Virgin Media announces largest UK fibre broadband rollout

[Horizon]

I wish VM would offer FTTP to everyone that was prepared to stump up the cash, but, the chance of that is zero. None the less, this is a positive move for those lucky folks who will get the service.

[23prince]

Originally Posted by vm_tech

23prince, what area was dug but never built?

I will double check before but I could have sworn many years ago they were laying fibre into the village by digging up the pavement. I can remember my parents being told they couldnt have it so something must have stopped

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Pierre

But it limits the capability of the fibre and services that be provided. It's fine for areas next to existing network as you can deliver existing HFC over it, and in the future you can swap out the kit and deliver epon over the same passive network.

But there is no sense in totally new build areas such as Chester, Wrexham or Dunfermline in providing an RFoG solution. It should be epon.

Network extensions in current cable areas are 'classic' HFC. It's new network areas that are FTTP.

Got to look a bit further ahead.

RFoG is being used currenting in the FTTP areas to ensure consistency with the TV / Broadband services.

I'm sure if / when Virgin Media need EPON for their residential services, they'll use it. But it's not currently required.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Network extensions in current cable areas are 'classic' HFC. It's new network areas that are FTTP.

RFoG is being used currenting in the FTTP areas to ensure consistency with the TV / Broadband services.

I'm sure if / when Virgin Media need EPON for their residential services, they'll use it. But it's not currently required.

I'm fully aware of the details of Project Lightening and what areas are being built what way. I've worked for Virgin Media for over 20years.

Many in Networks have no love of RFoG. Just wait until they try to deploy voice over it.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Pierre

I'm fully aware of the details of Project Lightening and what areas are being built what way. I've worked for Virgin Media for over 20years.

Many in Networks have no love of RFoG. Just wait until they try to deploy voice over it.

There's still no VoIP product ready?

Cable companies have been running voice over DOCSIS networks for a decade and a half. This is hardly state of the art. What collection of cowboys are writing the firmware for your CPE?

Sorry if I'm wrong but that's the only impediment I can think of as all the CMTS in use have been happily delivering voice for other MSOs and other members of the Liberty Global family for years.

Appreciate VM need some customisation on the firmware on CMTS to accommodate bugs in the Netgear Superhubs, mind.

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 17:05 ----------

Originally Posted by BenMcr

RFoG is being used currenting in the FTTP areas to ensure consistency with the TV / Broadband services.

VM are the largest cable company I know of that advertises the same products throughout their footprint.

There's a lot to be said for customising offers to the local networks. Didn't feel that bad doing it on Homeworks+, did it?

https://www.comhem.se/bredband?b2

On the smaller side. Pretty much every US cable company on the larger side.

They may have a point and seem to know what they're doing given they can all manage digital voice.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

There's still no VoIP product ready?

Cable companies have been running voice over DOCSIS networks for a decade and a half. This is hardly state of the art. What collection of cowboys are writing the firmware for your CPE?

Sorry if I'm wrong but that's the only impediment I can think of as all the CMTS in use have been happily delivering voice for other MSOs and other members of the Liberty Global family for years.

Appreciate VM need some customisation on the firmware on CMTS to accommodate bugs in the Netgear Superhubs, mind..

No VoIP yet but doesn't mean they're not working on it. The VTP is very much ongoing.

Issues with OBI on the current FTTP set up.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Pierre

No VoIP yet but doesn't mean they're not working on it. The VTP is very much ongoing.

Issues with OBI on the current FTTP set up.

It's been in progress for quite some time now. I understood many of the problems were with CPE.

The CMTS and core network are already on IPv6 and PacketCable compliant so those guys are good. The KDC, provisioning server and CMS are off the shelf.

Bit mad that this is taking so long and proving so difficult. It's months behind now.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

There's a lot to be said for customising offers to the local networks. Didn't feel that bad doing it on Homeworks+, did it?

HomeWorks+ is a regional rollout and will eventually be available to all areas.

[23prince]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

HomeWorks+ is a regional rollout and will eventually be available to all areas.

Well I am getting OK speeds most of the time so with the recent BT price rises I might either be putting FTTC down to the loweet for backup or kicking it to the kerb totally and using my current 4G phone link.

All depends what VM do as a response and to these new speeds.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

HomeWorks+ is a regional rollout and will eventually be available to all areas.

I need to remember that this kind of thing is entirely at the mercy of the marketing people.

Be interesting to see how the next rollout is announced and done.

[MrIca]

Originally Posted by Pierre

But there is no sense in totally new build areas such as Chester, Wrexham or Dunfermline in providing an RFoG solution. It should be epon.

Got to look a bit further ahead.

When was Chester announced as a new area? Things proved very difficult last time they tried anything there. Though you walk through the city centre and see plenty of old NYNEX jointbox covers. No cabinets though.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by MrIca

When was Chester announced as a new area? Things proved very difficult last time they tried anything there. Though you walk through the city centre and see plenty of old NYNEX jointbox covers. No cabinets though.

It may not have been yet.

[MrIca]

Originally Posted by Pierre

It may not have been yet.

If they're looking in that general area then maybe they'll also finish the other half of Wirral that they didn't do.

Edit-Just had another thought. If they were to add areas like Chester and Wrexham, won't they need new buildings? I always thought they were trying to do this expansion without adding any new sites (hubsites, switches, whatever they're called).

If I think of the hubsite in Bromborough there's Virgin Media vans coming and going constantly, dozens in the morning especially. So it must be used a lot. So what could they do with an area like Chester? Can they serve it directly from somewhere like Warrington these days or would it still need a more local site?

The other side of Wirral would be seen as infill I guess, and would be served directly from Bromborough.

[rhyds]

It would be very interesting to see how they plan to fit out Wrexham. IIRC there's no existing infrastructure.

[MrIca]

Originally Posted by rhyds

It would be very interesting to see how they plan to fit out Wrexham. IIRC there's no existing infrastructure.

Exactly, not a thing.

Closest infrastructure to Wrexham is the network in Saltney, but it's just ducting and cabinets. It isn't live.