Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Hi all!

Anyone know where I can get updates on an area that is definitely being cabled and already in the works?

I'm just asking as we've had Virgin installing as part of the rural rollout here in Oakley (Hampshire) and the civil works seem to be complete now and wondering when I'll be able to order (also happy to be an early adopter as well and pay for the privilege!).
I know our reference number is NBU 48883 for the area and the last update we had was at the beginning of April when I was told the works should be finished that week and activation should follow.
We've got what I think are toby boxes in front of every house in our road as well as a VM cab now next to a BT one at the end of the street.

Many thanks in advance!
Rob

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

General network construction works seem to be on a pause in our area (East Midlands). I've noticed a few planned installs, tee-unblockings, duct-layings (via roadworks.org) that have passed their planned dates and then been rescheduled - 3 or 4 times in some cases, even though they are marked as "Granted". Especially over the last 2 months. I guess things are still being sorted out in terms of the next wave of expansion.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Virgin Media to upgrade 53,000 premises in Lancashire.

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/vi...shire--1202975

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Don't think that is Lightning related. I think it's just an upgrade of the old Smallworld Network.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Project Lightning is 571,000 customers short of this years 800,000 target

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/0...media_results/

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Not sure about that checker.

Work is in progress.

---------- Post added at 17:49 ---------- Previous post was at 17:48 ----------

The amount of effort VM seem willing to spend reaching a few properties is crazy. Seeing them spending most of a week to reach 4 properties through block paving was a bit mad. He says knowing they'll have to go through a few metres of block paving and lift some slabs to reach him.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

We aim to please Igni ;)

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Get the 24/4 DOCSIS 3.0 build to here, followed by the 3.1 build and I'll be happy. I'm aware of what you guys have in mind for both and my/my employer's wallet is open ;)

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Im just waiting for the build to start in my home town as well! Patience is a virtue... we have some really impressive long term plans for DOCSIS and TV services, will be good to finally have a "decent" connection again.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Waiting on #58384. Seems to have been at fibre design check for a few months now. Still optimistic however, it's a big project.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

They are all big projects ;)

Indeed, and no doubt there are at least 30 or 40 such sized projects going on at any one time in some phase or other.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

http://www.virginmedia.com/corporate...ancashire.html


Will this include the Blackburn area?

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Something I thought I would never see!

The entire Isle of Thanet is currently plastered with permits for VM expansion. Which Headend is this area going to be attached too? Its a long way from Ashford or any of the South London ones.

The Brighton buildout appears to have reached Newhaven now.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

It's only about 30 miles from Ashford. There are longer runs already in use, such as Glasgow to Ayr, and Nottingham to Lincoln.

The other possibility is Basildon, as that already serves the North Kent coast.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

yup, and my connection to Nottingham is mint

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

I wonder how closely the postcode search actually follows the current plans.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Virgin's Project Lightning's very, very frightening: ISP will not hit connection target

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/1...get_this_year/

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

The postcode checker no longer shows the number of registrations.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Well my hopes were dashed this week. After seeing for months that my community was in their expansion plan, and that it was apparently green on the system checker within my local store with a 6-18 month timescale, the postcode checker came back at the end of last week saying “Sorry, we can’t reach you at the moment”.

Unfortunately, it’s back to Sky for me.

I assume the registrations count has gone because all the areas have been decided?

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Quite possibly. I'm not getting my hopes up any more. These are big projects and some might not happen for years yet, even if they do at all.

I'll stick with my 0.7 / 4Mb for now. But might just move house and leave this area if it says this slow for the next 2 years.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

It appears to be the case that the expansion areas have now all been decided and the information walls have now come up - at least until the end of 2019. I'm just observing, but that's the pattern of activity that I'm seeing. There probably won't be anything official about that, I'd imagine, for sensitivity and competitiveness reasons.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Indeed, every area that isn’t currently served brings up the same message. The downside being that no one can find out IF Virgin are coming their way anymore so it’s just a case of wait and look out your window or roadworks.org.

I’m not sure how to digest my result before the barriers went up. “Sorry, we cant reach you at the moment” implies many different things, but then is that the point as I don’t think they would commit to something like “No, never”.

Im still hopeful, my area was in the plan so perhaps a few issues have surfaced that have stallled the project, it could reopen and get resolved before the end of 2019 or beyond.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Virgin Media UK Sue Durham Council Over Fibre Optic Rollout Costs

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.ph...out-costs.html

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Not entirely sure what they mean by "deep into" their £3bn expansion.

Into budget, maybe.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Deep into the project, it's been running two years now.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Yes and they’ve not really achieved a great deal. I wouldn’t describe them being deep into it at all.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Progress in terms of time: Jun 2015 - Jun 2018 = 3/4 of the way to Jun 2019 75%
Currently at 1.25 million extra homes passed out of 4 million total = deployment is ~30% complete.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

3 years into a 5 year project.

1.2 million homes connected

So they only achieved 50% of where they thought they would be, but the problems last year were well documented.

110,000 in Q1 this year. They need to increase that considerably to get anywhere near their 5 year target.

However, I would wager that they number of homes so far eclipses all the other Alt providers combined and BT together.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

I don't believe this is being referred to as a 5 year project now, this hasn't been referenced for some time.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

I know, I didn't mean 5 years and then finish. It will carry on. potentially indefinitely as long as the numbers continue to stack up.

I mean it was a 5 year initial period to hit 4million.

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

is Milton Keynes Council next for legal action?

City Fibre are installing FTTP from scratch in all of MK right now, on behalf of Vodafone Gigafast. If VM commit to a new build now, much of 250k+ homes will get more choice and TV too. Broadband speeds in MK are still on average very poor for superfast definition, as the phone lines are still aluminium pairs to each property so VDSL is shiite. (Thanks BT)

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

I just moved here, actually. The broadband where I lived before was 4Mbit and I don't think VM were able to deploy lightning where I was before, despite the high demand, any time soon.

Now that CityFibre/Voda are laying tubes down over here, I can't see VM ever being able to justify expanding at this location. They'll probably keep the business lines going in the centre but the old BT TV network will never be replaced or upgraded. There won't be any residential networks being built in MK by VM either since the addition of a TV service won't be enough to persuade people to take their broadband service over Vodafone and there won't be enough demand, either.

If Vodafone ever do buy VM's network however, the CityFibre network might well be used to deliver a triple-play service at that point in time.

Edit: Vodafone are "Making use" of CityFibre's network. Technically VM could also do this in Milton Keynes once the exclusivity period expires between Vodafone and CityFibre.. but they might just have a bad taste in their mouth from what happened last time with BT!

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

OK, well, this is totally confusing: https://www.totaljobs.com/job/reside...ia-job83444580

Re: Project Lightning Silence...
 

Time waters. Hopefully it will be taken down and they'll be charged for it.