber network. The trials were carried out in December 2011, in Oxford Street using the spectrum, under license from telecom Regulator Ofcom.

It is also intending to launch a countrywide wireless broadband service with the help of transmitters that function in the same way to Wi-Fi technology. No license is required for this.

Virgin Media is expected to bid for the spectrum which is likely to be auctioned before the end of the year. It would prefer frequencies in the 2.6 GHz band and not 800 MHz band as sought by other service providers.

It is also planning to have joint ventures with other mobile operators so that their frequencies could also be used by it. Virgin Media in return will offer access to its hybrid-fiber coaxial (HFC) network.

This wireless solution is the most ideal for the fiber network which covers almost all the cities. The company wants to make use of the licensed spectrum as well as Wi-Fi. It offers the capacity where needed most by the people. Kevin Baughan director of the company made this remark about the consideration of the latest wireless technology.