Virgin media plans

[TriplexDread]

New Modems Will Pave Way

Virgin Media is already thinking about 400Mbps services, with the arrival of a new modem by the end of the year paving the way for a whole new level of superfast broadband.

With 100Mbps arriving in the UK by the end of 2010, and 200Mbps trials continuing, Virgin Media's executive director of broadband Jon James admitted thoughts were already turning to the next step.

"The DOCSIS 3 network really gives us a dial we can turn to give more speed to customers if we think that is the right thing to do both for those customers and commercially," said James.

"We have done 50Mbps and a series of upgrades and we will continue to give Virgin Media customers free upgrades on an equipment basis because we are the speed leader and we think it's going to continue as a way we do broadband.

Faster Faster
"We are also doing 100Mbps – launching in Q4 this year – we are trialing 200Mbps but that's a very commercial trial in the sense of working out in the real life what you can do with 200 Mbps," he added.
"We know very well we can do 200Mbps and we could do 400 Mbps. We are launching a new modem by the end of the year that will be 400 Mbps capable.

"And that's a vehicle for the evolution of our speed portfolio in the next two years."

James will not put a date to either 400Mb or 200Mbps at the current time, but the capability of fibre optic networks for truly superfast broadband is clear.

The 50Mbps flagship service is apparently 'smack on plan' with the last subscription figures released showing that there are 70,000 people using it.

Upstream Increases:
One of the criticisms of Virgin's current top line service is the relatively small upstream capability, but the company is looking to change this.
"We're also using our upstream ratio in Q3 but we're not releasing the details now," he added.

Virgin Media Already Looking To 400Mbps Broadband

 

[floppybootstomp]

A flock of winged pigs were today spotted flying east over the former Battersea Power Station....

Robbie Williams claims to have been visited by the tooth fairy...

Beast of Bodmin injures geologist during nightime excavation...

Medium receives message from the ghost of Screaming Lord Sutch saying Jesus Christ will visit Tescos at Wapping this September...

Yeti spotted in remote part of Iceland by team of roadworkers...

Virgin supply a good Broadband service and gain reputation for always telling the truth...

 

[crazylegs]

I have had NTL/Virgin for over 10 years now and apart from the odd hiccup on there part, for the most part it works well and I have a good service..
10MB is what I pay for and its what I get, I test regularly and always get 10MB
Been good for me!

Can't wait for new upgrades as I always get them free aswell everytime they upgrade the service we get a speed upgrade for nowt!

 

[floppybootstomp]

Good to hear crazylegs, I suppose it's possible their service depends on your location.

In view of your excellent experience with Virgin Media I wonder why they frequently come low in ISP 'league tables' then?

 

[TriplexDread]

So flopps you are basing your above comment on personal experience or a league table?

I ask because personally apart from a few hiccups like crazy, including a couple problems with billing I too have had a really exceptional service speed wise. Yeah their CS support is a bit crap but if you shout loud and hard you do get what you want and they will roll over albeit never admit it was their fault

Unlike most ISP's VM do not cap you or charge you extra for downloading large amounts. Yes you get throttle but only during busy peek periods..

I personally can't wait until they give free upgrades out again and increase U/L speeds

 

[crazylegs]

Good to hear crazylegs, I suppose it's possible their service depends on your location.

In view of your excellent experience with Virgin Media I wonder why they frequently come low in ISP 'league tables' then?

I don't know to be honest although it may be when people have a bad experience they write and let everyone know they have had trouble, when people have good experiences you hardly ever read of these..Only the bad experiences ever seem to get through, that could be one reason.

I'm not saying I have never had trouble with them because there were times I could have strangled the Customer support over the years, as TXD say's they hardly ever admit its thier fault, if theres a problem..

But the actual service internet and all has always been pretty good on the whole..Certainly no worse than other ISP's, and at least us Virgin customers get what we pay for as opposed to many millions that are promised 8mb broadband and are lucky to get 2mb because of there exchange or how far away they are away from there exchange or dodgy copper wiring in the house and other reasons!

 

[bootneck02]

I agree I have had Blueyonder(now Virgin) since 1999 and never had a problem with download speeds again only probs are with the help desk. It was great when was Blueyonder then when Virgin took it over it was terrible but has got better over the years but still not great but does depend who is on the other end of the line some technicans are better than others.

 

[darkangel]

Echo what's been said, I have 50mMB and is the most stable and reliable connection I have ever had

 

[TriplexDread]

50Mb lines have their own servers. They do not run off the same backbone mate that is why service is more reliable compared to teh lower bands. We all use same servers in the area they are based

As for technicians, Hmmm

I had one a few weeks ago ask me to take my ethernet cable out of the modem and computer and turn it round and reinsert it beause t could be faulty

I said wtf why? If it's faulty then problem is simply going to be there isnt it!? Turniny a cbale around is not going to solve the issue!

I told her issue is with them not me, all my cables and hardware are fine!

She then referred me to an engineer........

 

[floppybootstomp]

So flopps you are basing your above comment on personal experience or a league table?

On this

I've no experience of Virgin Media except for using their mobile phone network, contract for sim card only, which I've found to be excellent with no bad reception areas encountered yet.

CL: The table I've linked to, as far as I'm aware, relies more on positive feedback to set placings than it does on negative feedback. I've left positive feedback for Zen a few times on that site.

 

[crazylegs]

On this

I've no experience of Virgin Media except for using their mobile phone network, contract for sim card only, which I've found to be excellent with no bad reception areas encountered yet.

CL: The table I've linked to, as far as I'm aware, relies more on positive feedback to set placings than it does on negative feedback. I've left positive feedback for Zen a few times on that site.

Thanks Mr Flopp's I have left my feedback on that webpage hopefully someone will be guided by it!

 

[EvanDavis]

I dunno about that table if they are rating talktalk at 13th

Spped and price are good, but thats about where it stops..