Central Milton Keynes "trial"?

[techguy]

Just found this interesting bit of public information:

http://symologyweb.milton-keynes.gov...823&CallerID=6

The interesting bit is

"Exacavate C/w to carry out Trial Holes for Future Instalation".

And if you click on contacts in the page.. John Henry Group in Longstanton is listed. A quick look through their website reveals that for Virgin Media, they are...

"Working on the Broadband Internet Access Project in all
aspects of build and design."

Yes all this may be circumstantial .. but it now looks promising that something is going to be tried out... I guess the fact that BT are doing full fibre to the home in MK means Virgin can no longer afford to ignore it?

[BenMcr]

I don't think it's never been a case of Virgin ignoring it. The cable network in MK isn't owned by Virgin, so it's not just down to them

[weesteev]

John Henry carry out all current civils work for Virgin Media across a massive area of England, this should come as a surprise.

Ben is correct, the MK network is an old BT love-child and requires a lot of attention. As far as I know there is nothing in the immediate pipework but I would imagine its an aera being considered for large scale overbuild seen as we have some network there.

[techguy]

Is this Virgin Media Business or consumer we're talking about?

And why would they do 'trial holes for future installation', if they had no plans to do something with the network in Milton Keynes? Oh and, when I said they can no longer afford to ignore the place .. i mean't in terms of leaving it with only analogue cable tv. Maybe they now see a way to compete with BT's impending fibre rollout here? In regards to requiring a lot of attention, i remember the same arguments being used for places like Slough - and parts of Southampton which are now upgraded, but uniquely, the Milton Keynes cable footprint continues to go grow with each new home and new estate being built - so surely these more recent network additions would have the latest equipment - making it feasible to run digital signals over them?

I've heard from another forum (from an openreach employee) that the existing duct that carries the coax to each home, is being used for the openreach fibre to the premises trial. How this would impact on what virgin are doing, I don't know.

When a whole area is considered for overbuild, is it likely that fttp would be used from the word go, rather than the coax/fibre mix we see at present?

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by techguy

Is this Virgin Media Business or consumer we're talking about?

Doesn't matter. BT put the MK cable in and they still own it. Virgin provide the content and bill customers.

Oh and, when I said they can no longer afford to ignore the place .. i mean't in terms of leaving it with only analogue cable tv. Maybe they now see a way to compete with BT's impending fibre rollout here?

Again, not just up to Virgin. I'm Ntl would have loved to have provided proper services in MK if they could have done so.

[techguy]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Doesn't matter. BT put the MK cable in and they still own it. Virgin provide the content and bill customers.

Again, not just up to Virgin. I'm Ntl would have loved to have provided proper services in MK if they could have done so.

1 - agreed. But Virgin carry out the installs too.

2 - that doesn't appear to tally with this....

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NTL+Ac......-a055180810

[m419]

I've seen manhole covers with grafiti marks by road workers and lines pointing where ducting lies for NTL in Marylebolne of Westminster and its not a NTL manhole cover, it says CATV, so this could be for NTL's Videotron Telephone infrastructure or could be BT's cable network.

So this could be either for general repair work or upgrades work, however, in Westminster round there, NTL was offering Broadband over the Ex-BT cable network.

And around Canary Wharf, is the ex-Bell Cable Media network which was Analogue, NTL forced residential customers off around 2005 and only provide businesses with Telephone services. Stupid!

To be honest I don't see a bright future with the ex-BT cable franchises.

[m419]

I read something about the ex-BT franchises and they are apparently not copper cable but mostly aluminium and there is no return path which is why it is difficult for both parties to upgrade them.

[techguy]

Originally Posted by m419

I read something about the ex-BT franchises and they are apparently not copper cable but mostly aluminium and there is no return path which is why it is difficult for both parties to upgrade them.

No sorry this isn't true.. a lot of these myths have propagated online but if you check the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) online, you'll see MK and Westminster were both upgraded to broadband, return path capable networks.

This is why, over the ex-BT Westminster cable, you can order Virgin Media Cable Broadband without any trouble.

Also, Milton Keynes and Westminster are both HFC networks - aluminium doesn't come into it! The myth about aluminium came about as BT installed alu for their telephony twisted copper pairs, in only 2 estates in Milton Keynes. But this alu network was not the same wire used for tv!

In anycase, those aluminium areas have since been overlaid with copper at great expense.

I would think that if Virgin Media were to replicate what they offer to Westminster ex-BTCable customers, in Milton Keynes, then a future where the current cable tv service was sent down the same broadband portion as IPTV, would become a distinct possibility.

HD IPTV over DOCSIS broadband? Why not? Suddenly, an opportunity can be seen for lots of money to be made from these two large franchises. When it comes to telephony, they could always do wholesale line rental over the BT lines.. so they woudn't even need to install new cable phone lines... saving even more money.

BUT..... back on track to the thread title .. what on earth is VM doing in Central Milton Keynes - it's obviously been formally registered with the council as a 'trial' according to the link in my first post.. the plot thickens. If only they would announce something formal - like they did with their other trials in Cornwall, Berkshire and Kent!

[m419]

Originally Posted by techguy

No sorry this isn't true.. a lot of these myths have propagated online but if you check the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) online, you'll see MK and Westminster were both upgraded to broadband, return path capable networks.

This is why, over the ex-BT Westminster cable, you can order Virgin Media Cable Broadband without any trouble.

Also, Milton Keynes and Westminster are both HFC networks - aluminium doesn't come into it! The myth about aluminium came about as BT installed alu for their telephony twisted copper pairs, in only 2 estates in Milton Keynes. But this alu network was not the same wire used for tv!

In anycase, those aluminium areas have since been overlaid with copper at great expense.

I would think that if Virgin Media were to replicate what they offer to Westminster ex-BTCable customers, in Milton Keynes, then a future where the current cable tv service was sent down the same broadband portion as IPTV, would become a distinct possibility.

HD IPTV over DOCSIS broadband? Why not? Suddenly, an opportunity can be seen for lots of money to be made from these two large franchises. When it comes to telephony, they could always do wholesale line rental over the BT lines.. so they woudn't even need to install new cable phone lines... saving even more money.

BUT..... back on track to the thread title .. what on earth is VM doing in Central Milton Keynes - it's obviously been formally registered with the council as a 'trial' according to the link in my first post.. the plot thickens. If only they would announce something formal - like they did with their other trials in Cornwall, Berkshire and Kent!

I think it could be Virgin Media Business or the national infrastructure, NTL ran its infrastructure all over the UK linking up its cable franchises and interconnecting with BT Exchanges and Cable and Wireless ones. Remember Milton Keynes is home to some large business such as Santander and Cable and Wireless.