Mission: To get faster internet in our new home

fiveub

fiveub

fiveub

OcUK Staff
Joined
12 Apr 2008
Posts
49,328
Location
OcUK HQ
Hey guys,

I moved into my new house 5 months ago and unfortunately the only internet I could get at the time was basic speeds, I am on the lowest Sky package. I've been getting between 2Mb to 17Mb (5Mb most times).

The other week I noticed on Virgin Media's website, we could get the 362Mb package, so we booked in an installation date and that got cancelled and I received a call from Virgin today saying they are not providing fibre in our area. - I am extremely disappointed with Virgin Media, but I don't think there is a lot I can do. Even though their website still says it's available! As you can see from my rant on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/fiveub/status/1080446384753557504

Anyway, moving on, I want to spend money on a company that can provide me 100Mb speeds upwards. What can I do, or do I simply have to just sit and wait, not knowing when I'll ever have fibre?
 
fiveub said:
Hey guys,

I moved into my new house 5 months ago and unfortunately the only internet I could get at the time was basic speeds, I am on the lowest Sky package. I've been getting between 2Mb to 17Mb (5Mb most times).

The other week I noticed on Virgin Media's website, we could get the 362Mb package, so we booked in an installation date and that got cancelled and I received a call from Virgin today saying they are not providing fibre in our area. - I am extremely disappointed with Virgin Media, but I don't think there is a lot I can do. Even though their website still says it's available! As you can see from my rant on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/fiveub/status/1080446384753557504

Anyway, moving on, I want to spend money on a company that can provide me 100Mb speeds upwards. What can I do, or do I simply have to just sit and wait, not knowing when I'll ever have fibre?
Click to expand...
Maybe look at getting a 4G hub (5G maybe next year)? I'm pretty sure Vodafone are selling such a device.
 
Are you absolutely certain it's not available? We had an issue the other way around. Where we moved in, and their online checker said it wasn't available, but both our next door neighbours had it. It took some good arguing on the phone before they agreed to send someone out to look, and lo and behold we could get it. The online checker still said we couldn't for about a year after we had the services installed.

Do you have any neighbours you could ask if they have Virgin? You can usually see on the outside of peoples properties if they have Virgin, there's a brownish box with cables going into it with the VM logo on it.
 
What self respecting nerd doesn’t instantly check the internet speeds for any potentional property :mad:

The only way you’re going to get fibre in the area if it isn’t there is by paying an enormous fee or persuading all the neighbours that standard definition netflix is a travesty.
 
Mason- said:
Are you absolutely certain it's not available? We had an issue the other way around. Where we moved in, and their online checker said it wasn't available, but both our next door neighbours had it. It took some good arguing on the phone before they agreed to send someone out to look, and lo and behold we could get it. The online checker still said we couldn't for about a year after we had the services installed.

Do you have any neighbours you could ask if they have Virgin? You can usually see on the outside of peoples properties if they have Virgin, there's a brownish box with cables going into it with the VM logo on it.
Click to expand...

I've not noticed anyone else on Virgin, I will check tonight/tomorrow for the brown box! I am going to call them again tonight to double check, but they seemed pretty certain over the phone that Virgin is not available here.

Ayahuasca said:
What self respecting nerd doesn’t instantly check the internet speeds for any potentional property :mad:
Click to expand...

We went by the show home speeds which is 8 doors down, they get 450Mb... It was too good to be true. As the cable seems to stop there.
 
If there’s fibre running to properties that close then I can’t imagine a fee to have it extended would be that high.

It’s likely something you’ll need to speak to someone a little higher up than first line support/people who process orders as they will just run a simple check and say no without delving any deeper.
 
There are often small ISPs that will install fibre to housing estates etc if enough people in the area are interested. Wireless could also be an option but would probably cost a fair bit more than standard residential prices.

If the show home can get 450Mbit then stick some wireless equipment on that building and distribute it to interested parties
 
It's annoying as it says on their website 362Mb is available at my address. When it is apparently a mistake on their end.
 
I noticed VM's response to fiveub's tweet is even slower than his current internet speeds :D

VM recently caused carnage in our village by digging it up to install the fibre optics. Dozens of door to door salesmen told to do one and unsolicited post from them returned to sender and I think they've finally taken the hint that I don't want VM!
 
I had a similar experience, the checker said it was available but alas not.

It’s since been updated to now say my area isn’t covered so that’s something!

Although recently they have been digging up Silverdale where I live but not gone up as far as my estate...


I’m with EE because at least I can get fibre (I was previously with Sky who said they couldn’t provide fibre though) I’m on their 75mb package although I get 38 at best.

Pretty stuck myself for something better. :/
 
I live in the sticks and get maybe 8mbit on a good day, survived on it for 2 years but EE recently launched better 4G packages so I've got 2 of their 4GEE home broadband things with an external aerial and get a nice 80mbit download - maybe thanks to EE having a contract to provide emergency services coverage across the country so they've been building lots of rural coverage?

As for why I have 2, they only sell upto 500Gb so I've got two SIMs and swap them over every couple weeks. lol.

Fibre is going through our village later this year though fingers crossed - may not actually need it by the time they build it though!
 
fiveub said:
We went by the show home speeds which is 8 doors down, they get 450Mb... It was too good to be true. As the cable seems to stop there.
Click to expand...
That's a downright dirty trick by the property developer then! Dig your own trench and tap into their line under cover of darkness :)

As for people wondering why new build homes don't have capability for FTTP or Virgin to each premises (from 5UBs twitter link)- I don't believe thereis anything in the planning regulations to say it must be done, so it's down purely to economics. The cost to a developer building a street to run their own ducting and pre-cable it (or pre-fibre it) must be peanuts compared to the cost of digging up the road to retrofit it. Especially as they have to provide phone line capability.

Broadband providers (ie. Openreach and Virgin) seriously need to start negotiating with the major house builders if they're not already, think of the easy sell they'd have...
"Your house already has this cable outside your door.. just say Yes to the direct debit and we'll post you the router!"
 
Basically 3 options:

1. Get a hub that will allow you to use a 4G service (if the reception is decent - At least it will be faster than 5MBPs hopefully)
2. Pay to have fibre to your home installed which costs in the five figures and takes 6 - 12 months apparently
3. Move :p

However, if it's true that there is a house 8 doors down that gets fibre, I would be calling Virgin and asking them why they wouldn't be able to feed some fibre down the road.
 
fiveub said:
It's annoying as it says on their website 362Mb is available at my address. When it is apparently a mistake on their end.
Click to expand...

not sure if you are aware of this but virgin have a 'spotter' team, they will come to your house to see if it viable for them to install fibre..
they could not in my case but it's worth a look, google it pal..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom