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Virgin Media has begun the rollout of a new smart support service that is designed to identify network contention and boost broadband reliability.
Built using technology from Cisco ThousandEyes (formerly SamKnows) smart support will initially target 300,000 Virgin Media broadband customers whose connections will be checked throughout the year as the service learns and evolves, before being rolled out more widely to all customers in the future.
Director of Connectivity at Virgin Media O2, Gareth Lister, says: “Virgin Media has long been recognised for ultrafast speeds, but we also know that reliability is equally important which is why we’re rolling out a new, innovative smart support service that will proactively act as a helping hand to fix network niggles and optimise the performance of our connectivity – often with customers not needing to do a thing. Smart support will evolve over time, reducing hassle for our customers and further improving connectivity for those that need it to offer a best-in-class service for all.”
Research by Virgin Media O2 found that more than 1 in 3 British broadband users (34%) claim they wouldn’t feel confident trying to fix their Wi-Fi if something went wrong, even though 98% of Brits rely on the internet every day.
The service promises to enhance customers’ experience when streaming, video calling or gaming simultaneously, ensuring a reliable connection for the whole household.
Smart support monitors customers’ Wi-Fi Hubs and assesses the health of their connection, flagging potential issues including speed drops and disconnections to help build a full picture of the Hub’s performance.
