Virgin Media to offer 100Mbps by end of year

UK cable operator Virgin Media will launch 100Mbps broadband services by the end of the year, the company has announced.

The service will be the UK’s fastest available commercial broadband offering when it becomes available later this year. The launch will mean Virgin Media will have increased its top broadband product from 20Mbps to 100Mbps in less than two years. The operator said 100Mbps would enable users to download a music album in five seconds, an hour long TV show in 31 seconds and an HD movie in seven minutes 25 second.

Virgin Media has also announced that it will extend its 200Mbps pilot, which will began in May 2009 in Kent, to Coventry where it aims to recruit hundreds of customers to test the service.