Will Virgin Media Ever Increase Upload Rate

[i-Set]

Hey guys, Ive been with Virgin Media for under a year now, I sometimes hear people moan about their services. Well for me they have been excellent, inc. bb speed, telephone, customer service; short wait time, reliability etc. So credit where credit is due, if anyone else feels happy with virgin media please reply back. Still not happy with STM though, but every ISP has some sort of throttling.

Anyways, my questions is "When Will Virgin Media Increase Their Upload Rate". I was on 2mb with 250kb upload, then 10mb with 500kb upload and now recently I upgraded to 20mb bb with a 750kb upload. Compared to other service providers such as Be Broadband, they have 2.5mb upload, thats right 2.5MB UPLOAD!!! Id rather be happy if Virgin Media gave 10mb both ways. I suppose with their new 50mb plan, they will only give 1mb upload lol ludicrous I tell you.

Does anyone know if Virgin Media has any plans to increase upload rate, if you have input, please to do so. thanks

[AbyssUnderground]

People have been asking this for a long time, and the only response people seem to give is its either:

1. Too expensive, since upstream costs VM a lot more than downstream
2. The technology isn't capable of it (rubbish, DOCSIS1 can do 11Mbps just fine)
3. They just don't want to

From what we have heard, the 50Mbps tier will have 2.5Mbps upload which is outrageous. It should be at least 5Mbps and better still, 10Mbps.

As a web developer I do a lot of uploading to my server and I find it a huge struggle with such a poor upstream speed. Unfortunately due to my distance from the exchange (3.5KM) ADSL would be even worse so I'm best off on VM for the time being. If they would just get rid of STM and double the upload speed I'd have no complaints.

[|Kippa|]

From what we have heard, the 50Mbps tier will have 2.5Mbps upload which is outrageous. It should be at least 5Mbps and better still, 10Mbps.

Last I heard it was going to be 1.5mbit, now it is rumoured to be 2.5mbit? 2.5mbit might be low but it is a lot fecking better than the original 1.5mbit. I know the final connection specs haven't been formally released, but so far as rumours go is it a 'strong' rumour that it is to be 2.5mbit?

[dcclanuk]

What is the upload on a 2mb connection?

Mine is 200k:

Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 2048000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 200000


Is that correct? or should it be 256k?

[TraxData]

People have been asking this for a long time, and the only response people seem to give is its either:

1. Too expensive, since upstream costs VM a lot more than downstream
2. The technology isn't capable of it (rubbish, DOCSIS1 can do 11Mbps just fine)
3. They just don't want to

From what we have heard, the 50Mbps tier will have 2.5Mbps upload which is outrageous. It should be at least 5Mbps and better still, 10Mbps.

As a web developer I do a lot of uploading to my server and I find it a huge struggle with such a poor upstream speed. Unfortunately due to my distance from the exchange (3.5KM) ADSL would be even worse so I'm best off on VM for the time being. If they would just get rid of STM and double the upload speed I'd have no complaints.


It's 1.5mbit :(

VM are not interesting in giving fair down/up ratios, never will be.

[i-Set]

Even if Virgin Media do use 2.5mb as the upload rate for their new 50mb plan, it still seems pretty low, considering one of their main competitors, Be Broadband, provide 2.5mb upload on a 24mb download connection, so shouldnt Virgin Media learn from this and at least do a 5mb upload (minimum). To be honest when I was thinking of upgrading to 20mb broadband, I assumed the upload rate will be around 1.5 - 2mb. But no, i find out its only a mere 756kb. If Virgin Media got rid of STM, upgraded the network in highly popular areas and increased the upload rate, then we would have a winning isp, surely.

[TraxData]

Even if Virgin Media do use 2.5mb as the upload rate for their new 50mb plan, it still seems pretty low, considering one of their main competitors, Be Broadband, provide 2.5mb upload on a 24mb download connection, so shouldnt Virgin Media learn from this and at least do a 5mb upload (minimum). To be honest when I was thinking of upgrading to 20mb broadband, I assumed the upload rate will be around 1.5 - 2mb. But no, i find out its only a mere 756kb. If Virgin Media got rid of STM, upgraded the network in highly popular areas and increased the upload rate, then we would have a winning isp, surely.

Not gonna happen.

50Mbit has 1.5mbit upload rate, it's not set to change as neil and alex believe no one needs any higher and no one wants it (despite their own customers on their private forum asking for the 6mbit upload they originally had at the start of the trial)

STM is going to be on 50mbit with a 10GB Limit between 4-9pm

On the bright side they are -thinking- of charging more and removing stm, but still with the same pathetic upload speed.

Even if STM is removed i wouldnt bother, especially if you like to multitask.

[whydoIneedatech]

I would say the chance of that happening is the same chance the proverbial snowball has in hell.

[AbyssUnderground]

Not gonna happen.

50Mbit has 1.5mbit upload rate, it's not set to change as neil and alex believe no one needs any higher and no one wants it (despite their own customers on their private forum asking for the 6mbit upload they originally had at the start of the trial)

STM is going to be on 50mbit with a 10GB Limit between 4-9pm

On the bright side they are -thinking- of charging more and removing stm, but still with the same pathetic upload speed.

Even if STM is removed i wouldnt bother, especially if you like to multitask.

Whats the reduced speed limit going to be when you hit STM?

[TraxData]

Whats the reduced speed limit going to be when you hit STM?

10mbit.

[AbyssUnderground]

10mbit.

Well they're never going to be able to sell 50Mbps that's for sure. I certainly wouldn't get it until they get rid of STM and they increase the upload to at least 5Mbps. Until then I doubt it would be worth the money at all.

I still don't understand how they can get away with this.

[TraxData]

Well they're never going to be able to sell 50Mbps that's for sure. I certainly wouldn't get it until they get rid of STM and they increase the upload to at least 5Mbps. Until then I doubt it would be worth the money at all.

I still don't understand how they can get away with this.

They can get away with it because they are (currently) the only real cable provider around thus have a huge monopoly and can do whatever they like because of this.

Offcom doesnt care what isps say or do, nor does the ASA, so it's not going to get any better.

But i cant see VM being around in 5 years unless they seriously buck their ideas up, many refer to VM as "tiscali the second" now.

[AbyssUnderground]

They can get away with it because they are (currently) the only real cable provider around thus have a huge monopoly and can do whatever they like because of this.

Offcom doesnt care what isps say or do, nor does the ASA, so it's not going to get any better.

But i cant see VM being around in 5 years unless they seriously buck their ideas up, many refer to VM as "tiscali the second" now.

I can see your point but at the rate they're going they won't have many real loyal customers left, just those that use their connection for the occasional email and light browsing.

I would refer to them as tiscali the second myself, but as of yet I haven't had any problems despite being slightly cheesed off over STM. But unless they buck up their ideas, I might move to Be, even if my line is quite far from the exchange. I might get 3Mbps but at least it would be unrestricted 24/7. Not to mention cheaper too...

[i-Set]

tiscali the second? i dont understand, i thought tiscali are doing orite...

[AbyssUnderground]

tiscali the second? i dont understand, i thought tiscali are doing orite...

Lol, far from it. One of the worst ISP's for fobbing off its customers and doing traffic throttling without telling its customers. Not to mention the bad tech support and unrealistically slow speeds at peak times. A friend of mine is in the last few months of his contract. As soon as its up, he's off to Be* as well.

[TraxData]

I can see your point but at the rate they're going they won't have many real loyal customers left, just those that use their connection for the occasional email and light browsing.

I would refer to them as tiscali the second myself, but as of yet I haven't had any problems despite being slightly cheesed off over STM. But unless they buck up their ideas, I might move to Be, even if my line is quite far from the exchange. I might get 3Mbps but at least it would be unrestricted 24/7. Not to mention cheaper too...

I know of many loyal customers (15+ years) who have given up and left for the likes of Be or Sky, you know things are getting bad when the customers who have been around the longest and given you the biggest profit up and leave you.

Be are a great company, have a great business stratergy, you'll never see traffic management on them seeing as they dont oversubcribe and if something is nearing full capacity they dont allow signups until upgrades are done, VM should take a note from their books, imo.

I remember being with tiscali, i thought it was the worst experience of my life at the time, then when NTL because VM i knew what true annoyance was.

STM just doesnt work how it is supposed to eitherway, if i got stm'd my connection went to hell, pings shot through the roof, sites wouldnt load, it was worse than dial up!

[GreyWolf]

On the bright side they are -thinking- of charging more and removing stm, but still with the same pathetic upload speed.

Even if STM is removed i wouldnt bother, especially if you like to multitask.

The only time VM will remove STM is when allot is put in place. ;)

[TraxData]

The only time VM will remove STM is when allot is put in place. ;)

LOL thanks for cheering me up :D

[GreyWolf]

LOL thanks for cheering me up :D

You're welcome. :angel::D

[|Kippa|]

Trax Data you seem to be a bit of a techy and knowledgeable person. All this farting about with STM and the implementation of DOCSIS 3 and the costs involved, can you see things possibly getting any better in the long run?

[Rankrotten]

Verizon Cable in the US is making it's top tier 50Meg down / 20 Meg up...

Virgin take note.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080618-verizon-invites-all-of-its-customers-to-50mbps-fios-party.html

[colin-bennett]

People have been asking this for a long time, and the only response people seem to give is its either:

1. Too expensive, since upstream costs VM a lot more than downstream
2. The technology isn't capable of it (rubbish, DOCSIS1 can do 11Mbps just fine)
3. They just don't want to

From what we have heard, the 50Mbps tier will have 2.5Mbps upload which is outrageous. It should be at least 5Mbps and better still, 10Mbps.

As a web developer I do a lot of uploading to my server and I find it a huge struggle with such a poor upstream speed. Unfortunately due to my distance from the exchange (3.5KM) ADSL would be even worse so I'm best off on VM for the time being. If they would just get rid of STM and double the upload speed I'd have no complaints.

As a web developer get on to business accounts as you clearly using the internet for business. Do not expect the same level of service from residential account.

---------- Post added at 09:26 ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 ----------

Verizon Cable in the US is making it's top tier 50Meg down / 20 Meg up...

Virgin take note.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080618-verizon-invites-all-of-its-customers-to-50mbps-fios-party.html

For goodness sake
Have you not seen the charges ??????????????????????????
Lets hope Virgin do NOT take note

[broadbandbug]

People have been asking this for a long time, and the only response people seem to give is its either:

1. Too expensive, since upstream costs VM a lot more than downstream
2. The technology isn't capable of it (rubbish, DOCSIS1 can do 11Mbps just fine)
3. They just don't want to

From what we have heard, the 50Mbps tier will have 2.5Mbps upload which is outrageous. It should be at least 5Mbps and better still, 10Mbps.

As a web developer I do a lot of uploading to my server and I find it a huge struggle with such a poor upstream speed. Unfortunately due to my distance from the exchange (3.5KM) ADSL would be even worse so I'm best off on VM for the time being. If they would just get rid of STM and double the upload speed I'd have no complaints.

DoCSIS 1 can do 10Mb/s channels in the upstream.. However you share this channel with around 100 other users.. So if you were given 2Mb/s Upstream.. You would just have a very congested port!
It is not until VM go to DoCSIS 2 and/DoCSIS 3 that there is any chance of increased upstream speeds.
If they got rid of STM, doubled your upstream speeds. .Would you pay double the price:D

[Richy99]

What is the upload on a 2mb connection?

Mine is 200k:

Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 2048000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 200000


Is that correct? or should it be 256k?

200 is correct for the 2meg service

[GreyWolf]

For goodness sake
Have you not seen the charges ??????????????????????????
Lets hope Virgin do NOT take note

And £47 for 50/1.5Mbps VM are offering is good is it ????????

Especially when it comes with STM and port/application throttling....

[Nicosia]

For goodness sake
Have you not seen the charges ??????????????????????????
Lets hope Virgin do NOT take note

FIOS was already available at 50/20Mbps speeds, but only in some areas. The changes will see it available everywhere Verizon offers FIOS. Those lucky enough to reside in New York or Virginia and willing to sign up for a full year will wind up spending $89.95 a month; those elsewhere will be hit with a $139.95 monthly tab. A 20/20Mbps service will be rolled out at the same time; this will replace the prior offerings of 30/15Mbps and 15/15Mbps. At the bottom end, the 5/2Mbps will be gone, replaced with a 10/2Mbps tier. A 20/5Mbps offering will round out the service. The offer only applies to new customers, but the remainder should be able to upgrade the next time their contract rolls around.

but thats in dollars in GBP thats 71 for a 50/20 service with no caps and for the customers paying 89.95..about £46,thats not bad at all for those who will be paying the 89 dollars per month

[i-Set]

man virgin media upload stinks, where can i apply for the Managing Director for the company....if i toook over, vm would be top notch...

[TraxData]

DoCSIS 1 can do 10Mb/s channels in the upstream.. However you share this channel with around 100 other users.. So if you were given 2Mb/s Upstream.. You would just have a very congested port!
It is not until VM go to DoCSIS 2 and/DoCSIS 3 that there is any chance of increased upstream speeds.
If they got rid of STM, doubled your upstream speeds. .Would you pay double the price:D

It doesnt need to be double the price, if VM didnt over subscribe/leave their infrastructure to grow old/fail/turn to crap.

I'd happily pay £50/month for a 50/20 connection

Oh wait, i £50/month already for better than that :p:

[GreyWolf]

I'd happily pay £50/month for a 50/20 connection

Same here. Infact I'd be more than happy paying £60 a month for a service like that...But thats just me.

[AbyssUnderground]

As a web developer get on to business accounts as you clearly using the internet for business. Do not expect the same level of service from residential account.

Its not a business, its a hobby, but a very serious hobby at that hence why I need the upload. Residential vs Business broadband is no more reliable you know... My Residential has a 99.2% uptime according to my logging ever since I got it over 6 years back. You can hardly call that bad. Its not about the reliability anyway its about the speed, which is no different on business than it is on residential, and both are subject to STM, so its pointless anyway!

</rant>

[TraxData]

Same here. Infact I'd be more than happy paying £60 a month for a service like that...But thats just me.

Ditto, I'd pay £80 for 50/50 though, maybe even upto £100 if i really thought it was worth it.

There is no reason for it to be that expensive though with a good network.

[pip08456]

I know of many loyal customers (15+ years) who have given up and left for the likes of Be or Sky, you know things are getting bad when the customers who have been around the longest and given you the biggest profit up and leave you.

Be are a great company, have a great business stratergy, you'll never see traffic management on them seeing as they dont oversubcribe and if something is nearing full capacity they dont allow signups until upgrades are done, VM should take a note from their books, imo.

I remember being with tiscali, i thought it was the worst experience of my life at the time, then when NTL because VM i knew what true annoyance was.

STM just doesnt work how it is supposed to eitherway, if i got stm'd my connection went to hell, pings shot through the roof, sites wouldnt load, it was worse than dial up!

I've gone onto BePro now as I was sick and fed up with VM especially their STM (I run a small business from home, as well as my full time job) I'm on a 1-1 contention ratio with NO STM.

OK I "only" get 17Mbps down and "only" 2Mbps up but it's a damn sight better than VM could do!

I've just got back from a friend who is "supposedly" on XL and while there ran a speed test for him from the link on this site.

It returned a speed of 5.3Mbps

Say's it all! BTW does anyone know the contention rate on VM?

[broadbandbug]

I've gone onto BePro now as I was sick and fed up with VM especially their STM (I run a small business from home, as well as my full time job) I'm on a 1-1 contention ratio with NO STM.

OK I "only" get 17Mbps down and "only" 2Mbps up but it's a damn sight better than VM could do!

I've just got back from a friend who is "supposedly" on XL and while there ran a speed test for him from the link on this site.

It returned a speed of 5.3Mbps

Say's it all! BTW does anyone know the contention rate on VM?

I doubt you are really on 1:1 contention whatever you might have been told:)

As for VM contention ratio, it depends on the architecture of the network. i.e. Which legacy company built it as this dictates some of the node sizes and hence the number of customers served per port.. But in general it would be between 30 & 50:1:)

[TraxData]

I doubt you are really on 1:1 contention whatever you might have been told:)

As for VM contention ratio, it depends on the architecture of the network. i.e. Which legacy company built it as this dictates some of the node sizes and hence the number of customers served per port.. But in general it would be between 30 & 50:1:)

Be is 20:1 contention ratio.

There isnt any VM area where contention is 30:1 it's 50:1 (and above in certain areas) and has been for a long time.

[broadbandbug]

Be is 20:1 contention ratio.

There isnt any VM area where contention is 30:1 it's 50:1 (and above in certain areas) and has been for a long time.

We will have to agree to disagree on the first bit.. I know of many an area that is lower than 30:1.. But the average is probably around the 50:1 mark:)

[TraxData]

We will have to agree to disagree on the first bit.. I know of many an area that is lower than 30:1.. But the average is probably around the 50:1 mark:)

I remember when VM was 20:1 practically everywhere, oh how times have changed.

Hmm, guess so, havent seen any area's that are lower than 30:1 for a long time personally.

Yep..50:1 is average...atrocious really :D

[i-Set]

sorry guys a bit off topic, but erm im on 20mb and ive got a wireless router, netgear wgr614 to be precise, which apparently can do a 54mb connection. So will my wireless router pass on 20mb to any wi-fi device i have? And will this router be able to handle 50mb speeds if Virgin Media sell their 50mb plan?

[pip08456]

Hey guys, Ive been with Virgin Media for under a year now, I sometimes hear people moan about their services. Well for me they have been excellent, inc. bb speed, telephone, customer service; short wait time, reliability etc. So credit where credit is due, if anyone else feels happy with virgin media please reply back. Still not happy with STM though, but every ISP has some sort of throttling.

Anyways, my questions is "When Will Virgin Media Increase Their Upload Rate". I was on 2mb with 250kb upload, then 10mb with 500kb upload and now recently I upgraded to 20mb bb with a 750kb upload. Compared to other service providers such as Be Broadband, they have 2.5mb upload, thats right 2.5MB UPLOAD!!! Id rather be happy if Virgin Media gave 10mb both ways. I suppose with their new 50mb plan, they will only give 1mb upload lol ludicrous I tell you.

Does anyone know if Virgin Media has any plans to increase upload rate, if you have input, please to do so. thanks

You are partly right with Be offering 2.5Mbps upload rate but they take off about 1-1.5Mbps of your download speed if you request that upload rate. I know I'm a Be customer now and I don't have any problems with it.

I don't think any ISP in this country could offer 10Mbps up and down because the infrastructure does not as yet exist.

Consider your BB connection to be a pipe or tube, there is only a limited amount of information that can flow through it. ISP's "prefer" to allow the bigger download rate so that nearly fills the pipe but you have a little room left for your upload.

Please don't think I'm being a smart ar*e with this reply but that's the way it is.

---------- Post added at 02:36 ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 ----------

I doubt you are really on 1:1 contention whatever you might have been told:)

As for VM contention ratio, it depends on the architecture of the network. i.e. Which legacy company built it as this dictates some of the node sizes and hence the number of customers served per port.. But in general it would be between 30 & 50:1:)

I am on a 1-1contention ratio guaranteed and in writing!

---------- Post added at 02:39 ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 ----------

Be is 20:1 contention ratio.

There isnt any VM area where contention is 30:1 it's 50:1 (and above in certain areas) and has been for a long time.

Trax I'm on Be Pro and on 1-1 contention.

---------- Post added at 02:51 ---------- Previous post was at 02:39 ----------

sorry guys a bit off topic, but erm im on 20mb and ive got a wireless router, netgear wgr614 to be precise, which apparently can do a 54mb connection. So will my wireless router pass on 20mb to any wi-fi device i have? And will this router be able to handle 50mb speeds if Virgin Media sell their 50mb plan?

Yes

[Ignitionnet]

I am on a 1-1contention ratio guaranteed and in writing!

No you aren't, what document do you have suggesting this? You wouldn't be the first person told this by technical support but they are incorrect.

Trax I'm on Be Pro and on 1-1 contention.

I am also on Be Pro and was affected by congestion at the exchange the same as everyone else. Be Pro might advertise aiming for no visible contention, but do you really think they have a gigabit link for each 50 customers? Don't think so.

That's probably what the support ticket / whatever mentioned, that they try to aim for no visible contention on their network. This is not the same as 1:1, if everyone on your exchange started downloading at full pelt at the same time you would slow right down which wouldn't happen if you were on 1:1.

22 quid a month does not 24Mbit/s of assured bandwidth pay for. Doesn't even pay for 1Mbit unless you live in a datacentre.

[Richy99]

sorry guys a bit off topic, but erm im on 20mb and ive got a wireless router, netgear wgr614 to be precise, which apparently can do a 54mb connection. So will my wireless router pass on 20mb to any wi-fi device i have? And will this router be able to handle 50mb speeds if Virgin Media sell their 50mb plan?

you will be very lucky to get 50 meg from that router

[xspeedyx]

VM upload will always suck I would pay around £50 to get atleast 50/10 I think thats fair but VM dont really have any other company that can match maybe BE with a faster upload but no one is worrying VM with the broadband until we get a company that threats VM uploads will always be poor if I was running VM omg the speeds would be mental and prices would be low

---------- Post added at 13:41 ---------- Previous post was at 13:41 ----------

sorry guys a bit off topic, but erm im on 20mb and ive got a wireless router, netgear wgr614 to be precise, which apparently can do a 54mb connection. So will my wireless router pass on 20mb to any wi-fi device i have? And will this router be able to handle 50mb speeds if Virgin Media sell their 50mb plan?

I think due to over heads you would only get around 30Mb

[Kymmy]

As a web developer get on to business accounts as you clearly using the internet for business. Do not expect the same level of service from residential account.


Would be nice but the upload on a 10Mb business account is only 700kb and the promised 1.5Mb on a 20Mb business account has now shrunk to 1Mb :(

With business you'e stricly paying for the SLA and not a lot more.

Kymmy

[pcoventry]

Morning guys,

I know there hasn't been a post in here for years however Google dragged it up. With BT today launching 40MB down and 10MB up fibre and even though it's not available everywhere yet, which it will be, I'm sure it'll cause VM to jump and fast.

[Ignitionnet]

Hi,

Bigger thread (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33657925-upload-speed-50mb-when-being-upgraded.html) on this, and one on FTTC (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33660668-bt-infinity-pricing.html). The link in my signature gives some information.

VM are presently trialling 5 and 10Mbps upload in Huddersfield and Coventry. Announcement of trials of speeds up to 10Mbps were made as a spoiler last year when BT began their FTTC deployment in earnest.

Ta.