Virging 50Mbps... where's PlusNet's response to this service?

tslock · ‎13-11-2007

So Virgin are now offering a 50Mbps package, This is all very tempting. Currently PlusNet seem to be somewhat behind on the speed provided what with Vigin offering 50Mbps and Be offering 24Mbps. I'm very tempted to move.
BUT I'd like to stay to be honest. But only if there is similar service coming very soon in the future (Less than 4 months).
8Mbps just seems so slow now for todays standards. Tbh even 50Mbps is poor but it's as good as it gets.
Is there any news of a new super fast package and the date for it's release (atleast 24Mbps).

Oldjim · ‎15-06-2007

Read the threads in this section and you will have a better idea http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/board,62.0.html
Note that you would only get the highest speeds if you live very close to the exchange also it depends on when your exchange is 21CN enabled (mine is over a year away). but a 4 month timescale is most unlikely unless you sign up for the trial.

Be3G · ‎05-04-2007

Well, firstly, bear in mind that Virgin's service is a completely different kettle of fish, as it uses cable (essentially, fibre to the cabinet) which Plusnet have absolutely no access to as they resell BT Wholesale's products. However, Plusnet are currently trialling ADSL2+, which is what Be use to provide their speeds of up to 24Mb/s. If you want to read more information, plenty can be found in the 21CN forum. If your exchange is enabled thus allowing you to enter the trial, you'll then have parity with speeds you'd achieve on Be - though note that whether on Plusnet or Be, speeds achieved are likely to be considerably less than 24Mb/s.

itsme · ‎07-04-2007

Virgin 50mb and Be/O2 24mb are not available in my area but BT will be updating my exchange end of March so I could be getting up to 24mb faster with PN than Be.

tslock · ‎13-11-2007

Hum this has raised and interesting question in my head. Future wise does this mean Virgin are likly to surge ahead with it's speed to 100Mbps and above far quicker than PlusNet/BT will.
When will ADSL reach 50Mbps? Or won't it

tslock · ‎13-11-2007

To update with my Exchange info.
Be = Yes
Virgin = Yes
21CN PSTN switchover target = Q2 2009
I'm 1 mile from my Exchange.

VileReynard · ‎01-09-2007

ADSL2+ is likely to give a moderate increase in speed, but nowhere near 24Mb/s.
Maybe 10Mb/s - but it's guesswork really.
If you live about 3 yards from the exchange you would achieve 20+Mb/s

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

HPsauce · ‎02-02-2008

Quote from: axisofevil
If you live about 3 yards from the exchange you would achieve 20+Mb/s

Hmmmmmm.

I live just over 1km from the exchange by road. My current ADSL2+ sync speeds are:
Downstream Upstream
20542 kbps 1390 kbps
Line Attenuation 21.0 db/11.5 db
(that attenuation suggests my line is 1.5km long, i.e. almost 1 mile)

VileReynard · ‎01-09-2007

Quote from: HPsauce
I live just over 1km from the exchange by road. My current ADSL2+ sync speeds are:
Downstream Upstream
20542 kbps 1390 kbps
Line Attenuation 21.0 db/11.5 db
(that attenuation suggests my line is 1.5km long, i.e. almost 1 mile)

By comparison (ADSL2+)

 Downstream        Upstream
  8647 kbps         1168 kbps
 Line Attenuation   27.5 db/11.5 db

I don't know what the attenuation suggests, but the road distance is about
2 - 3Km.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

HPsauce · ‎02-02-2008

Attenuation 27.5dB suggests a 2km line, so very direct!
And attainable download sync speeds of about 17mbps.
So you're either being capped or have significant wiring/interference problems.

MauriceC · ‎10-04-2007

Quote from: tslock
Be = Yes
Virgin = Yes
21CN PSTN switchover target = Q2 2009

Yes! But the Virgin 50Meg service is a very different animal delivered via their Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) distribution network also used for Cable TV and goes nowhere near the BT Exchange.
Currently only available in a limited number of Urban areas. Build out of distribution to other areas is very costly and unlikely to produce a financial return (HINT: It aint gonna happen). If you live in one of these areas - great

Maurice

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Be3G · ‎05-04-2007

I should also point out that the 21CN PSTN switchover target isn't the one that's important here, as that's for the telephone service. What's needed is the 21CN WBC date, which can be found from http://users.plus.net/exchanges.

jelv · ‎10-04-2007

Quote from: tslock
Hum this has raised and interesting question in my head. Future wise does this mean Virgin are likly to surge ahead with it's speed to 100Mbps and above far quicker than PlusNet/BT will.

Don't forget that the speed of the connection between you and the exchange isn't the whole story. You might be connected at 50MB to the exchange, but if there isn't enough capacity between the exchange and the rest of the internet you could still be crawling along at sub 8MB speeds at peak times.

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)

mal0z · ‎02-10-2008

When I enquired of Virgin about installing digital TV and this fast broadband service - on behalf of a friend - we were told that although fibre ran down the street, in wasn't put into all the properties ( a block of flats in a big city ) and that all we could get was the old analogue cable TV. Even though the adjoining properties had digital - we were told that they could not provide it in the foreseeable future.
So it looks like they are not even investing in short fibre feeds.
So check with Virgins website for availability.
Maybe they know something that isn't public yet about other investment plans for fibre to every property ???.

pierre_pierre · ‎30-07-2007

also just reading and P2P is throttled on that service and Virgin has threatened to do the same with iPlayer