We go the Vole
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Virgin Media launches a 400Mbps modem, but networks are slower
ONLY A QUARTER of the expanded network capacity Virgin Media's 400Mbps modem is capable of handling will be on offer by the year's end when both will go on sale.
With Virgin making 100Mbps broadband service available by the end of the year, it expects then to offer videoconferencing for the home and cloud computing for media file storage on its network.
The company already has 70,000 subscribers for its existing 50Mbps service. Customers interested in the 50Mbps service were involved in a 100Mbps trial in Ashford, Kent. Another trial in Coventry will start in the next few weeks.
"We want to be ready for the evolution of network speeds in the coming years as we roll out ever-improving services, including our 100Mbps service due at the end of the year and trials of 200Mbps," Virgin Media's director of broadband, Jon James said.
To help increase that network capacity to make fuller use of the 400Mbps modem, and the router that will also be on offer, Virgin Media wants to work with utility companies to use telegraph poles to run broadband connections into homes in more remote areas.
It apparently wants to string broadband cable on the poles rather than try to get DSL service to work over hammered bronze wires put during Roman times. Virgin estimates that up to a million people could be served in this way.
Kevin Baughan, director of technical strategy at Virgin Media, pointed out that the company deploys coaxial cable that uses different bandwidth for different products, and that the end of analogue TV signals had freed up space to increase bandwidth. µ
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The thing Alex, is that "most" of those tech numbers you get just go to the guys who knows how the stuff really works. I too have had "3rd level senior tech" staff before... Only because 2nt level tech staff have never hard of any of the terms associated with Cable (sorry fibre) Broadband.
Some of us know better than others how the "due to be upgraded this week" work pans out, Often that "week" gets pushed back so many times that it soon becomes a year, and then once that's done they get it done, but the job actually got reprioritised during the long wait and they decided to change the uplift levels.
The only saving grace is that VM will (if your on the phone constantly) give you the service for near-free if they continually under-deliver.
What's worse is that resegmentation and priority levels are often based on your age or your social status, and not what you subscribe to. Students get priority over people in their 20's, 20's get priority over people in their 30's, and 30's are above the elderly (not sure w here they stick the 40-60's ;P).... Rich come first, then middle class, then lower class...
While it might sound normal, it's not, lots of middle class people on xxl (large by most companys marketing methodiology) will have poor service while students on 2/10 will have great "contention**" ratios because those are future customers, and they need 100% of the bandwith 100% of the time ;)...
Even tho they pay SFA...
**VM doesnt use "contention" Ratios, because they are cable, instead they use "segmentation" ratio's that are not published unless your a buisness user, segmentation and contention are rougly the same thing in terms of meaning, it's total bandwith shared dividied by the number of users.
@ChrisC
My connections are all fine, im currently back to using the router virgin gave me as 2 other routers didnt work and i've had visits from engineers recently, so knowing what they'll say i changed back to that router.
I've had so many engineer visits, one engineer has come to my house about 5 times because he knows the setup well. He even admitted my speeds were not right.
I've even got the CEO's office involved (i can call that number anytime i like if i get problems now!), i've had the area manager and principle technician all involved too. Tomorrow they should have completed "work" on the network so we'll see what happens.
Its good to see some areas of the country are getting their proper speeds.
I applaud VM for bringing the UK up with other countries that have had high speed net connections for a while now.
I have been with VM since the NTL trial days and never had a problem with the service. Currently running the 50mb service and it blazes along at full speed pretty much 24/7. There have been a few down times but nothing more than a few hours.
Also IIRC their highest speed offering does not have the caps/restrictions the lower ones do which makes it a very attractive service to large down/uploaders like myself.
With these frequent speed increases of their broadband service (which are much higher than anything else anyone is offering for the same price) coupled with their recent acquision of the premium Sky HD channels, VM offers a seriously good all in one media/communications package for the home.
I think this is a huge problem people cant grasp, the majority of routers (INCLUDING THE FREE ONES VM GIVES OUT ON 50 meg SERVICE!!!) cant actually cope with 50 meg throughput on the WAN port.
Since VM Removed "open and visible" support from users, then it's hard to grasp the errors that are happening at the moment, and even harder to find out how the structure of the company has changed.
When they roll new packages, the upload increase is only about 75% of the download increase..
As such, we can expect
100d/2.7u
400d/7.9u
So BT's uploads over slow ass copper will pummel the light ;)
Thomas, they fail to mention it, because they're talking about pushing the limits of their highest-speed service, and at present users of their highest-speed service aren't capped...
Alex, how are you connected to your router? With our old router (100Mb wired ports + wireless-G), my wired desktop would only average 45Mb and our various wifi laptops would only average around 25-30Mb. With our new router (gigabit ports + wireless-N) both my desktop and my wifes N-enabled laptop achieve consistent 50Mb downloads from sites that can sustain those speeds for extended durations.
I really think they need to get the 50Mbps service sorted first before deploying "faster speeds". There are very few 50mbps customers that are happy throughout the whole country, myself included. They use crappy excuses for the poor and fluctuating speeds. My average speed is around 30mbps which is clearly unacceptable.
While the headline news from virgin bangs on about how they can get 100mbit and later 400mbit - they fail to mention that current subscribers are 'capped' if they use too much from 9am to 9pm. What is the point of offerring faster and faster speeds if there current network cannot cope with 10/20 they have now?