Superhub 200Mbit coming soon? (According to a survey) - Page 5

Kushan · 17-12-2014, 20:18

Or the previous equipment was super old.

ccarmock · 17-12-2014, 20:26

Not sure if related, but I gather a non-Netgear derived device is being tested for the VM Business cable service.

Maybe a hint of a change...

Ignitionnet · 17-12-2014, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by muppetman11

What are VM doing at their cabs ? In our area all the cabs have had tents over them with everything removed from the cab and new equipment being fitted and lines reconnected.

Ongoing network maintenance/upgrade programme. They've been at it for quite a while!

Sephiroth · 17-12-2014, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kushan

Another doubling,perhaps. Be interesting if Virgin's tiers became 100/200/300.

Most insightful, Kush. That makes absolute sense. Also addressing CCarmock's point about cable modem/gateway - if VM want to do business properly, they'd need an integrated IP telephony service of business grade. Non-Netgear gateway? And if they're putting in Arris CMTSs to replace Motorola BSRs (remember that Arris acquired Motorola a couple of years back) .......

Kushan · 17-12-2014, 20:55

I'm shocked Virgin hasn't offered VoIP yet, it would seem to be a no-brainer. Then again, perhaps it's down to OFCOM being strict regarding telephony.

Ignitionnet · 17-12-2014, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kushan

I'm shocked Virgin hasn't offered VoIP yet, it would seem to be a no-brainer. Then again, perhaps it's down to OFCOM being strict regarding telephony.

Yes. You need it to function in a power cut, hence you need to have battery backup on the eMTA itself and ideally on the nodes in the field.

Skie · 17-12-2014, 21:51

A cordless VoIP phone with a simcard for emergency backup would probably be the best option, especially if you end up owning your own mobile network. Normal cordless home phones won't work during a power outage, so it would actually be an improvement.

Ignitionnet · 17-12-2014, 21:53

Mobile is not acceptable as a fixed-line replacement for better or worse. I would be in real trouble here where there's no reception on the ground floor and flaky reception on the other two.

People still demand their land line in some cases and it's a nice cash-cow.

qasdfdsaq · 17-12-2014, 22:55

Meh, FTTC and/or cable equipment is perfectly capable of being made to function in a power cut, I've done it myself in the past. Coupled with the fact most mobile networks now have or are working on WiFi and/or UMA to allow calling from any IP connected network, we have viable power-out calling capabilities as long as the internet can be kept up.

As they say... we have the technology...

linwelin · 17-12-2014, 23:18

i just hope we see some decent improvements to the upload speeds soon.

Ignitionnet · 17-12-2014, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Meh, FTTC and/or cable equipment is perfectly capable of being made to function in a power cut, I've done it myself in the past. Coupled with the fact most mobile networks now have or are working on WiFi and/or UMA to allow calling from any IP connected network, we have viable power-out calling capabilities as long as the internet can be kept up.

As they say... we have the technology...

It's the cost more than the technology to be honest.

BT's FTTC has batteries in each cabinet to cope with brief outages, VM can do much the same with their nodes and with any eMTA.

Still costs a few quid nonetheless, but hopefully offset by not having to pay BT Wholesale for PSTN.

ccarmock · 17-12-2014, 23:32

I assume VM still have a lot of work to do on their infrastructure for upstream improvements? I am fed from the New Malden node and believe this ex-Telewest area was in poor state.

Not sure what state it is in now, but they did of course get upstream bonding working and we moved from TDMA to ATDMA, but still 16 QAM

Kushan · 17-12-2014, 23:35

That's precisely it, the cost. I believe that OFCOM come down hard if telephony services aren't kept up and fixed promptly. Particularly as there's a human life factor, quite a lot of people (elderly and disabled) rely on the phone line for lifeline serivces so a downed line could literally be the death of someone. That's one of the reasons why everything has battery backups.

The problem with a VoIP service is the battery backup would have to extend into the customer's property and keep their hub alive as well. I don't know if there's technology to do that.

Ignitionnet · 17-12-2014, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kushan

The problem with a VoIP service is the battery backup would have to extend into the customer's property and keep their hub alive as well. I don't know if there's technology to do that.

The battery is integrated into the hub. Plenty of those around - they are used in many other countries where the telco is delivered via CATV.

---------- Post added at 22:39 ---------- Previous post was at 22:38 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccarmock

I assume VM still have a lot of work to do on their infrastructure for upstream improvements? I am fed from the New Malden node and believe this ex-Telewest area was in poor state.

Not sure what state it is in now, but they did of course get upstream bonding working and we moved from TDMA to ATDMA, but still 16 QAM

It's probably in a better state than most in many ways given it had to be rebuilt for ATDMA.

No doubt some node splits / resegmentation left to do but that's business as usual as part of ongoing capacity upgrades.

That area was dire.

ccarmock · 17-12-2014, 23:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

It's probably in a better state than most in many ways given it had to be rebuilt for ATDMA.

No doubt some node splits / resegmentation left to do but that's business as usual as part of ongoing capacity upgrades.

That area was dire.

Right so to move to ATDMA required a rebuild then? Performance has been good I have to say since they did this work. I know there were delays in adding capacity since they had to do building work on the equipment rooms at the New Malden site to provide more rack space.