Forum Discussion

nimbus's avatar
nimbus
Tuning in
1 day ago

2GB showing as available when XGS-PON is not

Hi All,

I've been a VM customer for a few years and am currently on a Gig1 package. My current deal is coming to an end so have been looking at other providers, the upgrades being offered on my VM portal. I also check to see what deals a new VM customer can get by using the address of one of my neighbours who I know is not a VM customer.

When I put her address in a pop-up appeared on screen saying "Good News 2GB is now available in your area!". As I'm on HFC I know that I wouldn't get the upgrade to Gig2 showing as available for me.

I wasn't aware that my area (Harpenden/St Albans) was even on the rollout plan for nexfibre. I double-checked the website and there are still no plans for my area. I also checked GiffGaffs broadband checker as I know they use VM's XGS-PON network, but their availability check came back stating that their broadband service wasn't available in my area.

So, my question is... is this Gig2 service availability for new customers an error? Or are VM offering Gig2 over HFC? or via another FTTP provider? OpenReach FTTP has been available for a couple of years in this area.

6 Replies

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    11 hours ago

    We have had those small cabs installed for a few years now.  No sign of anything else being done. I’ll not hold my breath waiting …

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    11 hours ago

    The new cabinet does show that fibre has overbuilt HFC - but that's just the tip of an iceberg of hardware, software and systems needed to deliver over the new network. You can't get fibre until VM is ready to migrate existing customers from HFC to fibre, it's coming but we have no timetable.

  • nimbus's avatar
    nimbus
    Tuning in
    15 hours ago

    I just took a look at bidb.uk for my area, and that too shows the 2GB service... and mentions Mustang.

     

  • nimbus's avatar
    nimbus
    Tuning in
    15 hours ago

    I called the Retentions team this morning to speak to them about a new contract. I mentioned on the call that I had seen the 2GB service advertised for my neighbour. He thought it was strange and went away to check. He confirmed that this area does not have the fibre infrastructure required. On their systems only 1GB is showing as available. He said he would raise it internally.

    That being said, in relation to the post by @nodrogd, all of the existing VM cabinets in my area did have new smaller cabinets installed alongside them about 18 months ago. Could this be in relation to "Project Mustang"? Here's a pic of the cabinet in my road:

     

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    1 day ago

    If your neighbour is either in a VM area with new fibre or in a nexfibre area, then as a new customer she will get VM's broadband with the hub 5X which goes up to 2Gbps symmetrical. You cannot (yet) get this as VM is not ready to migrate existing customers from HFC to fibre. You also cannot get Giffgaff's broadband as this is over nexfibre's network which deliberately does not overlap with VM's network.

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person
    1 day ago

    The VM “Project Mustang” network upgrades in some areas including West Herts have been live on test for several months. This will provide 2Gig symmetrical services using the new full fibre infrastructure that has gone in alongside the HFC network (it uses the same ducts, but uses separate cabinets usually installed adjacent to the existing ones). New customers will be the first to be offered services on the new network, which will only offer XGS-PON internet with Stream boxes (360 recording boxes won’t work on it) for those wanting TV services.