Virgin Media starts rolling out 2Gb

Kevrano

https://www.virginmedia.ie/about-us/press/2023/virgin-media-launches-2-gigabit-full-fibre-broadband/

Might deserve its own thread!

Has anyone managed to order it yet?

ED E

2 Gig full fibre broadband to homes and businesses

Nice that when its RRoG or has been in their trials. Technically it does reach the door but like, wonky nonetheless.

RobiePAX

What makes me wonder is did they make any changes to their infrastructure? Because I remember the time they offered maximum 360 MB/s. Then they started offering 500 MB/s. Then 1GB/s. And now 2 GB/s.

Are are the actually making any improvements or are they just pushing their system to 110% to match Open Eir, SIRO and NBI?

NBAiii

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120749182#Comment_120749182

The 2Gb/s product is using a full fibre XGS-PON network, either Virgin's own which they are currently expanding or SIRO which Virgin have purchased capacity on.

Kevrano

So if you are able to 2Gb in your address, it says that it is Full Fibre above the speed you can get. So as @NBAiii says, it is an infrastructure upgrade. Hoping that Dublin is getting it sooner rather than later!

VM's original press release says that the upgrade will allow speeds up to 10Gb, so expect increments in speed and price every year!

go4it

Been looking for details on upload speed, for the new 2Gbps download service.

If it's no details, probably tops at 50Mbps like the 500Mbps service offering?

jeffk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120755937#Comment_120755937

You are not meant too mention that, sure no one needs fast uploads etc, or so the marketing team will tell you

go4it

So i guess if i want more upload speed, than fibre FTTH packages are the way to go ( from competition )

Even those, they keep a 'cartel style' setup : upload is max 10% of download speeds, although fibre on the continental Europe has usually uploads speeds of 50% or more of download speed.

Kevrano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120760646#Comment_120760646

I'm sure the first time I looked at VM's 2Gb page, the uploads were 10% of downloads. It doesn't mention at all now 😔

PixelTrawler

Virgin rolled out fibre in our estate in D15 last autumn (so probably 10 months ago). I was chatting to the lads running the fibre as I thought it was openeir back again as it was also a circet crew.

He was showing me the openeir fibre in the manhole running along side their new fibre.

Anyway, its not live yet anyway. 2gb showing as unavailable on the site.

benmf2010

I recently upgraded to the 2Gb plan and i’m getting around 200 upload speed.

jeffk

Still getting 50 on the 1Gb

Ah-Watch

What modem are they providing for 2GB FTTH? Sorry, I know someone mentioned it on one of the threads but I can't find it now.

lotas

interested in knowing the modem install, and thanks to benmf2010 for giving speed details...

feargantae

How can ye tell if this is actually available at an address? When i put my eircode in it shows 2Gb available for €64/m and lets me continue to checkout. The area I'm in has never been served by UPC/VM so i'm assuming they're using SIRO here but any other SIRO provider shows max 1Gb at my address!

Kevrano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120801949#Comment_120801949

Does it let you add or update a tv package? That might be a clue.

Also, in the broadband speed options, does it say full fibre broadband by each speed?

lensman

I'd be happy with that, had the VM 1gb package for 2 weeks now & only peaking at 400mb DL occasionally, usually 350 to 400, cable was replaced in my area over 10yrs ago so def not fibre, when I signed up online for their 1gb deal I was on 360mb at the time & within hrs my old modem went offline & rebooted, I was think VM were upgrading/boosting my line for the new sagecom router which was to arrive the following day, I took the opportunity to run a speed test on the old router & surprise surprise I was getting a solid 364mb DL speed, since I installed the new router there hasn't been a great increase in speed, I've used cat7 cable & wifi6 adapter which doesn't make any improvement, 'sam knows real speed test ' shows I'm getting 1020mb+ to my router & between 350-400 to my PC, tech is calling tomorrow but unless I see a big improvement it's curtains for VM.

Kevrano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794354#Comment_120794354

I'd like to know too. Hopefully it has Wifi 6 (at least)

juanjoseluisgarcia

To all here. I happen to have contracted 2Gb with Virgin Media. My upload speeds tops at 150Mbs. Not bad. They have their own infrastructure. But they give you a sagemcom F@st fibre gateway that broke on me after a day. I have to wait for a week for a new one. The rollout is having a lot of hiccups.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120948658#Comment_120948658

Does that modem allow you to enable bridge mode over the 2.5GBE port?

conorking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805336#Comment_120805336

Hi, just wondering if you stuck with VM and how the experience was?

Im currently with eir FTTH on 500mb and most days I’m getting 400 to 475mb, which is fine for me. Contract now ending and I’m tempted to switch to VM 500mb although it’s only “part fibre” so I guess that’s like FTTC and coax into my house. Surprised you are not getting anything close to the 1GB marketed speed with VM.

Am I making a mistake thinking of VM?

dam099

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121203885#Comment_121203885

FTTH is more future proof but right now Virgin Media is largely functionally very similar to it, albeit they have had in the past issues with latency and routing. VM are also likely to upgrade you to FTTH at some point in the future (they have already started to roll out using FTTH in some areas)

They do tend to be more expensive than the cheapest FTTH packages though, I would be surprised if even their discounted intro packages were much better than Sky/Pure would be on FTTH (and they should offer a more seamless switching experience).

conorking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121213513#Comment_121213513

Thanks. Most of the FTTH providers who stream the TV service have restrictions on TV recording (yes, I know you can catch up on players but even they are limited with fast-forward/rewind/adverts) so my main reason for going with VM is to get their HD box (Tv360). Yes, I know it’s dated and will eventually be replaced when VM FTTH comes to my area, but happy to go with it for now. But I just don’t want to suffer a big drop in broadband quality! I’m currently 500mb with eir but can get 1GB from VM (with “Light TV”) for the same price eir will roll over my existing contract for.

Plus eir insist on 24 month contract (which I don’t want) and won’t offer me their new customer prices (which I do want).

In summary, I’m happy with eir, but don’t like their inflexible contracting arrangements, plus want the ability to record anything I want.

feargantae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121218173#Comment_121218173

Sign up as a new customer with your name in Irish (nó Béarla, más féidir!), tell them you're a new tenant and just moved in. Or get your spouse/partner/housemate to do it.

Manc-Red_

Virgin were in late last year running the new 2gb fibre lines to our homes underground via the manholes etc.

Like above the lads said it will go live sometime this year and still nothing yet.

We’re unlucky in the sense that Virgin are the only over 100mb bb in our estate and the price is about 90pm for that alone. Ah well wonder when Voda can piggy on them to have some sort of chance of getting it cheaper.

Heres hoping

Jonathan

Any existing Virgin Media HFC Broadband + TV customers migrated to their 2GB offering yet?

Are VM replacing the existing TV360 boxes with the Apollo streaming boxes, or just reconfiguring them to stream channels via IP? Are any particular VLAN settings required?

lotas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121365418#Comment_121365418

That site mentions recording on the Apollo box... where does it record to? The Cloud? And how much is recoded to it? Sounds interesting... My guess on the streaming is it would be over IP, just like Sky Go... so as long as you have an internet connection, it should just work...

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121422416#Comment_121422416

Recording to the cloud, but based on feedback from another poster on the Cable & MMDS & IPTV, there are restrictions on recording of some programmes.

Kevrano

Does anyone know the timeframe for the rollout?

Also what are the practicalities of upgrading the network in Central Dublin? What does it involve?

lotas

The last time I talked to an engineer about it (a few months back now) I was told it would roll out from City West (where their (guessing KN Networks or whoever they call themselves these days) are headquartered). As for the process, my guess (and it's purely a guess) is that they would upgrade the cables to the head nodes, wherever they are in your area, and from there, run the fibre over the existing CoAX cables… They should already have ducting, etc, so I don't think there would be much digging, but could be wrong…

KildareP

They are going at it around Old Bawn in Tallaght for the last few weeks, no indication as to when you can order though and Eircodes still showing their HFC options only.

breeno

They did our cabinet last year but still not active or available to order. I had a guy out upgrading my router and he said I might not ever get the 2gb as the lines are overhead from house to house and they'd need to upgrade everyone between me and the cabinet before I could be upgraded. Very disappointed if that's the case.

halfpastneverr

They are doing our estate in Kingswood this week, our house is slated for tomorrow according to the card dropped in. Our current VM cabling goes house to house from the eaves & the contractors have been fiddling with those cables the last few days on surrounding roads. Interesting to see if they are just lashing the fibre alongside the existing cabling.

DocMcC

Bit pointless since 99% of consumer equipment (routers, switches, pcs etc) only support 1 gbit. You would need to upgrade your whole infrastructure to either 2.5gb or 10gb backbone which is currently still expensive and there are no laptops with 2.5gb/10gb adapters that I know of….

so don't really see the point.

Manion

Singed up for the 2GB service to be installed at the end of the month. I currently have 2GB from Vodafone which I've discovered was something called "eir infrastructure" not siro. How does the VM offering differ technology wise? The Vodafone service was constantly dropping connection and I couldn't wait to be out of contract.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122122567#Comment_122122567

Even 1GB FTTH is better then 1GB Coax cable

• Upload speed, the VM 1GB coax product has only 50mb/s upload while 1GB/s FTTH typically has 100mb/s
• FTTH has better latency/pings
• Generally more reliable.

I agree that 2gb/s is a waste for most people, however even folks with just 1gb networks would benefit from switching to FTTH.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122123029#Comment_122123029

OpenEir, Siro and VM [1] all broadly use the same technology for FTTH.

The issues you have with Vodafone were likely more Vodafone issues or their router, rather then the openEir infrastructure which is generally excellent.

[1] Note most of VM's network is still the old coax cable HFC network, which isn't great, they are rolling out FTTH, but you'd have to check if that was actually available in your location.

Manion

I believe it's the XGS-PON variant, at least that's what they said on the phone. I understand this is different to SIRO Gpon?

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122131236#Comment_122131236

Siro is also using XGS-PON, all of their network has been upgraded to it:

https://siro.ie/news-and-insights/why-10-gigabits-why-now/

Pretty much everyone uses XGS-PON for new builds the past few years, Eir, Siro, VM, NBI. Early parts of the old Eir network builds may be using older tech.

LeeroyJ.

Virgin media were in Dublin 3 upgrading all the houses to some sort of fiber a few weeks back but still unable to upgrade on the website.

breeno

We had an army of KN teams on the road last week up on ladders testing the 2gb connections. The lad who did my house told me I should be able to order it straight away but the site is still telling me max of 1gb.

Has anybody had the 2gb set up and able to comment on how long it took for it to be available to order?

breeno

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325140#Comment_122325140

Just a quick update in case anyone is in the same boat. The faster speed is now available to order so it has taken circa 2 months from the KN team testing the line to being available.

I can also now avail of 500mb/1gb/2gb service from Sky and Vodafone so I'm delighted to be able to shop around for new customer offers going forward.

theluke79

Just signed up for Virgin 2gbps, from EIR 1gbps.

I got their new Sagemcom, put it in modem mode, while I am waiting for their tech to show up.

Unfortunately I can't reach the device anymore since it's in modem mode (I already set the IP of the laptop to 192.168.100.2), I know the modem mode IP is 192.168.100.1

Turns out, you don't use 100.1 to access the device when in modem mode, even if it says so… It's accessible on 192.168.0.1 via LAN connected to the yellow INT port.

Tried on the 10gbps port too…and it works

And you need to set the LAN IP on your laptop

archfi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122639050#Comment_122639050

Did you have to contact Virgin for them to enable modem mode or did you get the router already with that option available?

What firmware is the Sagemcom on?

knobtasticus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122639050#Comment_122639050

If you’re waiting for an engineer visit, I presume you aren’t on an NBI connection?

theluke79

The engineer is here now, fiber is in the house

theluke79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122639798#Comment_122639798

I did not contact Virgin, I just went to the URL to enable modem mode, however, today, when the engineer came to finish the installation, he had to reset the Virgin router, now I lost modem mode and the URL to set it does not work anymore. So I am investigating this

theluke79

Turns out, you have to wait 48h, ring VM, ask for ipv6/bridge to be enabled, wait 24h and you'll get modem mode then

superleedsdub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683326#Comment_122683326

This is great information. I had a 2gb install yesterday and could not find the modem mode, rang them up to be told that it's not available. I felt like throwing the modem in the bin after a couple of hours as the wi-fi range is shocking, I was literally standing on the floor directly below it and could not get a signal.

I'm gonna call them again shortly and ask for ipv6/bridge to be enabled, was there anything particular reason why we have to wait 48 hours for this?

superleedsdub

So I've now called the technical team at virgin media twice to be told that modem only mode is not available, i'm now onto the cancellations department where they are now looking into switching me back to my old 500Mb libe, they are saying they don't allow that…..

sonyvision

What are you guys running that needs 2gb? I only half 500mb, work from home and setup wired decos around my house. Get the full 500mb in each room and rarely suffer issues.

knobtasticus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122733452#Comment_122733452

If you don’t want to use the Virgin router then remove it outright. There’s no requirement to use it as a ‘modem’. Any router that has MAC address cloning can replace the Virgin router entirely.