How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Just wondering how is it my connection can be down but someone around the corner from me or even a few doors down my road can be working? Always wondered this I would of thought all would be connected to the same exchange box (the green box) but it seems not?

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Different areas have different network architecture. The big green cabinets normally contain a fibre node. If that fails then yes, the whole nodal area would be off. Fed from that will be various amplifiers, so if an amp fails it would only take down a proportion of customers. More localised faults often occur such as damaged cables faulty connectors etc. In an underground network water ingress into rf taps causing the tap to fail does happen as well.

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Most of their network appears to work by Magic.

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Wonder if there's a way to find out what the network is like, before moving to an area and getting services?...

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

It's difficult to tell but...

If the floor covers are metal with rounded corners it will be HFC. If it's been there for a while but has green or gray boxes then it's probably HFC.

If it has grey cabinets that are new-ish looking and there is no chamber cover on the floor in front of the smaller grey boxes then it is probably FTTP, otherwise it is probably HFC.

The TV works by sending the whole downstream band via an intensity modulated laser at 1550nm and there is a return path (which I think is 1610nm). The channels are QAM-16 (256?) modulated. The nodal cabinets use the intensity of the laser beam to generate an electrical signal which falls within the normal RF band for transmitting the channels. That is then sent down / received from the coaxial cables. There are a few amplifiers chained from each node which has several taps on it. Depending on the port used on the amplifier, some taps may have a higher db output than others and are for longer cable runs or otherwise require attenuation at the customer premises.

The network connection runs over bonded DOCSIS channels which are delivered via the QAM modulators. In the headend (or maybe even the nodes) they are split back into a cable modem termination system.

That's more or less all I know (or can remember from the 90s) really. Someone who actually works for the company could probably tell you more than that I'm sure.

You wouldn't be able to find out how oversubscribed the area is without trying it, I think.

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Try using is tool

http://maps.thinkbroadband.com/?utm_...6&type=terrain

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Cheers. There's no data for where I'm moving to though, I'll have to get some added when I move there :D

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Wonder if my town is over subscribed only had issues since our town started building like 300+ houses everywhere.

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

Just like that Just like that..... Thats my Tommy Cooper impression by the way.

Re: How does the Virgin Media network work?
 

lol