Virgin Media buys Smallworld Fibre

Independent cable TV and broadband provider Smallworld Fibre has been bought by Virgin Media for an undisclosed sum.

Morecambe-based Smallworld serves 40,000 homes in western Scotland and north west England, delivering broadband and landline phone services to customers in Irvine, Dreghorn, Troon and Kilmarnock as well as Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe.

The deal will see Smallworld’s network connected to Virgin Media’s superfast fibre optic infrastructure, which already passes half of all UK homes, giving customers access to even faster broadband and Virgin Media’s advanced TV entertainment service TiVo.

David Durnford, managing director and owner of Smallworld Fibre, said: “Virgin Media has led the way in bringing superfast broadband and next generation TV to millions of UK homes and our customers will now be able to benefit from their significant ongoing investment and innovation. Smallworld is a great, local success story and, as the pace of change in the digital world continues to quicken, we’re delighted to be passing the baton onto such a great partner.” Brabners, led by Gill Gardner, advised Smallworld on the deal.