Virgin Media Community

[amila]

Hi,

I've reserved a house in a new build. Only about 4 houses are fully built and few more going up at the moment (including the one I've reserved). They say it's BT fibre and I've seen a fibre optic cable coming into the storage room under stairs. When I asked if Virgin Media be available, they've come back to me and said "we've invited them, but had no contact back". As far as I know, virgin media uses it's own cabling? Is this the case or can it use BT line if it's fibre optic cabling?

If not, What can I do to get Virgin Media to this build. I've heard two more people asking the same question while I was at the Marketing suite. I am already a virgin media customer and don't won't to leave.

I've checked the postcode where the access road to the new build starts and it comes up in the address finder, but not the postcode of the new build.

Any help much appreciated.

Amila

[chenks]

this would be down to the developers to arrange, and they can do so should they so wish, as it would be them that does the work, not virgin.

you personally can't do anything about this other than push your developer to get it done.
and no, you can't use any BT cabling to access Virgin.

[Roger_Gooner]

It's far too late to get VM involved. And if you want TV you'll need a dish or aerial.

[Andruser]

It used to be (broadly)  the case that VM wouldn't lay cables in new housing developments until the roads were adopted by the council.  I believe in some instances they've gone in during construction, but around my area they've always waited for the builders to finish and the council to take on the roads - and then they go and dig up the pristine roads and pavements.

If this still applies then you'd have to wait until the council have adopted it, AND you'd need to try and get some sense out of VM as to whether and when they'll cable it.  If you've got BT (real) fibre, then I'd be surprised if VM would cable the development, because the customer conversion rates probably won't be high enough to make it economic.  For VM, the best scenario is where BT customers only have ADSL connections (slow), and when VM cable is offered there's a high conversion rate.  

[Roger_Gooner]

I have no idea why digging would be done after adoption unless the developer failed to invite VM to connect up the houses well in advance of construction. In my estate which was built in 1999 and 2000 by Barratt Homes the installation of the street cabinet, ducting and tobys was clearly done (by Telewest) whilst construction was underway although houses were not prewired. In contrast the neighbouring estate was built somewhat earlier by Bovis Homes and I can see that digging of pavements was necessary.

[nodrogd]

A lot has changed since the Millennium as far as construction goes. The former companies used to do all the construction work with their own contractors, be they new build estates or adopted existing ones. However new builds have now become the responsibility of the builder, who finances & builds all the ducting & street furniture, with VM then following up with the physical Fibre installation. The vast majority of the cost therefore falls on the builder, who recoups the cost through the sale of the houses.

No dig clauses on most new developments prevent retrofit cable installation until the roads are adopted.