Virgin just launched the fastest broadband speed on the market

Do you remember the time Usain Bolt broke his own 100m world record at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008? (It was 10 years ago, of course you don't.) Well Virgin Media has just pulled off a similar feat in the discipline of high-speed broadband.

From today (March 22), Virgin's fastest broadband deal gets a 16% speed boost, from a maximum of 300Mb to a scarcely believable 350Mb. This is available to all new Virgin Media subscribers, and all existing customers currently on the 300Mb plan will be placed on the faster tariff at no extra cost.

350Mb equates to download speeds of an insane 43.75MB per second. Virgin says this means the potential for downloads of standard HD movies in around two minutes, and downloads of 25GB console games in around 10 minutes.

Do I need 350Mb internet?

It's a good question, and the truth is that not everybody does. Internet speeds at this blazing pace are only really necessary if you're a film or TV addict who simply has to stream in glorious 4K, if your household is teeming with individuals all trying to use the internet at once, if you want to download files in the quickest time possible, or a combination of all three.

For everybody else, regular fibre broadband should be more than adequate. Almost every internet provider out there (including the likes of BT, Sky and TalkTalk) provides fibre optic connections of 38Mb and 76Mb, with Vodafone's cheapest fibre broadband deal starting at a mere £21 per month.

If you're unsure of what speeds your current internet provider gives you, then head to TechRadar's broadband speed checker for instant results.

Is Virgin broadband available in my area?

There's a decent chance it isn't, as Virgin Media's cable connection is still only available to around 60% of the UK population. To find out whether you're among the three-in-five pop your postcode into the box below, and if Virgin deals show then job's a good'un. If they don't, you'll want to head straight to our broadband deals comparison page to find the best new internet plan for your home.

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