Any updates on UPC's broadband rollout or MMDS conversion?

lucernarian

It's been a while since I read anything about UPC's ongoing cable replacement program and broadband enabling works. There's still parts of Dublin city centre, including residential areas (see the red brick terrace here: http://goo.gl/maps/HK3j2) which are still connected with 30 year old cable and last time I checked have no broadband capability.

Also, a lot of places like much of Newbridge in Co. Kildare or parts of Cork are supplied with MMDS, even if there is local cable infrastructure. No broadband yet provided for some of them, and what's going to happen in a couple of years when MMDS is finally switched off?

So, is there any work still ongoing by UPC to extend coverage??

smelly sock

Hello.Just saw this.I'm in Maynooth and got a letter from upc in the post notifying residents in the area of network enhancements and upgrades to provide bb and horizon tv service. They are going to be ripping out all old cable and replacing it. So yes, UPC are still upgrading their network it would seem

steveon

They done that in Limerick in a few estates In Limerick but many houses now had timber floors down over the only ducting coming in from the streets so it was a real mess trying to get upc connections in....

smelly sock

steveon wrote: »

They done that in Limerick in a few estates In Limerick but many houses now had timber floors down over the only ducting coming in from the streets so it was a real mess trying to get upc connections in....

I can see the old upc cable point in the house. I can also see where the old coax used to come through the garden. Don't think they bury cables on gardens anymore. Will more than likely run a new cable along the garden wall.

steveon

smelly sock wrote: »

I can see the old upc cable point in the house. I can also see where the old coax used to come through the garden. Don't think they bury cables on gardens anymore. Will more than likely run a new cable along the garden wall.

Doubtful they'd dig up your garden for you, where did the old cable goto an underground ducting??? on the road? I dug my mates gardens and ran in 4 coaxes for him when he got told his area was being upgraded in Limerick a few yrs ago....

I bet UPC are sorry they didn't do all these estates yrs ago when they were being designed.

L1011

steveon wrote: »

Doubtful they'd dig up your garden for you, where did the old cable goto an underground ducting??? on the road?

Out to the road (lived in the same estate...). Any reinstalls done for the past age have had the cable run along the garden wall.

steveon wrote: »

I bet UPC are sorry they didn't do all these estates yrs ago when they were being designed.

In this case, they didn't exist - a small private firm did the cabling and were eventually sold to CMI -> Chorus -> UPC.

steveon

MYOB wrote: »

Out to the road (lived in the same estate...). Any reinstalls done for the past age have had the cable run along the garden wall.



In this case, they didn't exist - a small private firm did the cabling and were eventually sold to CMI -> Chorus -> UPC.

Yes I get you but even in Limerick many large scale estates were skipped as they wanted the builders to pay to get the estates cabled and so werent done as a result...

smelly sock

Cable run along a wall is cheaper to run and also easier to fix should anything go wrong. I would think that in my estate they will need to run new coax into house. UPC have one of their fibre cabs at the entrance to the estate for a long time now but apparently the old cable wasn't good enough to support bb or phone. That's why they are coming back now to install new cable.

galtee boy

Eircom could fill the void left by UPC when that awful MMDS service finally goes. Many rural towns around the country are currently being fibre cabled by Eircom, towns that will never be visited by UPC, so Eircom could step in with their tv service.

smelly sock

galtee boy wrote: »

Eircom could fill the void left by UPC when that awful MMDS service finally goes. Many rural towns around the country are currently being fibre cabled by Eircom, towns that will never be visited by UPC, so Eircom could step in with their tv service.

That's what the hope is I think for rural customers and others in smaller towns. In these towns Eircom will more than likely only have to install a fibre cab. They have copper in place already. It just doesn't make sense for upc to lay fibre in these areas. They won't make money back quick enough.

lucernarian

galtee boy wrote: »

Eircom could fill the void left by UPC when that awful MMDS service finally goes. Many rural towns around the country are currently being fibre cabled by Eircom, towns that will never be visited by UPC, so Eircom could step in with their tv service.

Very good point in the case of Drogheda and Dundalk, which still has maybe up to two thousand of MMDS customers if my rough estimate is right.

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

Eircom could fill the void left by UPC when that awful MMDS service finally goes. Many rural towns around the country are currently being fibre cabled by Eircom, towns that will never be visited by UPC, so Eircom could step in with their tv service.

I agree, made the same same point here previously. At least people in these areas will have another pay-TV option other than Sky.

A neighbouring rural exchange is due to be upgraded in early 2014, the area is well served by MMDS from both Woodcock Hill and Keeper Hill (N. Tipp) based on the number of MMDS aerials. In areas like this Eircom TV could be an easy replacement in the next 2 1/2 years.

UPC have made no public comment regarding Comreg's decision not to renew the MMDS licences and options for existing MMDS customers.

smelly sock

I get the impression from UPC's silence on the MMDS decision from Comreg that their happy enough to let it die. They know that in large urban areas with a huge customer base Eircoms network , both fibre and adsl can't compete with them.