What's involved in an install if you have FTTP already?

[fancyDan]

Hello all!

I've just ordered the VOLT Ultimate Package but can't find details on the install process. I currently have BT 900Mbps fibre to the premises which I am happy with but it's just a bit expensive once you factor in the TV costs etc. My fibre comes to the front door where the original copper wire terminated but during the BT fibre install they extended it to the living room by lifting some monobloc and drilling a new hole. The virgin media phone support told me that the install would be straightforward as they "use the same cable" but I thought VM used DOCSIS3.1 and mixed copper coax/fibre and would need a fresh connection run to the house. I'm in Edinburgh (Area 11) if that helps.

So I have a 3 part question:

1. Will I need a second cable run around the house and drilled through the wall to terminate where the current BT fibre does or can VM use Openreach infrastructure at all? (added info, the cable to my property is purely fibre and not any of the hybrid fibre/copper types.)

2. How will the 1130/52 compare stability wise with the (absolutely rock sold) BT 920/110 I got through OpenReach

3. Is there any room at all to increase the upload speed (e.g. I saw something in a forum about the DOCSIS3.1 standard being updated to allow doubling of upload)?

Thanks in advance for any info...

[Tudor]

VM have stated that they will move everyone to a fibre to the premises. I then expect them to ditch DOCSIS as a move to DOCSIS 4 would be very costly and make no sense. We will just have to wait and see.

[Roger_Gooner]

Correct, VM's entire HFC network which passes 14.3m premises will be replaced with fibre, although this will take several years. The existing FTTP network will change from RFoG to XGS-PON for broadband. Note that XGS-PON is for broadband and broadcast TV will in the interim continue to be delivered by RF, so we'll have RFoG and XGS-PON on the same fibre using three frequencies.

[fancyDan]

“Fibre to the computer! You can't even get fibre to the router. Fibre always terminates at the ONT”

Of course, but I’m talking theoretically here with a little tongue in cheek for effect. I have FTTP for my broadband and domestic uses but my home is also set up for FTTD on a separate, closed network. I wouldn’t ever connect my FTTD network directly to the outside world but was highlighting the relative oddness of having RToG to DOCSIS to Ethernet to computer in the last few metres with all that entails when in theory (and I know I am a minority case here) I could have the fibre connect directly into my computer (or an optical switch on the FTTD network) if the ISP would ever let people connect to the headend without using their ONT…

Pie I’m the sky for now perhaps but ‘technically’ possible if your ISP ever let you, and who knows, might become acceptable in a few years…

[Roger_Gooner]

It's not RFoG to DOCSIS, it's DOCSIS running over fibre as well as traditional coax. This is an excellent interim solution as existing protocols and CPE can be used until VM implements XGS-PON and IPTV.

[fancyDan]

Wow, I’ve definitely lost my membership to the International Society of Pedants 🙂 sorry, I should be more precise in my language - apologies for my stray preposition. I’m of course referring to the choice of utilising micronodes to keep using the RF generation kit at the headend which is sent to the micronode via RFoG and then converted to allow a usable signal for the legacy coax and CPE while using DOCSIS. 

[Andrew-G]

@fancyDan It’s puzzling to me why they persist with DOCSIS for new roll outs in an era of fully optical networks (I’m in a new build estate). Surely the £60 per capita DOCSIS4 cost is a false economy compared to the £100 pc PON cost since they’ll definitely lose out as soon as consumers become more aware of the DOCSIS limitations. 

Well, their entire customer infrastructure is based around DOCSIS, it makes sense to stick with it until they have sufficient volume to start PON conversions.  In terms of costs, it's not like for like (somebody's telling investors porkies, perhaps?) because the statements by VM suggest that the PON estimates, even though shown per property don't include the cost of the droplink to the house - why?  You tell me.  Whereas D4.0 would use existing RFoG and HFC, just requiring CMTS and CPE changes.  I think it's actually about grasping the nettle - VM don't really want to invest anything, they just want to cane the business for cash and then flog it to some greater fool, but with Openreach FTTP already available to 36% of the UK and racing ahead, and the growth of altnets, they're worried that VM will become an unsaleable asset based on obsolete technology if they do nothing, or adopt D4.0.

In terms of consumers, I don't think enough people understand or would care.  You and I, other regulars here, our forum counterparts at Thinkbroadband, ISPReview and the like, yep we do, but we're not even 0.1% of the population.  The bulk of the population think everything fast is "fibre", refer to the entire internet as "wifi", and mostly aren't discerning enough to observe such differences.  They'll respond to any powerful, well funded marketing, and cut price offers for new customers - and that's the basis of VM's entire business.