How does Virgin Media's DOCSIS network compare to FTTP?

Could someone with a Virgin Media connection (DOCSIS) connection run this test and let me know the % of packet loss please?

https://speed.measurementlab.net/#/

Packet loss would probably only bother me if it led to video call issue, or streaming issues.
I'm pretty sure I've seen this link on here and many thought it was a load of nonsense.

Code:
Speedtest by Ookla
 Server: Zzoomm - Henley-on-Thames (id = 28236) 
ISP: Zen Internet Ltd
Latency:     7.30 ms   (0.14 ms jitter)
Download:   910.16 Mbps (data used: 926.3 MB )                              
Upload:    91.07 Mbps (data used: 41.0 MB )                              
Packet Loss:     0.0%
Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/74accafa-290f-4f1e-846a-6398d37e646e

Pretty much every CLI test I have done shows 0 packet loss but I get some on this link.
 
What I discovered about the mlab test, is that it seems to accurately pick up / is sensitive to any local network congestion. After configuring QOS on my router properly, I consistently get ~0.4% packet loss on an FTTC connection.

Too much upstream traffic appeared to saturate the connection.
 
I'm pretty sure I've seen this link on here and many thought it was a load of nonsense.

Pretty much every CLI test I have done shows 0 packet loss but I get some on this link.
Yes same also it only goes up to ~80mbit when I get the full ~220mbit on all other tests.
 
Yes same also it only goes up to ~80mbit when I get the full ~220mbit on all other tests.

I get the full speed pretty much in my case, but it shows 0.04% packet loss which I don't think is occurring tbh based on all other stats I collect/run.
 
virgin network is far inferior to fttp. just have to look at the upload speeds to see that.

Virgin doesn't claim to provide symmetric speeds, DOCSIS 3.1 means that they could rollout out symmetric 1GigE (and beyond) if they wanted to. Whether their network could cope with that is up hard to say as it's not currently available for retail consumers. For download grunt Virgin is hard to beat, I agree that their uploads are a little disappointing but hopefully that will change in time, if you live in a 'good' Virgin then I think I'd probably choose it over 80/20 FTTC.
 
when i had virgin download speeds were great. i just didnt realise what i was missing out on with the lower upload speeds. now i can use cloud services properly like they are on local network.
 
when i had virgin download speeds were great. i just didnt realise what i was missing out on with the lower upload speeds. now i can use cloud services properly like they are on local network.

Agreed, that's a really compelling reason for faster uploads, what is you current upload speed?

Currently no BT FTTP here so Virgin is my only option, hoping for Ultrafast Full Fibre from BT or Virgin to offer symmetric (or improved) uploads.
 
One of the main problems with DOCSIS is that it's really complicated, it's essentially a bodge of lots of different hacks to make it do something it was never originally designed to do. I'd say it's biggest problem is "keeping it in tune" by that, I mean keeping all the signal levels and various CATV related things all working smoothly. Another problem is adding capacity - once you have the CMTS installed at the headend, adding more capacity is way more complex than it is on a DSL/FTTC network, and both of those are more complex than an FTTP network..

I remember when I was down at Virgin down in Hook, in one of the labs they had a full end to end CATV plant setup, and it was just an endless jumble of amplifiers and splitters, it's a real dark art.

On the other hand, FTTC/P is mega simple. Standard phone line to the cabinet, then it's regular fibre Ethernet all the way to the headend where the BNG lives (using standard industry tech), it's way simpler, easier to scale and easier to troubleshoot. Or in the case of FTTP - it's super easy.

I think with VM the main selling point is that it can do much higher bandwidths, but I'd say the customer experience is going to be much more "hit and miss". If VM sucks in your area, it's likely going to suck for a lot longer, getting them to upgrade/fix it, is potentially much harder than it would be if it was FTTC/P.

But meh, it's ages since I worked in Broadband (10 years), so it's probably all changed since then :p
 
@Screeeech - I believe Virgin Media O2 is planning to upgrade their entire DOCSIS network to FTTP by 2028, probably in part due to the complexity of upgrades to capacity that you mentioned, on DOCSIS.

Another thing to mention, is that according to Virgin Media the costs of laying FTTP cable are not much higher than using DOCSIS.

Another reason is that they will presumably hit a wall on DOCSIS in terms of bandwidth/speed, and Virgin likes to be faster than the competition (mostly Openreach and CityFibre).
 
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I believe Virgin Media O2 is planning to upgrade their entire DOCSIS network to FTTP by 2028, probably due to the complexity of upgrades to capacity that you mentioned, on DOCSIS.

It would simplify their whole world, I think if they stay on DOCSIS forever - they'll likely run into the end of the road, in terms of what the technology can provide. I know it can do 10Gbps or whatever, but I suspect the reality of getting their existing CATV network to give subscribers 10Gbps is pretty far off.

When you consider what customers want - people are gaming more than ever, people want lower latency and higher performance, all of that is easier, cheaper and simpler to do with FTTP, because it just is :p

I think DOCSIS is a thorn in VM's side, the sooner they do away with it the better..
 
I'm not sure what their plan is for TV. Long term you'd think it would be IP but they have to be able to QoS it all to keep the latency down as low as possible - people pay TV subscriptions for sports and they don't want 20 second long buffers.
 
I believe Virgin Media O2 is planning to upgrade their entire DOCSIS network to FTTP by 2028, probably in part due to the complexity of upgrades to capacity that you mentioned, on DOCSIS.

That’s interesting, potentially adds to competition in the market if nothing else.
 
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