Virgin Media Daytime Broadband Surge

Virgin Media confirms overall internet use doubled amidst coronavirus outbreak.

07:40 27 March 2020

The internet service provider has seen overall internet use during daytime hours doubled as the majority of employees and students are forced to stay indoors amidst the coronavirus outbreak. 

 

 

The firm said that downstream broadband traffic jumped by 90per cent on Monday while upstream traffic has doubled in recent weeks. 

 

Virgin Media, along with other UK internet service providers, has already assured the public that their networks are robust enough to handle the increase in traffic. However, some online video services, including YouTube and Netflix, have limited video streams to avoid network strain. 

 

Jeanie York, Virgin Media’s chief technology and information officer, said: “Our network is built to withstand this daily evening peak, and right now is comfortably accommodating this daytime increase.”

 

“This has largely been caused by more and more people working from home and sending files and data back to corporate networks,” she said.

 

“This traffic is increasing throughout the day and continuing into the evening, with peak upstream traffic up around 25% on the previous week, showing people are working later or joining conference calls with friends and family.

 

 

“Our network has ample capacity to handle this increased demand.”