UK mobile operator Virgin Media O2 has kicked off its rollout of 2Gbps broadband services over its gigabit cable network.

The telco noted that the upgrades have already been completed in 18 locations and are due to expand to the majority of its network next year.

Some of those locations include areas in Manchester, Newcastle, and Oxford.

It means that the upgrade is now available in areas by Virgin Media O2’s DOCSIS-based HFC network for around 3 million premises. The telco notes that because of this, more than 10 million households in the UK have access to the provider’s fastest broadband offering.

According to Virgin Media O2, upgrades to its cable network have already taken place for around three million homes, as the telco expands its multi-gigabit connectivity beyond areas served by its full fiber, as the company said it aims to demonstrate the continued potential of its existing fixed network infrastructure.

The 2Gbps service offers average download speeds of 2,000Mbps and upload speeds of 100Mbps on Virgin Media’s HFC network, said the operator.

Virgin Media O2 said it gives customers "substantially more capacity for data-intensive services," which the company said includes cloud applications, connected home technology, streaming, gaming, and remote working.

“This is an important milestone for our fixed network. Ultimately, people don’t care what kind of pipe is connecting them as long as the service is fast, reliable and delivers what is expected," said Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2.

"By making 2Gbps speeds available over cable for the first time, we’re extending multi-gigabit capability to more parts of the UK and showing the continued potential of our existing network infrastructure that still very much meets the increasing needs of consumers. As demand for data continues to grow, we’re investing across our network to deliver faster, more reliable connectivity.”

The full list of locations that have access to Virgin Media O2's 2Gbps service includes Newcastle, Bournemouth, Lancaster, Peterborough, Ipswich, Bath, Southend-on-Sea, York, Blackburn, Cambridge, Harrogate, Chelmsford, Manchester, Oxford, Preston, and Portsmouth.