Virgin Media has bought Smallworld Fibre, the independent cable TV and broadband provider which serves homes in western Scotland and north west England.
Smallworld’s fibre network currently passes 40,000 homes in Irvine, Dreghorn, Troon and Kilmarnock as well as Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe.
Virgin says it will connect the network to its own superfast fibre optic infrastructure, which already passes half of all UK homes, giving customers access to its content and TiVo set-top box.
Paul Buttery, Virgin Media’s chief customer, technology and networks officer, said: “Even better broadband can open up fantastic possibilities for people as well as support the economic growth of an area.
“Smallworld will help us bring Virgin Media’s advanced services to thousands of homes, businesses and organisations for the very first time. Their great network is a perfect fit for us as we continue to invest and look for the right opportunities to grow. We’re excited about what the region has to offer and what we can offer the region.”
David Durnford, MD and owner of Smallworld Fibre, said: “Virgin Media has led the way in bringing superfast broadband and next generation TV to millions of UK homes and our customers will now be able to benefit from their significant ongoing investment and innovation.
“Smallworld is a great, local success story and, as the pace of change in the digital world continues to quicken, we’re delighted to be passing the baton onto such a great partner.”
