Virgin Media XGS PON

Hiya,

Found this mentioned on virgin media’s site when looking at future options once virgin media arrive in my town.

“ TV 360 and home phone not currently available in 2022/23 network expansion areas”

What does this mean? If VM arrive in my area is it going to be broadband only with no TV?

In reply to a post by Kr1s69:

What does this mean? If VM arrive in my area is it going to be broadband only with no TV?

Quite possibly! Depends what they deploy, but today VM have three network types:
* coax cable - DOCSIS
* FTTP RFoG - which is fibre to your home and a convertor to coax - DOCSIS
* FTTP XGS-PON - which may be delivered by nexfibre the new company

It appears the existing TV services require the DOCSIS service, so perhaps VM are planning on launching a service similar to Sky’s Stream, or they will not bother with TV anymore, it may not be profitable.

Yeah we’re in the new areas getting XGS PON which to me makes me wonder how the TV element works if there is one.

I think virgin media have a puck called stream too but it’s less well known than Sky’s offering and doesn’t look as good as a ‘proper’ broadcast TV package.

In reply to a post by Kr1s69:

Yeah we’re in the new areas getting XGS PON which to me makes me wonder how the TV element works if there is one. I think virgin media have a puck called stream too but it’s less well known than Sky’s offering and doesn’t look as good as a ‘proper’ broadcast TV package.

My guess is that without RFoG and DOCSIS its just too hard for VM to route their existing TV platform hardware (“head ends”) over an internet connection. So your choices are streaming via Sky or VM’s options that use the internet, or go for an old style Sky Q setup with a dish….

I have friends that gave up with VM’s TV6 box as over a 3 year period it got less and less good, channels disappeared and replaced by streaming, recording programmes no longer working and told to go to “on demand” (streaming) and use iPlayer, or ITVx or similar.

Ofcom’s Connected Nations report out last month said TV watching hours is shrinking.

I have VM’s cable internet, but nothing else, the phone is VoIP over the router if you pay the high fees. The downside of the old coax network in my area (30 years+ old) is the unreliability of the cabling in the street and the inability to fix.

Edited by jchamier (Thu 10-Aug-23 19:51:42)

I just found this press release which does seem to confirm its broadband only.

I’m surprised it isn’t more widely discussed as it’s a big change.

https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/bringing-our-gigabi...

I’m wondering why they are microtrenching so many areas if there’s no TV - they can make better use of openreach poles if there’s no requirement to come into the front living room of a property. (My area has poles in the back lane)

In reply to a post by Kr1s69:

I’m surprised it isn’t more widely discussed as it’s a big change.

Bit change for them, maybe, but would hazard a guess they will withdraw TV as they replace the coax areas. There is more certain money in being an internet provider than in being a TV provider. TV is fast becoming one of the many things you do over the internet. I can see Freeview disappearing in the UK in 25 years time.

I’m wondering why they are microtrenching so many areas if there’s no TV - they can make better use of openreach poles if there’s no requirement to come into the front living room of a property. (My area has poles in the back lane)

Using the least amount of Openreach equipment means paying them the least amount of money under the PIA programme. CityFibre microtrench roads, and then use either OR poles, or OR ducts, or even drill their own to get to homes. VM may do similar.

Nexfibre and CityFibre probably think they are both in a race to be the UK’s second neutral network provider after Openreach. NexFibre still only has VM as a customer, CityFibre has a few ISPs signed up.

I keep forgetting that I may not be locked in to VM as it’s nexfibre that will provide the infrastructure.

Hopefully someone will do either symmetrical or something that isn’t 10:1 ratio

I’m also hopeful Grain may come to my town too as they offer a symmetrical service.

Seems bizarre to push everybody who wants to watch live sport into the arms of Sky, rather than putting the effort into delivering TV reliably over an IP network - something that BT have been managing since 2006.

In reply to a post by jpm:

Seems bizarre to push everybody who wants to watch live sport into the arms of Sky, rather than putting the effort into delivering TV reliably over an IP network - something that BT have been managing since 2006.

Given much of the sport is contracted to a single provider, its now either TNT sports or Sky Sports channel packs, and maybe three delivery methods. EE/BT TV, or TalkTalk TV, or Sky Stream/Glass, or Sky Q over a dish, or in an older area VM TV.

It is, I had expected VM rolling out to my area would mean I would leave Sky.

I’m now wondering if I need to keep a basic Sky Q package or can survive with an app based TV experience.