New upload speeds and Network Management - Page 18

BenMcr · 25-10-2010, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

Indeed, BT's FTTC is a far bigger project and they can publish dates

Isn't the FTTC work basically a seperate network, and for the most part connects directly into the exchange, I mean the street cabinets are compeletly seperate, and I bet there is a fair bit of rewiring if you sign up to it.

Virgin's work is upgrading existing connections

Quote:

true but at least we would know the planned order of work.

You only have to look at the 10-20Mbit or the 4-10Mbit upgrades to see that doesn't provide any benefit, people just complain that their area isn't being done next week

Chrysalis · 25-10-2010, 11:56

to be honest ben I dont care right now when my upgrade is happening and I would probably prefer it be last because now I am now the 17th confirmed port in leics in the last 6 months to have oversubscription (confirmed today), so as far as I am concerned I dont want people in my area to get these new speeds as it will just cause more overload aka congestion. Granted it could go the other way as ignition has pointed out assuming they dont do upgrades on the cheap there is significant upsteam capacity increase as well.

So although having no plan you avoid complaints of "oh I got to wait a year" you still get complaints of "I dont know when I am getting an upgrade". So no real difference.

TheDon · 25-10-2010, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Isn't the FTTC work basically a seperate network, and for the most part connects directly into the exchange, I mean the street cabinets are compeletly seperate, and I bet there is a fair bit of rewiring if you sign up to it.

Indeed, it's a lot easier to put out an upgrade schedule when you're doing the same thing in all areas and know exactly what has to be done beforehand.

VM's network has different areas requiring different levels of upgrade to cope with the uplift, it can easily be the case that an area requires far more work than they thought, they simply don't know for sure until they get there.

Incidentally the dates put out by BT have been VERY conservative which has allowed them to move areas forward considerably. VM could just as easily put out an extremely conservative update schedule, but really, what's the point?

AndyCalling · 25-10-2010, 13:48

The problem with providing dates is that it has all been done before with the various previous cable companies we have had. Well, they often used to say 'before the end of the year' or 'by summer' etc. for upgrades. As we all know, these were either wildly inaccurate schedules (often out by 3 or 4 years) or simply pipe dreams (still waiting for CLID on the phone even now).

Basically, if you look at the history of upgrades for your exchange, and you remember this is the largest amount of work needed for an upgrade yet (as mentioned in an earlier post) you can work out a rough idea of what will happen by adding a little more time to the scales you have experienced before.

So, in Southampton, historically, the likely chain of events will be that it will take about 3 years of fannying around before the cable company admit it is 'not cost effective for your exchange and won't now be rolled out in your area' and we settle in to wait for the promises of the next cable company to come along.

Still, sometimes we get there, so the optomistic timescale based on past Southampton success stories would be about 3 years plus a bit for the big job this is, so between 3 and 4 years. Given VM's stated confidence I am really hoping we get this kind of time scale, so I'll be cheering you on through the hard slog of beating our exchange till it submits!

~

Being a cable customer historically has always been like owning a second-hand performance car, whilst BT has been like buying a new family car. You drive your Lambo Cable-Sport because you love driving a fast and swanky super car, but you accept that part of this is breaking down often and finding the necessary parts cost three times more than the car's worth. The BT Family People-Hatch on the other hand gets a good servicing at regular intervals but is never going to raise eyebrows in the speed stakes however well maintained it is. It's just the nature of the beast which you need to consider when becoming a cable customer.

BenMcr · 25-10-2010, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCalling

Given VM's stated confidence I am really hoping we get this kind of time scale, so I'll be cheering you on through the hard slog of beating our exchange till it submits!

~

Considering 100Mbit can't be launched before upstream improvements are done I think Virgin have a reason to complete them

pip08456 · 25-10-2010, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCalling

The problem with providing dates is that it has all been done before with the various previous cable companies we have had. Well, they often used to say 'before the end of the year' or 'by summer' etc. for upgrades. As we all know, these were either wildly inaccurate schedules (often out by 3 or 4 years) or simply pipe dreams (still waiting for CLID on the phone even now).

Basically, if you look at the history of upgrades for your exchange, and you remember this is the largest amount of work needed for an upgrade yet (as mentioned in an earlier post) you can work out a rough idea of what will happen by adding a little more time to the scales you have experienced before.

So, in Southampton, historically, the likely chain of events will be that it will take about 3 years of fannying around before the cable company admit it is 'not cost effective for your exchange and won't now be rolled out in your area' and we settle in to wait for the promises of the next cable company to come along.

Still, sometimes we get there, so the optomistic timescale based on past Southampton success stories would be about 3 years plus a bit for the big job this is, so between 3 and 4 years. Given VM's stated confidence I am really hoping we get this kind of time scale, so I'll be cheering you on through the hard slog of beating our exchange till it submits!

~

And which exchange would that be as cable doesn't have one.

Ignitionnet · 25-10-2010, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

Indeed, BT's FTTC is a far bigger project and they can publish dates.

It's not about 'can' it's about a choice of whether or not to. As I'm sure you're aware the BT department doing these upgrades is required to publish schedules as the network they are building is open, and in addition they are not customer facing so customer complaints over delays aren't their problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

true but at least we would know the planned order of work.

Which is of no use at all as most people want to know when. Publishing a planned order will drive even more calls to the call centres as people want progress reports and of course given that individual network teams are working in parallel in different areas would be futile anyway.

A further issue is that this being an upstream upgrade ports serving the same area will be upgraded at different times. 10M may be upgraded before 20 and 50 or vice-versa.

Easier to simply announce when it's done and available, which is actually how many cable companies roll with projects like these, announcing when the new tier is available rather than giving schedules.

I know the schedule for my area, Q2 2011 which is as precise as it gets even internally, you just know that on April 1st people would be complaining asking where their upgrade is.

janipewter · 25-10-2010, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

I know the schedule for my area, Q2 2011

Holy **** seriously

**Hugh** · 25-10-2010, 20:54

Please do not use inappropriate language that activates the swear filter

callanish · 25-10-2010, 22:36

If an area pretty close to mine (Greenock) has already received the upload upgrade, does that give me a better chance of my location becoming next in line, or am I just being optimistic?

Jayster · 25-10-2010, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by callanish

If an area pretty close to mine (Greenock) has already received the upload upgrade, does that give me a better chance of my location becoming next in line, or am I just being optimistic?

Optimistic

Ignitionnet · 25-10-2010, 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by janipewter

Holy **** seriously

Correct. Network needs partial rebuild.

---------- Post added at 23:52 ---------- Previous post was at 23:52 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by callanish

If an area pretty close to mine (Greenock) has already received the upload upgrade, does that give me a better chance of my location becoming next in line, or am I just being optimistic?

Optimistic, it's not geographical.

Welshchris · 26-10-2010, 01:54

Virgin must not be updating all the areas on the fasterupload page then, as there are atleast two mentioned on here thats been done that doesnt appear on the faster upload page.

26-10-2010, 03:10

To VM,

Great news about the increased upload speeds and 100mbit on the way, but please can you deliver the 50meg/1.75 first, many thanks

Sincerely, another customer on a 100% utilised upstream cable (Telford cmts 11 cable 020).

Welshchris · 26-10-2010, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by theoldbill

To VM,

Great news about the increased upload speeds and 100mbit on the way, but please can you deliver the 50meg/1.75 first, many thanks

Sincerely, another customer on a 100% utilised upstream cable (Telford cmts 11 cable 020).

atleast u know they have to do upgrades soon for u to enable the deliverence of the new upstream.