Introducing Project Spark

FIXED ON THE FUTURE, READY FOR TODAY

This is the biggest ever upgrade to our wholesale network, supporting the high-capacity services that will power the next wave of UK economic growth.

Powered by Ciena
See what's new

A NETWORK DESIGNED AROUND YOU

You asked for faster provisioning, more predictable pricing and services that scale without the wait. Project Spark is our answer. We’re making a series of upgrades that change how we build, price and deliver your service.

From core to edge, we’ve invested in a platform that reduces lead times, cuts manual design and strengthens our national network. That means more resilience, more flexibility and more opportunity for you to deliver at pace.

Download the Project Spark infographic and check out the details of why we’ve been making these strategic investments.

Take me to the infographic

THE BIGGEST EVER UPGRADE TO OUR WHOLESALE NETWORK

Fixed on the future, built around your priorities today.

Project Spark is transforming the UK network landscape through four focused workstreams, each designed to deliver faster, higher-capacity and more reliable services.

Explore how these initiatives are shaping the future of connectivity and giving you the tools you need to stay ahead.

WORKSTREAM 1

THE NEW NHCS CORE

The new NHCS backbone is designed to make high-speed services easier to deliver with a dedicated Layer 2 network that reduces lead times by up to 40 days and supports remote provisioning across 14 core sites plus 9 strategic data centres. It’s the foundation for faster, more predictable connectivity at scale.

Explore this workstream

WORKSTREAM 2

THE RAPID DEPLOYMENT METRO NETWORK

Using our Converged Interconnect Network (CIN) to build a new managed metro layer we’ve created a stronger foundation for regional delivery. Connected by resilient crescents, it brings pre-provisioned 10G capacity for National Ethernet, NHCS and Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) to 177 hub sites, avoiding future bottlenecks and enabling faster, more reliable services with less manual intervention.

Explore this workstream

WORKSTREAM 3

THE NEW MPLS NETWORK FOR ETHERNET SERVICES

Our new Cisco-powered MPLS network replaces legacy complexity with a network designed for growth, bringing more 100G ENNIs locations, automated service orchestration and seamless 1G-to-10G upgrades. It’s a cleaner, more efficient path for Ethernet delivery.

Explore this workstream

WORKSTREAM 4

STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

Expanding metro fibre sixfold, while continuing to connect more new data centres and building new routes into hyperscale, regional and edge sites, all guided by partner insight to shape tomorrow’ very high bandwidth connectivity.

Explore this workstream

POWERING THE UK'S NEXT GENERATION OF EDGE DATA CENTRES

The impact is already being felt. Delivery times are around 30% faster, even while deployment continues.

Together with nLighten, we’re streamlining access to edge data centres, delivering faster more reliable connectivity at scale. Through Project Spark, we’ve invested in high-capacity infrastructure across their UK sites, giving customers quicker access to national backhaul, cloud connectivity and scalable 10G and 100G services.

How Project Spark is changing edge delivery

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

With several exciting developments on the horizon, there's plenty more to come.

Contact us
"Our experience with Virgin Media Business Wholesale has been consistently strong, so extending that partnership to support our customers felt like a natural step. Their team brings a rare mix of dependable delivery, clear communication and genuine care for the end customer. Together, we’re creating something that makes life easier for every organisation moving into our data centres — and that’s exactly the kind of partnership we value."

Justin Nesbitt, MD UK, nLighten

Click here
"Virgin Media Business Wholesale's launch of new fibre routes and network platforms at Equinix’s MA5 data centre reflects the increasing demand for digital services and the need for network service providers (NSPs) to keep up with the accelerated pace of innovation. Leveraging Equinix's technologies, NSPs can deliver high-quality, profitable services. This further investment in Manchester will help the UK's position as a strategic digital business hub, where a 43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in interconnection bandwidth is expected by 2025, driven by network, content and media, and financial services demand."

Lorraine Wilkinson, Regional Vice President, UK at Equinix

Click here
"Timing and reliability are pre-requisites to service provider success in today’s fast-paced hyperconnected digital world. With the support of Ciena’s advanced networking solutions, Virgin Media Business Wholesale is giving its customers a better experience to meet the connectivity needs of today’s enterprises."

Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President and Leader of EMEA at Ciena

Click here
"Virgin Media Business Wholesale were able to bring our Harlow site on their network to provide fibre-based connectivity through a route completely diverse from our other suppliers. This gives our customers a valuable alternative allowing for carrier resilience, as well as giving them access to the Virgin Media O2 network across the UK to connect to other sites or the cloud."

Spencer Lamb, chief commercial officer, Kao Data

Click here

FIXED ON THE FUTURE. READY WHEN YOU ARE.

Project Spark is reshaping the UK network, but the real opportunity is how it can support your customers and your growth.

Our UK network has never been stronger – more power, more speed, more resilience and built to keep you moving ahead. Reach out to our team to discover what’s next.

Loading...

READ THE LATEST FROM ACROSS PROJECT SPARK

Now available: Our new National High Capacity Services core network goes live

Learn more

New metro network will speed up delivery for 10Gbps ethernet services

Learn more

Now live: New fibre routes and high bandwidth services into Equinix Manchester MA5 data centre

Learn more

VMB Wholesale & Kao Data: Building technology ecosystems for the UK’s greatest thinkers

Learn more

Next:

WORKSTREAM 1: THE CORE THAT DELIVERS MORE

Next page

© Virgin Media Business Ltd