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Virgin 1Gb now available.

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24567…38

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    #32
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Brilliant that VM are now finally offering this. It means that over night something like 40% of homes in Ireland have access to 1Gbps if they need it! Fantastic.

    This means a lot of Ireland is finally catching up with the best speeds in Europe (Asia is a different story). Between this, Siro, NBI and Eir's Rural and Urban FTTH rollouts, there is light at the end of the tunnel for most people in Ireland to get at least one option of truly high speed broadband as good as anywhere in Europe.

    Having said that, I agree with what others are saying, that most people don't really need this speed. I've been working from home for years as a software engineer and I'm on VM 250 and I find it perfectly fine for my needs. Sure I wouldn't mind having 100mb/s upload for the odd VM image upload, but I'm not sure it is really worth an extra €20 for that. If work paid for it cool, but otherwise not really worth it IMO.

    I'd also warn people that you are unlikely to actually get see real world 1Gb/s speeds unless you have absolutely tip top gear all round. Ideally you will want to be using gigabit ethernet to connect your pc to your router. If using wifi you are unlikely to see these speeds, you would probably want to invest in a high quality wifi router and also your laptop and other devices need to support newer wifi features to get even close to 1Gb/s over wifi. And even after all that, you will most likely be limited by the download speed of the servers you are connecting to, your works VPN servers, etc.

    Having said all that, I'm delighted for the niche users who can actually benefit from this and need it.


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    #33
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Hold on a second, it looks like VM have just changed their website and they are now saying that this has only 50mb/s upload speed, NOT 100mb/s like it said just a few minutes ago!!!!


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    #34
    The Real B-man
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,731 Mod ✭✭✭✭The Real B-man


    What planet are they on €85 with a 10mb upload :rolleyes:


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    #35
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    On the question of which router, they say they are using a new V2 router, but from the pics on the site, it looks to be the Hub 4 router that they use in the UK for their 1Gig service.


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    #36
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Crazy, if they aren't offering 100mb/s upload, then this product is pretty much pointless to most people. Stick to 500/50 if you need higher upload speed and save money.


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    #37
    theteal
    Registered Users Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭theteal


    I excitedly looked up the UK site. M500 is still the top plan for us over here :(


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    #38
    Feasog Dearg
    Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Feasog Dearg


    loyatemu wrote: »
    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/virgin-makes-gigabit-internet-available-across-its-service-1.4334185

    TBH I don't see the point of 1Gb for domestic users, 500Mb should be sufficient for 99.9% of subscribers (I downgraded to 250Mb and didn't notice any difference). But anyway, it's now (or shortly) available to VM subscribers.


    Agreed - the most important thing is low latency and stability. We were on VM for years and it was decent, but have recently moved to SIRO (VF) and the difference is incredible. Instant media, all the time, on the 300MB plan.


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    #39
    paddydriver
    Registered Users Posts: 2,079 ✭✭✭paddydriver


    Mav11 wrote: »
    Quality and stability is far more important than headline speed.

    Latency.. Jitter etc.. Have seen VoIP etc perform far better on a basic Eir 10Mb DSL connection than a 400Mb Virgin coax connection.


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    #40
    lotas
    Registered Users Posts: 925 ✭✭✭lotas


    just been on with Virgin Business and the max plan they currently offer is 500/50 (unofficially) and 400/40 (officially). I am on the 500/50, so happy days. The lad did say that 1Gb would be offered to business by the end of the year... they are testing new modems for business customers now (we dont get the usual VM Hub... mine is a Hitron device which can be bridged on request) but he did confirm that 1000mb/s down and 100mb/s up would be offered...


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    #41
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    theteal wrote: »
    I excitedly looked up the UK site. M500 is still the top plan for us over here :(

    They offer 1Gig in the UK in select cities:
    https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/broadband/gig1-gigabit-broadband


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    #42
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    stevek93 wrote: »
    It isn't it is copper to the house, now correct me if I am wrong but I don't think I am.

    apologies, i meant its fiber to the house, then copper into the house, apparently


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    #43
    Captain Flaps
    Registered Users Posts: 1,834 ✭✭✭Captain Flaps


    Recently moved from the 250 to the 500mb, even with a decent mesh wifi setup I'm very prone to congestion. The relative speeds I was getting have doubled, but the absolute max I've seen from the 500 wired in is 400ish, with 150-200 being a typical good day and 100-150 being quite common. I'm not sure I'd pay the extra 15 odd euro just to drag my speed up to what's advertised on the package I'm currently paying for.


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    #44
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,750 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    lotas wrote: »
    the core network is Fiber. Depending on the area, the Fiber could end at the top of the road, or could run down the eves of the house and terminate outside your house. but from there on, its copper...

    Co-ax for the last bit, while being actually made of copper it's very different to the copper twisted pair that people think you're referring to.


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    #45
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    apologies, i meant its fiber to the house, then copper into the house, apparently

    No, it is fiber as far as your local cabinet, a box that would be somewhere in your neighbourhood. It is then coax from the local cabinet to each house in your neighbourhood.

    It is called a Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network. It isn't FTTH.


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    #46
    theteal
    Registered Users Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭theteal


    bk wrote: »
    They offer 1Gig in the UK in select cities:
    https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/broadband/gig1-gigabit-broadband

    Indeed, Reading :confused: is the closest but no exactly close :(


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    #47
    okidoki987
    Registered Users Posts: 10,616 ✭✭✭✭okidoki987


    It's listed on their web site now...
    €60 a month / €85 a month after 6 months
    https://www.virginmedia.ie/broadband...dband-package/

    If you can get Siro that is an expensive price for first 12 months at €72.50 a month average.
    Vodafone 1Gbps for €30 a month, Sky 500mbps for €30 a month, Pure 1Gbps €35 for 12 months on a 12m contract.


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    #48
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,750 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    I was informed by a virgin tech, that a large proportion of their network is actually fibre, including to the home, this true? Think we re on a 250 line, no need for 1gb, 250 is more than enough

    Enniscorthy got rewired completely a few years ago. All new estates that weren't wired with the original co-ax cable are ftth, every premises has a little grey box which has fibre to it. The connection continues into the premises to a box similar to the ont siro/eir use, instead of cat6 to the modem a co-ax cable is used.


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    #49
    Falthyron
    Registered Users Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭Falthyron


    Ugh. When I see VM 'offering' something new, it usually means another price hike is around the corner. Just waiting on that annual +€5 increase email any day now.


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    #50
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    okidoki987 wrote: »
    If you can get Siro that is an expensive price for first 12 months at €72.50 a month average.
    Vodafone 1Gbps for €30 a month, Sky 500mbps for €30 a month, Pure 1Gbps €35 for 12 months on a 12m contract.

    Yes, but SIRO and Eir FTTH aren't available in most VM areas (there is some overlap like in Cork, but not much). So for now VM are the only high speed option for many people and thus they can charge what they want.

    Hopefully as we see Siro and Eir rollout urban FTTH over the enxt few years, we will see more competition and better pricing.
    CoBo55 wrote: »
    Enniscorthy got rewired completely a few years ago. All new estates that weren't wired with the original co-ax cable are ftth, every premises has a little grey box which has fibre to it. The connection continues into the premises to a box similar to the ont siro/eir use, instead of cat6 to the modem a co-ax cable is used.

    Ah, yes, that would make sense alright for new builds. Extension to the netowrk, etc.


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    #51
    Thor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,624 ✭✭✭Thor


    bk wrote: »
    Hold on a second, it looks like VM have just changed their website and they are now saying that this has only 50mb/s upload speed, NOT 100mb/s like it said just a few minutes ago!!!!

    Yeah seen 100Mb myself and signed up, and now it shows 50Mb. I'm guessing that is just messed up data on the page as they copied most of the content and terms from their 500Mb service.

    Can't be only 50Mb.


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    #52
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Thor wrote: »
    Yeah seen 100Mb myself and signed up, and now it shows 50Mb. I'm guessing that is just messed up data on the page as they copied most of the content and terms from their 500Mb service.

    Can't be only 50Mb.

    It is only 50Mb on the 1 gig service in VM UK, so I suspect it is really 50Mb. I'd get back onto them and double check.

    It was 100mb on the website earlier today, then I noticed the Broadband pages went off line for a few minutes and then they came back up, having replaced the page with 50Mb that is up now.


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    #53
    stevek93
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭stevek93


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    apologies, i meant its fiber to the house, then copper into the house, apparently

    Is it fiber across the top of the houses I thought all copper?


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    #54
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    stevek93 wrote: »
    Is it fiber across the top of the houses I thought all copper?

    no, id say the previous answer is correct, id say i have a hybrid supply, im not convinced theres fiber in the street at all, id say its all copper tbh, but shur it works fine at the moment


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    #55
    Thor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,624 ✭✭✭Thor


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    no, id say the previous answer is correct, id say i have a hybrid supply, im not convinced theres fiber in the street at all, id say its all copper tbh, but shur it works fine at the moment

    It's DOCSIS 3.1 i believe, meaning it's fibre backend and than copper network for the estate.


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    #56
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Thor wrote: »
    It's DOCSIS 3.1 i believe, meaning it's fibre backend and than copper network for the estate.

    speeds are impressive for copper though, because some speeds in the town on copper are dreadful, for some providers


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    #57
    Thor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,624 ✭✭✭Thor


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    speeds are impressive for copper though, because some speeds in the town on copper are dreadful, for some providers

    Oh absolutely. DOCSIS 3.1 can do up to 10Gbps, but i doubt we will see that anytime soon.


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    #58
    Irish_peppa
    Registered Users Posts: 653 ✭✭✭Irish_peppa


    Mr.S wrote: »
    I never understood this logic, you can download faster = less waiting times.

    You would notice a significant difference from 250Mb to 1GB with large file transfers.

    If you have light internet usage, then obviously you don't need it, but given the price you'd think the only people getting it are those who want it.

    To try cut costs before I went from my 360MB to the 250mb virgin and my god it was the most painful month ever. I do have a busy IOT house and it made a huge difference to even my smart phone. Constant buffering. I had assumed that hey whats 110mbs really.... It really does make a difference. So I can imagine the jump from 250 to 1gb!


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    #59
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I would only upgrade if I could get a more reliable connection with less drops and latency.


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    #60
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,743 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Mr.S wrote: »
    I never understood this logic, you can download faster = less waiting times.

    You would notice a significant difference from 250Mb to 1GB with large file transfers.

    If you have light internet usage, then obviously you don't need it, but given the price you'd think the only people getting it are those who want it.

    how many large file transfers does the average person make, and even if they do can the server they're downloading from deliver at > 250Mb/s and can their network card and hard drive receive at that speed? There's a lot of variables - IMO you'd only see the benefit if you have a lot of simultaneous heavy users, most people would see more benefit from upgrading their WiFi kit.


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    #61
    JDxtra
    Registered Users Posts: 5,867 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    loyatemu wrote: »
    how many large file transfers does the average person make, and even if they do can the server they're downloading from deliver at > 250Mb/s and can their network card and hard drive receive at that speed? There's a lot of variables - IMO you'd only see the benefit if you have a lot of simultaneous heavy users, most people would see more benefit from upgrading their WiFi kit.

    Exactly. The price difference between the 1Gb and 250Mb packages is €312/year - which would allow those users to buy a very nice replacement WiFi router or mesh system instead if they wanted to improve their setup.


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