Three signs backhaul network upgrade deal with Virgin Media Business

Three has enlisted Virgin Media Business to upgrade its backhaul network in preparation for the uptick in demand for the mobile operator's 4G services.

The five-year deal will see Three's backhaul network linked up to Virgin Media's fibre optic network to improve connections between its 15 aggregation sites and its three UK datacentres.

The fibre optic injection will reportedly boost Three's network capacity by 300GB, and help the operator cope with the demand for 4G speeds and data services from customers.

George Wareing, sales director at Virgin Media Business, said meeting the growing data demands of customers is a challenge all operators face.

"Three recognises this challenge and is doing all they can to safeguard its future services. Through our network, they can meet customer expectations and deliver a fast and consistent connection," said Wareing.

Bryn Jones, CTO of Three, said Virgin Media's intervention will make it easier for customers to stream videos without buffering and browse the internet without connections dropping out.

"With the new high-capacity backhaul network from Virgin Media Business we are ready to welcome even more people to the Three family. Regardless of where they are, now all of our customers will receive the best possible experiences when using 4G,"Jones added.

News of Three's technology tie-up with Virgin Media Business comes hot on the heels of the announcement earlier this week about it partnering with rival EE to rollout 4G across the UK.

The two operators announced plans to invest 1 billion to accelerate both firms' 4G deployment plans.