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Virgin Gigaworld/ Project Lightning

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  • 29-01-2019 6:09pm
    #1
    Ihackedboardz
    Registered Users Posts: 90 ✭✭


    With all the talk about Siro & rural schemes I was wondering about Virgin's offering.
    Way back late 2017 early 2018 Virgin were talking about their knew Project Lightning which involves rolling out gigabit speeds to residential properties in the UK, Northern Ireland & ROI.

    [HTML]https://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/virgin-media-tony-hanway-project-lightning-broadband[/HTML]

    Has anyone been upgraded to 1Gb yet with Virgin as it appears from the article that areas such as Gorey, Arklow, Enniscorthy, Wexford and Ballina have or are currently being upgraded to 1Gb?

    With the cut off of the old analogue service it should have freed up enough bandwidth to offer the service without as much hassle as other schemes (although in parts I'm sure cables will need to be upgraded, new modems will need to be provided etc etc)


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    #2
    tsue921i8wljb3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,017 ✭✭✭tsue921i8wljb3


    Ihackedboardz wrote: »
    With all the talk about Siro & rural schemes I was wondering about Virgin's offering.
    Way back late 2017 early 2018 Virgin were talking about their knew Project Lightning which involves rolling out gigabit speeds to residential properties in the UK, Northern Ireland & ROI.

    [HTML]https://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/virgin-media-tony-hanway-project-lightning-broadband[/HTML]

    Has anyone been upgraded to 1Gb yet with Virgin as it appears from the article that areas such as Gorey, Arklow, Enniscorthy, Wexford and Ballina have or are currently being upgraded to 1Gb?

    With the cut off of the old analogue service it should have freed up enough bandwidth to offer the service without as much hassle as other schemes (although in parts I'm sure cables will need to be upgraded, new modems will need to be provided etc etc)

    As far as I know the new build areas are FTTP (RFoG) but they have not yet upgraded speeds. I expect they will wait until they launch DOCSIS 3.1 in the legacy cable part of their network to have standardised tiers of packages.


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    #3
    Ihackedboardz
    Registered Users Posts: 90 ✭✭Ihackedboardz


    Thanks Navi, does anyone have any idea when the DOCSIS 3.1 launch will take place?
    I presume it'll be a change of modem when they do, I'm thinking the hub 3 is only DOCSIS 3.0?

    From an advertising view every ad break seems to have the VF Gb advert so they can't exactly claim they are Ireland fastest anymore...


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    #4
    tsue921i8wljb3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,017 ✭✭✭tsue921i8wljb3


    Ihackedboardz wrote: »
    Thanks Navi, does anyone have any idea when the DOCSIS 3.1 launch will take place?
    I presume it'll be a change of modem when they do, I'm thinking the hub 3 is only DOCSIS 3.0?

    From an advertising view every ad break seems to have the VF Gb advert so they can't exactly claim they are Ireland fastest anymore...
    Sadly the update doesn’t give us any hints about their upgrade plans for the future Gigabit capable DOCSIS 3.1 broadband technology (the underlying network is currently being upgraded to support it), although we have separately heard some unofficial whispers that Virgin Media may be preparing to trial a new 1Gbps residential service using their FTTP network to a small number of new build premises.

    Likewise we’ve longed suspected that they might be able to squeeze a little bit more speed out of their existing EuroDOCSIS 3.0 network, possibly reaching as high as 500Mbps, although realistically we think they’d do better to focus on improving their weak upload performance. So far the hints we’ve had point to 500Mbps appearing first for Virgin Media Business customers during H1 2019.

    from November 2018 and talking about the UK. I think only Poland and Germany have had DOCSIS 3.1 launches from Liberty Global.

    https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2019/01/global-cable-operators-aim-for-10gbps-broadband-speeds-for-all.html


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    #5
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Ihackedboardz wrote: »
    Thanks Navi, does anyone have any idea when the DOCSIS 3.1 launch will take place?
    I presume it'll be a change of modem when they do, I'm thinking the hub 3 is only DOCSIS 3.0?

    They're still upgrading users to the Hub3 even though its 3.0 only and currently under a class action lawsuit.

    That signals to me that they've no immediate plans to replace it.


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    #6
    jonn
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭jonn


    Was with VM since UPC days, Couldn't wait anymore, moved to Siro 1Gb FTTH with Digiweb. VERY happy with that.
    Was offered VMs new "hub" several times and declined that every time.
    All I need is a basic modem (no wifi or lan routing)
    That with annual price increases for an "improved service" meant I moved ASAP.

    if VM get themselves sorted and offer a comparable service cheaper, I'll revisit, but not holding my breath for that.
    Maybe I'm not their target customer use case.


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    #7
    banie01
    Registered Users Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    Similar story with me.
    Was with Virgin since @2005 and whilst always happy with the speeds, the service on any other channel other than boards was consistently poor.
    The constant price rises with no concurrent rise in speeds or service were a pain and the most recent in January was the last straw.

    I switched from the VM 360 service to FTTC at 60/15 and had no real noticeable impact on service apart from gamestream on the Nvidia Shield where the lower bandwidth does has some impact on the resolution, and seeding up/down rates for my seedbox.

    Barring a huge change in VMs customer retention and service strategy along with more realistic pricing I can't see myself returning to them in the medium term at least.


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    #8
    KOR101
    Registered Users Posts: 1,898 ✭✭✭KOR101


    https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=235476


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    #9
    tsue921i8wljb3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,017 ✭✭✭tsue921i8wljb3


    KOR101 wrote: »
    https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=235476

    Pointless really.
    However, Virgin does not plan to deploy the capability "in the near future".

    https://www.zdnet.com/article/virgin-media-trials-8-5gbps-broadband-in-the-uk/


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