SOUTHAMPTON will be the first city in the UK to benefit from Virgin Media’s "ultrafast" gigabit broadband connections.

Virgin Media has today unveiled a bold boost to UK broadband with plans that will see next-generation gigabit internet connections installed in the city.

With a selection of trial customers already connected, Virgin Media will bring gigabit (1,000Mbps) broadband speeds to homes across Southampton in the coming months ahead of a national rollout.

The operator, which is also a proud partner of Southampton FC, is already the fastest widely available broadband provider in the city.

Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Media, said: “Given our deep connection with the city, we wanted to start this giant digital leap forward for the UK in Southampton.

“Virgin Media has been the unparalleled speed leader for many years.

"Very soon, for the first time ever, people will be able to experience hyperfast and reliable gigabit internet connections thanks to the latest technology and the power of our network.

“This upgrade plan will see gigabit speeds rolled out at an unrivalled pace, bringing our customers in Southampton and across our entire network, the future-proof connections of tomorrow.”

This innovative upgrade will bring the next-generation of hyperfast and reliable broadband to hundreds of thousands of people in Southampton, offering speeds 25 times faster than the local average of 40Mbps.

The "lightning fast" connection will give residents the ability to do everything they love online and take advantage of technologies like cloud gaming and enjoy 8K video streaming across the home.

Next-generation broadband technology, known as DOCSIS 3.1, will be rolled out to provide hyperfast speeds of 1,000Mbps to Southampton residents.

Councillor Christopher Hammond, leader of Southampton City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Virgin Media has chosen Southampton as the first city to benefit from hyperfast connectivity.

"We have a thriving digital and creative economy in Southampton and the council is fully committed to supporting residents, businesses and visitors to embrace the opportunities that modern technology present to the city.

"Increasing broadband speed further reinforces the fact that this is a great place to live, work and visit.”