Virgin Media O2 has achieved a major milestone in its long-term network evolution strategy with the switch-on of its new Converged Interconnect Network (CIN). This next-generation network is designed to carry both fixed and mobile traffic, streamlining service delivery and enhancing Virgin Media O2’s network across the UK.
By aggregating data closer to the end user before routing it back to the core network, CIN optimizes efficiency, improves resiliency, and provides a better experience for customers. The new architecture also supports Virgin Media Business Wholesale’s 10Gbps services, enabling wholesale partners to scale quickly with high-bandwidth, ultra-reliable connectivity.
The CIN has been designed to bring together Virgin Media O2’s fixed and mobile networks, creating a scalable, high-capacity infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of both consumers and businesses. It allows different services to coexist on the same network, managed more efficiently, with the end customer benefiting from faster, more reliable service.
The new network architecture improves scalability, ensuring greater capacity as data demand increases and more areas receive connectivity. Many Virgin Media O2 customers are already experiencing symmetrical broadband speeds of up to 2Gbps, enabling rapid upload and download of large files. In addition, the backhaul connection capacity at several cell sites has been increased tenfold to ensure fast and reliable mobile data access on the go.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer, Virgin Media O2
The switch on of our Converged Interconnect Network is a critical moment in our long-term strategy and evolution as we combine the power of our two scaled networks to give customers an unrivalled experience. This new network architecture brings together two separate networks for the first time, enabling more efficient, scalable and resilient data movement. It enables us to deliver next-generation services to our broadband and mobile customers across the country, ensuring we’re ready to keep on meeting their needs both now and in future.
Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President and Leader, EMEA, Ciena
Virgin Media O2’s new CIN marks a significant milestone in the operator’s network evolution by joining together its fixed and mobile networks to create a more sustainable, streamlined, and scalable infrastructure. Leveraging Ciena’s advanced networking solution, the CIN architecture optimises efficiency, improves network resiliency, and enhances service delivery to keep pace with the evolving needs of Virgin Media O2’s customers.