New build street furniture

I have just bought a new build and the site has Virgin cable - RFoG DOCSIS not XGS PON.

On the edge of the estate there is a large VMVH1 grey cabinet - the large local node cabinet.

Dotted around the estate, there are a few of the mini grey Virgin VMSD1i cabs. What is in these? If the estate is fiber, is it basically just a CBT or are they powered too?

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Dotted around the estate, there are a few of the mini grey Virgin VMSD1i cabs. What is in these? If the estate is fiber, is it basically just a CBT or are they powered too?

Likely powered.... unlike Openreach, most other FTTP networks use powered cabinets dotted around. RFoG was built by VM's "project lightning" and I believe has now ended, but means you get to use all the same hardware as original DOCSIS areas for broadcast TV, or cable modem (Hub) etc.

When VM come round to replace the cabling in my street with real FTTP it will be a lot of work, but for you, the work should only need to be done at your premises. A lot quicker. Then TV will be provided in a similar way to Sky Stream or other TCP/IP services. (as in nexfibre areas today).

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

I have just bought a new build and the site has Virgin cable - RFoG DOCSIS not XGS PON.

On the edge of the estate there is a large VMVH1 grey cabinet - the large local node cabinet.

Dotted around the estate, there are a few of the mini grey Virgin VMSD1i cabs. What is in these? If the estate is fiber, is it basically just a CBT or are they powered too?

They are distribution cabinets: basically CBTs. The VHub cabinet will have a smaller cabinet next to it providing power, the rest are unpowered.

With the old HFC the same coaxial cable carrying the signal also carried power to feed amplifiers, the newer stuff doesn't have any metallic cable to carry power and the distribution cabinets don't need it: the VHub is good for thousands of premises and even a smaller POP-A cabinet OLT will happily handle over 500 premises.

CityFibre make extensive use of passive cabinets too with their primary and secondary nodal cabinets.

Thanks for the clarification. Is there a reason why Virgin use cabs for the CBT’s and not have them in the pavement like Openreach?

It is a bonus we can get the normal Virgin packages, especially as I am looking at volt packages with the TV service included.

Is the latency on RFoG the same as HFC?

The RFoG gets turned into DOCSIS at the entry point to the home, so comparable to HFC yes.

Latency is more stable on RFoG area, others have posted BQM plots from these areas that look quite different to mine.

Reason is the sharing is handled very differently, RFoG I understand is similar to native FTTP unlike HFC where many more homes on the coax convert to a bunch of fibres in a neighbourhood.

I think I’ll give them a go and see how it fairs in the 14 day cooling off period.

Are VM still issuing the infamous Hub 3 to customers on all services but Gig1?

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Are VM still issuing the infamous Hub 3 to customers on all services but Gig1?

Don't know... but just put whatever they provide into modem mode and use your own router.

VM are using Hub 3, 4, 5 and 5X at present. Hub 3 is good to 600Mb, the others are for 1Gb Tier., but you may get any of these for the lower tiers.
The exception is the 5X, as this is only for XGS-PON delivery.
As stated above, modem mode is usually preferable if you have any sort of networking needs. The Hub's are basic but workable as Routers.
Also the SamKnows realspeed testing can only be used by VM or Users if the Hubs are in Router mode. This testing is built into the firmware on Hubs 3, 4 and 5.

Edited by Adduxi (Sun 04-Feb-24 12:14:51)

You'll probably find this useful: https://www.chatteris.biz/blog/virgin-cable-coming-c...

In reply to a post by Adduxi:

This testing is built into the firmware on Hubs 3, 4 and 5.

Its not in my Hub 3, you need a 4 according to samknows.com

Yeah i'll use my own router.

Do the local nodes have a battery backup or are they simply mains fed?

Considering getting a UPS but if the VM network will not stay up there is no point really.

I was with VM for 2 years, using their RFoG Product.

Speeds and Latency were consistently better than when I used them on HFC in a previous property.

It was purely pricing vs CityFibre ISP that led me to move on.

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Yeah i'll use my own router.

Do the local nodes have a battery backup or are they simply mains fed?

Considering getting a UPS but if the VM network will not stay up there is no point really.

The OLT cabinets do indeed have some backup power. There is no modem mode available on the hub you'll receive for XGSPON right now.

Edited by XGS_Is_On (Mon 12-Feb-24 13:14:24)

I have just been inside the house, it's pre plaster at the moment and the site manager was talking me through the BT/Virgin cable entry.

He said we wire up the fiber for BT to the property and then it is terminated for the ONT.

Virgin blow their fiber up the ducting to the brown box on the wall. I said oh is this the RG6 that runs to the dummy plate in the living room and he said no. They'll blow the fiber to that dummy socket, it is hollow piping to the dummy socket not RG6.

Which has got me confused now as this is an RFoG area not XGSPON.

I have noticed on a couple of houses have black coax running around the house from the brown VM box on the wall.

Anyone clued up on Virgin wiring up new builds now? Are they future proofing?

In reply to a post by wolvesmad:

Anyone clued up on Virgin wiring up new builds now? Are they future proofing?

Is it nexfibre or Virgin Media? If its a big development they may be deploying nexfibre rather than RFoG?

The latest RFoG installs put the ONU inside the house so that a future move to XGS-PON is swapping the Hub and removing the ONU.

I am intrigued now. Does that mean they will blast the fiber through the house and the ONU will be in the lounge?

Not a problem if it is, I want the VM Hub in the lounge.

The UPVC duct running from the ETB to the VM blanking plate in the lounge does not look like it is wide enough for RG6.

Definitely VM.

All the houses on the same postcode in the street can order the VM 360 TV service.

I have just seen this VM installation video on YouTube.

I take it my install will be the same / similar?

https://youtu.be/NxlQTCZkeYU?feature=shared