Faster Broadband in UK a Boon for VoIP Customers

How about downloading a TV show from the Internet in just one minute?

That’s the kind of speed Virgin Media is boasting with its new broadband services in the United Kingdom. Its new offerings deliver a top download speed of 152 MB per second, clearing the way for aggressive use of Internet services, such as business VoIP, from its customers.

The company’s entry-level broadband option is nothing to dismiss, either; it delivers 50 MB per second, which is roughly five times the speed of the standard services of competitors Sky and BT, according to Virgin Media.

Peak Internet usage among Virgin Media’s subscriber base has increased 55 percent the past year, and it has increased by roughly 100 percent since it was launched in 2007, highlighting the need for increasing bandwidth and speed for hungry consumers.

The upgrade will give roughly 12.5 million properties in the U.K. the option of upgrading to the faster service.

Virgin is touting the new service as a force for good that can improve the lives of everyone.

“From daily life to the bigger aspects of society, culture and economic growth, digital is making a significant, positive difference to people's lives,” noted Tom Mockbridge, chief executive officer at Virgin Media. “We're supercharging our incredible network to ensure that Virgin Media customers can make the most of the online world.”

Faster TV downloads are not the only benefits that customers will get from improved broadband. One area that benefits a lot from better Internet transfer speeds is business VoIP. While there is little functional difference if an email arrives a few seconds later or if a large transfer takes a couple more minutes to complete, business VoIP benefits greatly from increased bandwidth.

While business VoIP can adjust voice quality automatically to accommodate most broadband speeds, faster speeds translate into calls that can achieve high definition calling standards.

Overall, broadband plays a key role in VoIP adoption for consumers as well as businesses looking for a virtual PBX solution. VoIP delivers a number of benefits over traditional calling, including lower monthly costs and a bevy of additional features at low or no additional cost. Such features include call hunting and interactive voice response, among others.

The value proposition for VoIP is clear, but slow Internet speeds can make adoption more tenuous. With Virgin’s new broadband service, expect to see a rise in UK VoIP usage in the near future.

Edited by Alisen Downey