50MB Virgin Media

Marky · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:21

Hey all,

I was wondering - how many people actually get 50MB download speeds on Virgins 50MB fibre optic service?

I just checked and it said I was in a fibre optic area (Which means it must have only changed recently as I remember checking last time and it said it didn't have it

) - So I was wondering what speed I was looking at achieving realistically...

However - I just checked the BT.com/infinity website and it says the best I can get is their BT Total Broadband package and an estimated speed of 5.5MB (Which is wrong because I can sometimes get around 7MB (I'm currently on an 8MB package)).

EDIT: Infact, now I just tried BE Broadband speed checker and it says I could have an estimated speed of 16MB on their one... Who am I mean't to believe?!

Thanks,

Marky

PistolPete · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:25

I get 50Mb on the nose 99% of the time. (Well it actually reads 53Mb)

You'll get problems if you are on an oversubscribed UBR but there is no real way of tell in advance other than speak to others in your immediate area.

Nymins · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:36

Generally with VM you will get the advertised speed. Unlike ADSL the distance to the exchange doesn't apply to VM fibre optic, so pretty much all the time you will get the 50mb speed.

EDIT: If I had the choice, I'd definitely go with any of the VM packages (10mb, 20mb or 50mb) as you will pretty much get the advertised speed. Just need to watch out for the STM with the 10mb and 20mb packages though.

benftl · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:37

With VM, you almost always receive the quoted download speed, though as above UBR oversubscription can sometimes be an issue (though I've never had this problem).

Best way to check what speeds you're most likely to receive if you're currently an ADSL customer would be to check your line stats. Line attenuation is the important figure, post it up and we'll go from there.

apatia77 · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:37

I have only seen posts that people max their 50mb connections, anything below 40-45mb and you can bet that they will complain here or somewhere else on the internet. You pay premium price for top of the range broadband you expect it to work.

Cable forum is quite good when dealing and checking others virgin broadband problems.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/

Swifty55 · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:39

Marky said:
Hey all,

I was wondering - how many people actually get 50MB download speeds on Virgins 50MB fibre optic service?

I just checked and it said I was in a fibre optic area (Which means it must have only changed recently as I remember checking last time and it said it didn't have it ) - So I was wondering what speed I was looking at achieving realistically...

However - I just checked the BT.com/infinity website and it says the best I can get is their BT Total Broadband package and an estimated speed of 5.5MB (Which is wrong because I can sometimes get around 7MB (I'm currently on an 8MB package)).

EDIT: Infact, now I just tried BE Broadband speed checker and it says I could have an estimated speed of 16MB on their one... Who am I mean't to believe?!

Thanks,

Marky

Line checkers for speeds are only guestimates. You usually get more speed than quoted.

I have also been told that BT's line records are out of date so pretty much every quote is out.

If you've already got ADSL, post your routers stats as you can determine a speed from your line attenuation.

I get the full 50Mbps from VM, but I've only had it since yesterday. The week end is the true test for me.

Werewolf · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:45

I get depending on source up to 6MB with our VM connection, about 2-3MB with grabit on VM's news groups normally (sometimes 5MB but it's rare), and silly speeds on the rare torrent, or Steam download (Steam seems to sit at about 1-2MB most of the time, but when it's quiet it'll hit 5MB).

Basically I don't get 50mb from a single source very often, but if I have several different things going on it can/will often add up to close to the max

Swifty55 · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:45

apatia77 said:
I have only seen posts that people max their 50mb connections, anything below 40-45mb and you can bet that they will complain here or somewhere else on the internet. You pay premium price for top of the range broadband you expect it to work.

Cable forum is quite good when dealing and checking others virgin broadband problems.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/

Actually, most posts are generally about problems as the ones who don't post are generally happy. That's why you normally only hear bad things about ISPs.

Marky · 5 Aug 2010 at 12:49

PistolPete said:
I get 50Mb on the nose 99% of the time. (Well it actually reads 53Mb)

You'll get problems if you are on an oversubscribed UBR but there is no real way of tell in advance other than speak to others in your immediate area.

What does UBR mean?

Nymins said:
Generally with VM you will get the advertised speed. Unlike ADSL the distance to the exchange doesn't apply to VM fibre optic, so pretty much all the time you will get the 50mb speed.

EDIT: If I had the choice, I'd definitely go with any of the VM packages (10mb, 20mb or 50mb) as you will pretty much get the advertised speed. Just need to watch out for the STM with the 10mb and 20mb packages though.

And what does STM mean?

benftl said:
With VM, you almost always receive the quoted download speed, though as above UBR oversubscription can sometimes be an issue (though I've never had this problem).

Best way to check what speeds you're most likely to receive if you're currently an ADSL customer would be to check your line stats. Line attenuation is the important figure, post it up and we'll go from there.

Okay - when I get home I'll login and post some stats

Jayster · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:22

Marky said:
What does UBR mean?
And what does STM mean?

UBR is a Universal Broadband Router It is the Network Device that your Cable Modem is logically connected to and it is the CMTS that provides the shared Downstream and Upstream Bandwidth that you use. (Digital spy forums I couldn't explain it very well myself)

STM is the system virgin has in place to stop people excessivley using their connection instead of a cap per month and can be found here

If your power levels are within the optimum spec you will recieve your full speed if they are out of this spec just complain and virgin will send an engineer out to fix it by fitting an attenuator to the back of the modem or you can buy your own attenuator to fix it yourself see here for the optimum/acceptable power levels.

benftl said:
With VM, you almost always receive the quoted download speed, though as above UBR oversubscription can sometimes be an issue (though I've never had this problem).

Best way to check what speeds you're most likely to receive if you're currently an ADSL customer would be to check your line stats. Line attenuation is the important figure, post it up and we'll go from there.

means nothing.

Jayster · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:27

double post please delete

Psypher5 · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:28

youll hit 50meg

cable = guaranteed speed. unless your in an overpopulated area, but the 50meg is on a new DOCIS (?) so the line will be less cluttered.

on mine id easily get ~7meg actual speed.
however on 20meg (same house) id struggle to get 10meg speeds due to oversubscription.

Jayster · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:30

Psypher5 said:
youll hit 50meg

cable = guaranteed speed. unless your in an overpopulated area, but the 50meg is on a new DOCIS (?) so the line will be less cluttered.

on mine id easily get ~7meg actual speed.
however on 20meg (same house) id struggle to get 10meg speeds due to oversubscription.

DOCSIS 3

benftl · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:30

Jayster said:
means nothing.

What? Downstream attenuation would give you a pretty good idea of what sync to expect with any ADSL provider, probably a better idea than the BT checker anyway. Don't just write off my post without backing up why you think it 'means nothing'

Psypher5 · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:31

Jayster said:
DOCSIS 3

<3

I knew it was some hooey fubar like that!

Marky · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:34

Jayster said:
UBR is a Universal Broadband Router It is the Network Device that your Cable Modem is logically connected to and it is the CMTS that provides the shared Downstream and Upstream Bandwidth that you use. (Digital spy forums I couldn't explain it very well myself)

STM is the system virgin has in place to stop people excessivley using their connection instead of a cap per month and can be found here

If your power levels are within the optimum spec you will recieve your full speed if they are out of this spec just complain and virgin will send an engineer out to fix it by fitting an attenuator to the back of the modem or you can buy your own attenuator to fix it yourself see here for the optimum/acceptable power levels.

Thanks for explaining that

And thanks for link

So if I was going the 50MB route, I don't really need to worry about my speed slowing down or anything like that...

Jayster · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:34

benftl said:
What? Downstream attenuation would give you a pretty good idea of what sync to expect with any ADSL provider, probably a better idea than the BT checker anyway. Don't just write off my post without backing up why you think it 'means nothing'

That figure would mean something if you where switching to another adsl service but not cable as it works differently. Adsl depends on line length so that number matters but virgin have repeaters at the cabinets of each street which supply enough power down the line for the end house to be in the optimum power levels and any house nearer will see an increased power level and thus have to have a attenuator fitted to reduce this. Cable also runs on a completely different network to adsl.

Psypher5 · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:35

also with ADSL, if you have bad weather it messes up, happens at my rents place with BE*

quite annoying.

Jayster · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:36

Marky said:
Thanks for explaining that And thanks for link So if I was going the 50MB route, I don't really need to worry about my speed slowing down or anything like that...

Nope but there has been reports of people reviving letters from virgin telling them to stop using as much i believe the figure was somewhere around 300 gigs but it was probably done during the day as I have done in excess of 300 gigs a month with out such a letter.

Psypher5 said:
also with ADSL, if you have bad weather it messes up, happens at my rents place with BE*

quite annoying.

Weather will effect the modem power levels also but not by much at night my power levels are around 4-5 and by the night time they will be 5-6.

Basically what I am trying to say is if your not receiving your full speed there is a fault and it can always be fixed.

benftl · 5 Aug 2010 at 13:41

Jayster said:
That figure would mean something if you where switching to another adsl service.....

Yes, I know the difference between the two. From what I gathered from the OP, he wasn't sure what service to switch to and so I suggested that if he were to switch to a different ADSL provider then the attenuation figure would give him a good indication of future line speed.

As has been said several times already, with VM you pretty much get what you pay for in that respect.