Virgin Media network expansion

Bubonic · 12-03-2019 11:09am

cherryghost wrote: »

No, they will chop off 10/15 euro for 6m on loyalty call.

Ok thanks.

So am I right in thinking the EPC3925 can still do the 500mb and I don't have to "upgrade" to their box? If its still DOCSIS 3.0

ED E · 12-03-2019 2:59pm

Bubonic wrote: »

Ok thanks.

So am I right in thinking the EPC3925 can still do the 500mb and I don't have to "upgrade" to their box? If its still DOCSIS 3.0

Nah, it maxes out around 400Mb. 360 can work on it but 500 cannot.

KOR101 · 29-03-2019 11:11am

“We’re still on target to reach 1m homes and we were tracking up to 930,000 by the end of Q1, so full steam ahead,” Farrell said. “We have received great support around the country, particularly with the county councils where we made progress. There [are] still some challenges with some county councils in terms of access and charging, so we need to work more closely with those councils to explain the benefit we are bringing and why the new technologies are less disruptive and more efficient.”

https://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/virgin-500mbps-broadband

KOR101 · 14-05-2019 6:53pm

Mr Farrell said that Virgin’s broadband network currently reaches 930,000 premises around the country. He said that the company would build out between 20,000 and 30,000 premises to the network’s reach area this year. He also said that it expects to add a similar amount in coming years, but that it would largely follow new-build housing plans in urban or semi-urban areas.

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/virgin-media-ireland-promises-new-tv-box-and-faster-wifi-speeds-38110177.html

The Real B-man · 15-05-2019 5:00pm

They passed the place im living now but prices are still horrendous unless introductory offers im on a VDSL product €39 a month and lucky to get the full 100/20 because of this and Free to Air for TV

KOR101 · 16-07-2019 8:51am

Just a brief mention in a longer article, but it did surprise me.

The industry is experimenting. Virgin Media, which said infrastructure construction can be “lengthy and complex”, has rarely strayed into the countryside with its cable network. But it has quietly connected 12 homes in Greenham in Berkshire to a gigabit service. The town has become a test bed for high-capacity wireless technology that could reduce the cost of connecting rural areas by 90 per cent and make more rural areas viable to connect. [/I]

https://www.ft.com/content/32f013fc-91e1-11e9-aea1-2b1d33ac3271

ED E · 16-07-2019 3:28pm

What in tarnation are they at...

The Real B-man · 16-07-2019 4:24pm

ED E wrote: »

What in tarnation are they at...

MMDS :pac:

KOR101 · 16-07-2019 5:08pm

ED E wrote: »

What in tarnation are they at...

More......

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporate/media-centre/press-releases/virgin-media-trials-wireless-signals-to-give-village-gigabit-fibre-broadband-and-tv

digiman · 16-07-2019 8:24pm

Don’t see anything wrong with it, makes a lot of sense really.

Johnboy1951 · 16-07-2019 9:10pm

Interesting ..... a 10Gb/s wireless trunk ..... if this works as well as they hope it could have implications for a lot of areas.

ED E · 17-07-2019 5:00pm

Ahh, the first snippet sounded like FWA last mile. Its not that, its just cheapening out on the core. Sounds like GPON from the service unit to premises.

ED E · 17-07-2019 5:02pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Interesting ..... a 10Gb/s wireless trunk ..... if this works as well as they hope it could have implications for a lot of areas.

They're not cheap though. Arranmore is serviced by a similar link IIRC.

KOR101 · 08-08-2019 10:54am

Virgin Media Ireland, which is owned by Liberty Global, said its total service subscriptions reached 1.1 million, and the company and a further 19,000 homes and businesses to the Virgin Media network. That brings the total premises passed to 941,400, up from 929,800 at the end of the first quarter.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/virgin-media-ireland-revenue-rises-3-5-in-first-half-of-2019-1.3980468

Marlow · 08-08-2019 11:20am

So they passed 941400 premises. But they have 1.1M subs ?

Unless they have premises with lots of multiple entities in them, that doesn't quite add up.

Also .. it would assume 100% take up, which is highly unlikely.

/M

jeffk · 08-08-2019 11:23am

Everytime I get notified of this thread I hope for news of upload speed increases

The Cush · 08-08-2019 11:27am

Marlow wrote: »

So they passed 941400 premises. But they have 1.1M subs ?

Unless they have premises with lots of multiple entities in them, that doesn't quite add up

A house with broadband, TV and telephone is regarded as having 3 subs.

KildareP · 08-08-2019 11:28am

Marlow wrote: »

So they passed 941400 premises. But they have 1.1M subs ?

Unless they have premises with lots of multiple entities in them, that doesn't quite add up.

Also .. it would assume 100% take up, which is highly unlikely.

/M

Revenue generating units - so someone with Digital TV, Broadband, Home Phone and 2 x Mobile SIMs is counted as 5 subscriptions.

EDIT: Beaten to it by TheCush

lotas · 09-08-2019 2:08pm

Marlow wrote: »

So they passed 941400 premises. But they have 1.1M subs ?

Unless they have premises with lots of multiple entities in them, that doesn't quite add up.
/M

Mobile phone customers?

trapper1 · 19-09-2019 2:48pm

Actavo are laying a fibre on the road outside my home in limerick at the moment on behalf of VM. How do i go about getting a connection to it? The VM website says its not available in my area.
Also I am 80m back from the road will i have to lay a cable for them up to the road?

KOR101 · 27-09-2019 7:53am

Virgin Media is understood to be considering a strategic alliance with broadband provider Siro that would see it sell TV and broadband bundles to customers in regional towns.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...reas-1.4031691

The Real B-man · 27-09-2019 4:03pm

KOR101 wrote: »

Virgin Media is understood to be considering a strategic alliance with broadband provider Siro that would see it sell TV and broadband bundles to customers in regional towns.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...reas-1.4031691

Makes sense the current IPTV offerings are poor IMO.
With the new set top box they are releasing it may just be worth it over having a seperate sky subscription for alot of people.

Gonzo · 27-09-2019 4:56pm

KOR101 wrote: »

Virgin Media is understood to be considering a strategic alliance with broadband provider Siro that would see it sell TV and broadband bundles to customers in regional towns.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...reas-1.4031691

will certainly be competition for Eir, it might rattle their feathers just a little. For Siro customers it most likely will also be the first Siro reseller to offer cap free FTTH in areas that aren't covered by Airwire Siro.

CoBo55 · 28-09-2019 2:44am

The Real B-man wrote: »

Makes sense the current IPTV offerings are poor IMO.
With the new set top box they are releasing it may just be worth it over having a seperate sky subscription for alot of people.

Are they actually going to provide the V6 here in Ireland, it's been coming soon for years!!

CoBo55 · 28-09-2019 2:46am

KOR101 wrote: »

Virgin Media is understood to be considering a strategic alliance with broadband provider Siro that would see it sell TV and broadband bundles to customers in regional towns.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...reas-1.4031691

Siro should be available to me when my contract ends with VM, looks like my plans to use siro as a haggling tool are scuppered.

Nonoperational · 28-09-2019 10:18am

trapper1 wrote: »

Actavo are laying a fibre on the road outside my home in limerick at the moment on behalf of VM. How do i go about getting a connection to it? The VM website says its not available in my area.
Also I am 80m back from the road will i have to lay a cable for them up to the road?

Depends what they are laying it for. Could be backhaul too. Otherwise they need to roll out their network in the area. They won't just do one off connections.

KOR101 · 30-09-2019 6:08pm

Virgin Media launches Gig1 - the UK’s fastest home broadband

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporate/media-centre/press-releases/virgin-media-launches-gig1-the-uks-fastest-home-broadband

lotas · 01-10-2019 9:30am

average download speed of 1106mb/s.... no mention of the max, plus, given most people will be on 1gb wired (or even wireless) how do you get 1106? MultiGig connections? 10Gb/s hand off?

Gonzo · 01-10-2019 3:50pm

lotas wrote: »

average download speed of 1106mb/s.... no mention of the max, plus, given most people will be on 1gb wired (or even wireless) how do you get 1106? MultiGig connections? 10Gb/s hand off?

seems like they dont have the limit that GPON FTTH has, so on speedtests the customer should see 1000meg, as long as their hardware can support such speeds. Wonder what the upload is with it. Most likey they will launch that plan here too over the coming months.

KildareP · 01-10-2019 3:53pm

lotas wrote: »

average download speed of 1106mb/s.... no mention of the max, plus, given most people will be on 1gb wired (or even wireless) how do you get 1106? MultiGig connections? 10Gb/s hand off?

Might be across two (or more) devices but not a single device.

dam099 · 01-10-2019 7:45pm

Gonzo wrote: »

Wonder what the upload is with it. .

The linked press release states 52Mbps. Not great, given the 1Gb FTTH packages generally do much better than that.

Westnet: Paul · 01-10-2019 8:43pm

Gonzo wrote: »

For Siro customers it most likely will also be the first Siro reseller to offer cap free FTTH in areas that aren't covered by Airwire Siro.

thenightman · 01-10-2019 8:56pm

Would the 1GB be possible here or require more a lot more upgrade works? UPC at the time upgraded our estates cabling etc about 9 years ago, before that we couldn't get broadband off them at all.

Marlow · 01-10-2019 9:02pm

Gonzo wrote: »

For Siro customers it most likely will also be the first Siro reseller to offer cap free FTTH in areas that aren't covered by Airwire Siro.

Nah .. Westnet have no cap either and cover SIRO areas, that Airwire don't. Just not all.

And with the advent of Virgin joining SIRO as a wholesale partner ... they may introduce caps ..

Sky did, once they started selling FTTH on SIRO and OpenEIR.

/M

KOR101 · 08-10-2019 6:13pm

Virgin Media, which is starting work on bringing broadband to nearly 3,500 homes and businesses in Midleton, has ruled out extending the service to other parts of east Cork.

She was also told there is no business case being compiled for Youghal, which is the second biggest town in the East Cork region.

Mr McAteer said it isn't commercially viable for the company to hook up broadband for small pockets of populations.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/virgin-media-rules-out-expanding-broadband-rollout-to-more-areas-of-east-cork-955736.html

alpha2003_ · 13-10-2019 3:26pm

So while Virgin Media UK is getting Gigabit speeds and a newer Modem/Router (Hub 4), were stuck with the old equipment and Slower speeds for the next 2 years

lotas · 13-10-2019 11:10pm

Where did you get 2 years from?

KOR101 · 17-10-2019 8:13am

Virgin's biggest threat, by some way, is Eir. As noted above, the former incumbent has pulled the trigger on a massive upgrade plan for its urban networks, switching out copper for new fibre. When completed, this obliterates Virgin's broadband speed and quality advantage.

It looks like the company may respond in one of two ways. It may consider expanding beyond the core urban areas where it has confined itself for two decades. And its parent company, Liberty Global, may consider a strategic merger with Vodafone, as it has done in Germany, or a Vodafone-related entity such as Siro.

Earlier this year, Virgin Media executives predicted that the company would grow its network reach by between 20,000 and 30,000 this year, following construction of new builds. This would bring its overall fixed line reach to 950,000. But this may not be enough to combat the fibre-based pincer movement happening between Eir and Siro, the joint venture between Vodafone and the ESB.

However, there have been persistent rumours that Virgin Media has been discussing the possibility of tie-ups with local rivals, either selling its own services on other Irish networks or even allowing rivals to sell their services on its network.

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/news/smooth-operator-eirs-new-mobile-offering-aims-to-take-a-byte-out-of-its-main-rivals-38602546.html

KOR101 · 23-10-2019 12:01pm

Virgin launches gigabit broadband services across Greater Manchester

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/virgin-launches-gigabit-broadband-services-across-greater-manchester--1313179

Gonzo · 23-10-2019 3:00pm

KOR101 wrote: »

Virgin launches gigabit broadband services across Greater Manchester

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/virgin-launches-gigabit-broadband-services-across-greater-manchester--1313179

probably only a matter of time before they do that to parts of Ireland. Virgin are currently building their FTTH network in Dunshaughlin which is capable of 1-10 gigabit speeds. Virgin have also been building similar networks in other Irish towns over the past year or two.

KOR101 · 07-11-2019 10:11pm

Project Lightning that is growing the footprint is a mixture of RFOG (i.e. FTTP) and traditional coax, the RFOG is invariably used in totally new areas, where as the coax is used where an existing network is simply being extended.

The future of Virgin Media took a bit of a leap on Wednesday when a new five year MNVO deal was announced with Vodafone. This deal replaces a BT Enterprise contract that has been in place since 2017 and is set to end in late 2021. The new deal runs until 2026.

While clearly a blow to the BT Group and the EE mobile brand i.e. loss of a major MNVO that they picked Vodafone is actually of little surprise when you look at the deals that have been happening in Europe where Liberty Global sold its cable operations in Germany, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic to Vodafone then it is clear that the two groups are talking a lot more than the average person will be aware of.

The future for Liberty Global is going to be interesting as while there are rumours of wholesale access to the Virgin Media network in the UK, the big question is when and how big will the rumoured Liberty Fibre FTTP roll-out be. Our understanding is Liberty Fibre would be a distinct operation from Virgin Media, but Virgin Media would be one of several big name retailers buying the service at a wholesale level. In short Liberty Fibre looks set to be Liberty Global version of Openreach and by building outside the existing Virgin Media footprint they may have opportunities to be more aggressive on pricing. One speculative idea is that there might be co-operation with CityFibre to not over build each other and therefore push the UK footprint to grow faster and make it less problematic for large retailers such as Vodafone to sell full fibre services on both networks.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/8585-virgin-media-results-and-new-5-year-mnvo-deal-with-vodafone

KOR101 · 28-01-2020 10:14pm

BT faces further pressure as Sky nears broadband deal with Virgin Media

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/911539/bt-faces-further-pressure-as-sky-nears-broadband-deal-with-virgin-media-911539.html

KOR101 · 15-02-2020 12:09pm

The number of Virgin broadband subscribers fell by 1,000 to 378,200, while its home telephone subscriptions dropped 9,600 to 335,100.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/virgin-media-ireland-loses-7-100-subscriptions-in-fourth-quarter-1.4173979

Xertz · 15-02-2020 12:16pm

I wouldn’t be that concerned about drop off in landline voice subscriptions. That’s more to do with the loss of interest in landlines generally. A lot of people just don’t use them anymore.

Virgin’s key issues are probably being driven by the lack of movement on a new STB. I know quite a few people who’ve moved to Sky or who’ve moved to Eir and are using their TV service combined with Netflix etc.

The Horizon box Virgin are stuck with is really not very compelling at all.

jeffk · 15-02-2020 12:35pm

Id say more would move if there was competition

Eir up to 12 v Virgin Media up to 500 in my area in Blanch

rogue-entity · 16-02-2020 1:03am

Xertz wrote: »

Virgin’s key issues are probably being driven by the lack of movement on a new STB. I know quite a few people who’ve moved to Sky or who’ve moved to Eir and are using their TV service combined with Netflix etc.

The Horizon box Virgin are stuck with is really not very compelling at all.

I remember the good old days when you could buy your own Integrated Receiver-Decoder, tune in the channels from the frequencies published in one of a number of magazines and all you had to do was pop the card into the slot. There exists no technical reason this couldn't have continued to be done, no reason that VM couldn't authorise a third-party Nagravision CAM to work with their card which could have popped into the back of the TV or an off-the-shelf STB since it's all standardised.

Ironically in the US the cable companies are legally obligated to allow this but neither our regulator nor the EU ever saw fit to apply a similar requirement.

It's nice that VM's expanding their network, even though they're unlikely to touch "pockets" that they don't consider economical. It would have been nicer too if they'd been granted a DVB-T licence in lieu of losing the MMDS service as they could have more economically provided some services to those areas where running cable wouldn't net them a sufficient return. It also would have made for a nice alternative to Sky in areas where IPTV isn't a viable option either.

lotas · 19-02-2020 2:28pm

rogue-entity wrote: »

There exists no technical reason this couldn't have continued to be done, no reason that VM couldn't authorise a third-party Nagravision CAM to work with their card which could have popped into the back of the TV or an off-the-shelf STB since it's all standardised.

only technical reason i can think of would be related to on demand and possibly recording, but the main issue is financial... they (sky or vm) control the box, they control what you can do with it, they control everything. and they make money watching what your watching by selling that information to advertisers... its that simple... FreeSAT will get you a good chuck of TV stations from the UK, and i have seen cards that can decode certain channels (legal and not quite leagal...) but sky/vm dont know what your watching, dont control the ecosystem, so they dont want it... Its actually weird that Eir went with the Apple TV setup... supppose, they can still get info about what your watching on the Eir app, but not anything else on the device...

Xertz · 27-02-2020 1:24pm

There’ll come a point though where VM may tip into market regulation as a significant market operator like Eir and will have to open their network. It’s a while off, but I would wonder sometimes if they deliberately keep their rollout limited to avoid that scenario, as it would really shake things up.

dam099 · 27-02-2020 8:25pm

Xertz wrote: »

There’ll come a point though where VM may tip into market regulation as a significant market operator like Eir and will have to open their network. It’s a while off, but I would wonder sometimes if they deliberately keep their rollout limited to avoid that scenario, as it would really shake things up.

Not sure that will happen now. Their footprint overlaps a lot with prime locations for urban FTTH so there will likely be 2 or 3 networks in a lot of their areas as time goes on preventing them becoming as dominant as Eir would have been historically.

Xertz · 28-02-2020 12:09pm

Both come from a history of licensed, legal monopolies. There was no competition for the predecessors of either company, albeit cable had was challenged by satellite TV and direct UK overspill and unlicensed rebroadcasters in some areas.

However, until relatively recently nobody else could rollout an alternative access network.

Eir would however also contain the legacy of state aid as it inherited a vast duct and cable network from the days it was a state service. The physical access poles and ducts are far more valuable than any tech platform they had.

Virgin Media network expansion

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