NTL:UK trials 100Mb broadband

bk

By Tim Richardson from TheReg

NTL is to begin field trials of ultra fast broadband next month in a bid to hit speeds of up to 100Mb.

See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/10/ntl_trial/ for the full article.

This seems to be using the new DOCSIS 3 technology.

crawler

bk wrote:

By Tim Richardson from TheReg



See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/10/ntl_trial/ for the full article.

This seems to be using the new DOCSIS 3 technology.

Pre DOCSIS 3.0! Get it right kid

Same principle channel bond the downstreams...

carrotcake

they've been trialling for a year already, and it's not docsis 3

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/article/236/ntl-in-secret-100mbps-trials

CyberGhost

What kinda upload will it have?

1 meg?

Skyuser

Why would anyone want it that fast. Only schools and internet cafe

bk

crawler wrote:

Pre DOCSIS 3.0! Get it right kid

Same principle channel bond the downstreams...

Woops, I had read it on another article (below) that said it was DOCSIS 3, but on further investigation you are right, my bad

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2150139/ntl-launches-100mbit-trial

bk

Skyuser wrote:

Why would anyone want it that fast. Only schools and internet cafe

They seem to be talking about the delivery of P2P HD video.

DingChavez

Skyuser wrote:

Why would anyone want it that fast. Only schools and internet cafe

Why would anyone NOT want it that fast?

bk

Another interesting article with more information and pictures of the gear used:
http://labs.pcw.co.uk/2006/02/ntl_plugs_p2p_a.html

Plus it has some really interesting information about a home GSM gateway:

Among the gadgets on show at the demonstration was the box pictured right, which is a home GSM base station. This is designed to capitalise on the auction, some time this year, of the DECT guard band spectrum which was originally intended to create a buffer zone between frequencies used by home hands-free phones and GSM mobiles.

The guard band is no longer needed and Ofcom has decreed that it can be sold for use in short-range, low-power communication using any standard the buyer wants to use. The GSM base station would allow an ordinary mobile to double as a hands-free phone in the home. Baughan speculated that the same system may be developed for 3G phones.

Wow, I just felt a collective shudder amongst the cellco's Vodafone, O2, etc. This would be extremely disruptive for their business. What is the beating that they will also bid for that spectrum just to sit on it :mad:

Anybody here if ComReg will look to also free up this spectrum, if they do, the cellcos should be banned from bidding on it.

Blaster99

I suppose there's the small problem of the phones being locked to a particular network, and while that can relatively easily be worked around, the MNO's can insist on special firmware that makes it harder to unlock them or that won't work with this spectrum.

Then you can have a bit of fun connecting to your neighbour's unit, particularly if you're in a typical Irish apartment with cardboard walls.

Clinical Waste

See the size of the modem!

bk wrote:

Another interesting article with more information and pictures of the gear used:
http://labs.pcw.co.uk/2006/02/ntl_plugs_p2p_a.html

Freddie59

bk wrote:

By Tim Richardson from TheReg



See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/10/ntl_trial/ for the full article.

This seems to be using the new DOCSIS 3 technology.

UPC also trialling it in Europe.:D

bk

Blaster99 wrote:

I suppose there's the small problem of the phones being locked to a particular network, and while that can relatively easily be worked around, the MNO's can insist on special firmware that makes it harder to unlock them or that won't work with this spectrum.

Then you can have a bit of fun connecting to your neighbour's unit, particularly if you're in a typical Irish apartment with cardboard walls.

I'd imagine that is why NTL:UK is looking to buy Virgin Mobile, then the other operators can't do anything to stop them and the cheaper prices would give them a significant advantage over the other cellco's, allowing them to grow their subscriber numbers.

Of course OFCOM could also block the other cellcos from doing anything that would stop this technology from working. Don't forget OFCOM actually has teeth, unlike our lot.

Of course this tech could also be used with DSL, maybe a good idea for Eircom/Meteor.

Blaster99

I suppose I was half-thinking that this stuff could be useful for an MVNO (like Virgin), where they could in conjunction with buying network access from an MNO also offer fixed installations in offices or homes and what not at significantly reduced call rates. But then why not just do mobile phones with WiFi/VoIP support? I suspect that's where things are headed.

Sponge Bob

bk wrote:

Anybody here if ComReg will look to also free up this spectrum, if they do, the cellcos should be banned from bidding on it.

Lets see what Comreg do about their DVB-T and DVB-H consultation which finished yesterday bk .

It would not surprise me in the least if they were put up to having that consultation by a cellco ...in the first place....trying to get some spectrum in the VHf3 and UHF bands around 400-700mhz

Meanwhile remember NTL UK have more fibre nearer the customer than 'your' NTL do

bk

Sponge Bob wrote:

Meanwhile remember NTL UK have more fibre nearer the customer than 'your' NTL do

LOL, there not my NTL.

You are right, where the local node uses fibre for backhaul then this sort of technology should be doable. Where the local node is backhauled using coax (I'd imagine a lot of areas in the NTL:Ireland network are - shudder) then it isn't possible.

NTL:Ireland is only now moving from DOCSIS 1 to 2 (they are currently replacing all the old DOCSIS 1 modems, I assume for the 10m upgrade). It will be many years until they move to DOCSIS 3 type technology. Hopefully all nodes will be fibre backhauled by then.

lucernarian

I read a few threads on the cableforum site that was mentioned earlier. It seems that NTL are having difficulty with the 10 Mbs upgrade. Many customers were complaining of speeds worse than before the upgrade.

Did any Irish customers have issues with their connection when NTL briefly upgraded connections over here?

Blaster99

bk wrote:

LOL, there not my NTL.

You are right, where the local node uses fibre for backhaul then this sort of technology should be doable. Where the local node is backhauled using coax (I'd imagine a lot of areas in the NTL:Ireland network are - shudder) then it isn't possible.

NTL:Ireland is only now moving from DOCSIS 1 to 2 (they are currently replacing all the old DOCSIS 1 modems, I assume for the 10m upgrade). It will be many years until they move to DOCSIS 3 type technology. Hopefully all nodes will be fibre backhauled by then.

I think SB is referring to the amount of coax between the customer and the headend, not the amount of coax in the backhaul. I'd imagine all headends with BB have fibre backhaul. I'd guess that is what's holding up the upgrade in many places, much like it's holding up the LLU guys.

I can't say I'm surprised about problems with high speed cable broadband, but bk usually beats me up with mindboggling DOCSIS facts whenever I state my scepticism... Time will tell. I suppose if it's actually going badly for NTL UK, then "NTL" Ireland might hold back on the upgrade to do more testing or bandwidth analysis to see what's feasible here. It might be more prudent to do a small jump in speed, like a few Mbps.

Sponge Bob

NTL Ireland may just go to 5Mbits for €49.99 a month like I predicted elsewhere and no more for now, 2006 that is . Their normal co-ax runs are much longer than in the UK after all and the fibre is further away on average from the customer as Blaster99 correctly said I said

And NTL cable BB is deffo NOT available 5 miles outta Portarlington is it BK ??