In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Can anyone explain why FTTP means no congestion?

FTTP and new build. RFoG nodes are easier to split, just de-combine them, take up will at least initially be relatively low, and VM can relieve the DOCSIS capacity via XGPON much as on the newer build HFC networks they will have DOCSIS 3.1 available to relieve DOCSIS 3.0 by the time it becomes an 'issue'.

Obviously congestion is possible, but far less likely than on the older build HFC network.

Coax cable does have signal loss, but Virgin Media install cabinets close enough that it is not an issue.

Near where I work, when I'm not working from home that is, VM have been cabling up the area and there literally a cabinet just about every 30 - 50 metres along some roads.

That's awesome news!

I wish VM would do more FTTP rollouts.

So how does VM manage to roll out FTTP with no exchanges?

And, is there a reason why VM are rolling out FTTP now? Do they see it as an upgrade to their usual cable technology?

This is not related to what BT Openreach call "FTTP". FTTP is merely a generic term for a solution that results in fibre going to the building itself. Virgin have a totally different architecture for the network than BT do and so they can use street cabinets and similar to create their network. I would assume they do also have their own buildings where they have network equipment that would probably look similar to a BT "exchange".

Many companies around the country run fibre solutions in to premises without using BT exchanges to do it.

And FTTP has the potential for more capacity than the current DOCSIS solutions. Also, as the architecture is different then I suspect they can better manage contention than within the DOCSIS solution. Copper solutions are more prone to distance limitations than fibre and therefore you can get better throughput over longer distances.

In reply to a post by R0NSKI:

No we haven't, I think you've got copper/aluminium telephone lines confused with coax cable

No I didn't LOL.

What has copper telephone cables got to do with it

Jokes aside, its all down to how much VM cram down the link back to their network.
VM have a habit of cramming too many customers as they can per cabinet, especially in a built up area, I know they did round the corner from me where you would be lucky to get a 6th of your ordered speed.

At least with BT's FTTP each fibre is shared / split 32 ways so at most it will drop down to 78.125Mbps if everyone chose Infinity 4, sadly its a completely different story once it gets into BT's network.

TBH, I don't really know how VM will be rolling out pure FTTP, but I bet you each fibre will be split more than 32 ways, also it depends on how much bandwidth they send down each fibre and the quality of fibre cables used.

Also if its pure fibre from point A to Point B, why the need of the cabinets?
Maybe its being used as a form of a Fibre Node / Splitter where each fibre goes to the customer.

Paul

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Coax cable does have signal loss, but Virgin Media install cabinets close enough that it is not an issue.

Yeah, but if they are still going to use coaxial cable for these installs, then its still hybrid fibre and not FTTP.

Now if they used fibre from the cabinet to the homes, then yeah.

Paul

Project lightning is full FTTP.

In reply to a post by lee111s:

Project lightning is full FTTP.

No its not, areas around me was part of that project and they haven't got fibre going into their homes.

Paul

Some of the expansion, particularly in areas with no existing virgin media footprint is FTTP ie. glass into the home