By: MarkJ - 17 February, 2012 (1:40 PM) - Score: 1490 - Fixed Line Broadband
The Director of Consumer Services at Hull and East Riding's (Yorkshire) incumbent broadband and phone provider KC (Karoo), Nick Thompson, has said that he doubts whether Virgin Media UK's recent pledge of opening its doors to the CLA and other rural groups (here) will "result in positive action" and better broadband in remote areas. KC's Director of Consumer Services, Nick Thompson, told ISPreview.co.uk:
"Virgin Media's open-door policy to the CLA and other rural groups is a step forward, however there is no guarantee that it will result in positive action and provide those in remote spots with much needed broadband access.
KC's service area is disproportionately rural compared with the rest of the country, and we are committed to delivering a universal minimum 2Mbps broadband to even the most remote reaches of our network by the end of next month, as well as rolling out guaranteed 100Mbps fibre to the home to over 15,000 premises by the end of the year.
If the UK is going to meet the government and EU targets and lead the rest of the world in Super Fast Broadband by 2015, ISPs need to ensure the whole country is connected. Failure to do so could cause long-term damage to rural communities and will only widen the digital divide."
"Virgin Media's open-door policy to the CLA and other rural groups is a step forward, however there is no guarantee that it will result in positive action and provide those in remote spots with much needed broadband access.
KC's service area is disproportionately rural compared with the rest of the country, and we are committed to delivering a universal minimum 2Mbps broadband to even the most remote reaches of our network by the end of next month, as well as rolling out guaranteed 100Mbps fibre to the home to over 15,000 premises by the end of the year.
If the UK is going to meet the government and EU targets and lead the rest of the world in Super Fast Broadband by 2015, ISPs need to ensure the whole country is connected. Failure to do so could cause long-term damage to rural communities and will only widen the digital divide."
Last week the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) warned that, "Virgin Media’s latest rollout ignores homes and businesses in the countryside to give areas that already have good broadband even faster connections". Shortly thereafter PCC's President, Stephen Leckie, added, "there is no doubt [Virgin Media] is leaving many rural areas at the bottom of the league table as broadband backwaters."
But Virgin Media, unlike BT, has always been a commercial firm and does not have the same responsibilities to potentially fund work in areas that are not as commercially viable. By contrast KC is still an incumbent in its own market.
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Comments: 19
cyberdoylePosted: 17 February, 2012 - 2:12 PM
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The way virgin media could help the rurals is by providing affordable dark fibre to lease for digital village pumps. A local company could then deliver the 'last' mile. (we call ourselves the first mile) ;)
The problem with trying to help rural people is not the last mile, although that is hard enough, the real problem is getting a feed a small community can afford. The monopoly we are all connected to with our phones charges too much, maybe virgin could step into the breach? It would be no skin off their nose and provide a bit of competition?
SomersetPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 2:26 PM
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What might the cost be for VM to provide dark fibre and what would they charge? Any telco could provide dark fibre if they saw it making business sense.
BobPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 3:18 PM
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I realy dont see why FTTC & WiFi to the homes cannot be installed at reasonable cost. It should certaily work for much of Eastern England which is pretty flat. In hilly areas there may be a need for Fibre to be run from the Cabinets to a suitable central point with WiFi distributing it from there. This approach is the cheapest and fastest to deploy
tonypPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 4:15 PM
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I have asked VM in the past about provision of service to my area, a small community which is less than 40 miles from the centre of London. All that they will offer is ADSL. The ironic thing is there is a fibre trunk passing through the community between the nearest towns. It was put in some years ago by the C&W/NyNeX company and that was passed to NTL. It is in a green plastic trunk with no traps locally. My internet relies on BT's copper line from the local exchange with max 2Mb/Sec. Sad innit!
BobPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 5:41 PM
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Virgin in spite of what they claim are not interested in infilling areas or building out from existing covvered areas
Maybe there is a remote chance they may use the BT ducts to provide services where they would then just need to put a Fibre linkin from the BT cabinet to the VM Cabinet. Given VM's track record though the odds are well against it
dragoneastPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 6:18 PM
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Bob: what you suggest is exactly what has happened with commercial operators in East Anglia at least (mid/east and north Essex and lesser parts of Norfolk/Suffolk). Providing that fibre backhaul is available, and with co-operative churches (Norfolk/north Essex) and a local water utility using their water supply towers (Essex). Not sure yet though whether BDUK process is a help or a hindrance.
GadgetPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 6:21 PM
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In order to provide a digital village pump you must get fibre there from your core, to sell it you must ask a price that people want to pay, and at the same time not loose money yourself.
The only reason there is a single supply is that everyone else who has looked at the equation has come to the same answer - It doesn't work out for me!
FibreFredPosted: 17 February, 2012 - 6:39 PM
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The monopoly we are all connected to with our phones charges too much, maybe virgin could step into the breach? It would be no skin off their nose and provide a bit of competition?
You can get fibre from any Telco not just BT, have you looked at their prices? They will all be similar and that's because that is what it costs, Virgin aren't going to do you a deal just because you are a rural community. Virgin are a business like any telco and want to make a profit, they aren't a charity.
@Bob I don't think there would ever be a product linking a BT cab to a Virgin one
BobPosted: 18 February, 2012 - 8:56 AM
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@Bob I don't think there would ever be a product linking a BT cab to a Virgin one
Why not. It would be a good way to enable Virgin to expand their network or using the Virgin lead open network
Virgin or Opent Network can use the BT ducting to provide Fibre to homes in the existing Virgin areas that are not cabled they then have a fibre link put in between the BT Cabinet & the VM Cabinet a fairly low cost and fast way of providing a service in Urban areas
In rural areas VM will not normally be present and WiFi back to the nearest FTTC is likely to be the best option
FibreFredPosted: 18 February, 2012 - 9:09 AM
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Why would BT want to help VM (or the other way around)
Virgin (or a.n.other) can use PIA sure but PIA doesn't work that way. PIA is a route from the house back to the exchange using ducts & poles it doesn't use cabs or link to other provider cabs.
SomersetPosted: 18 February, 2012 - 4:46 PM
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FF - BT and other telcos rent circuits to each other.
FibreFredPosted: 18 February, 2012 - 7:31 PM
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I know that Somerset they are clear cut, you rent a circuit (C&W to BT, BT to C&W etc), but there is no concept of linking residential cabs and piggy backing/daisy chaining connections.
FibreFredPosted: 19 February, 2012 - 4:11 PM
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Yeah but that is not cab to cab that is back to the exchange
BobPosted: 20 February, 2012 - 6:31 PM
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Possibly it does not need to go to the BT Cabinet. VM could build their own cabinet near to the BT Cabinet as this will be the point were all the BT Cables converge
FibreFredPosted: 20 February, 2012 - 9:04 PM
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Do vm need a cab? Their fibre trial will not have used one I don't think. No point in vm rolling out more coax
BobPosted: 21 February, 2012 - 9:29 AM
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VM network for Broadband is Fibre based so they could use the BT local loop ducting to infill & build out from their existing areas they then need to link it to there network
The Open Network trial is a different solution as I understand it. It would provide a Broadband service outside of the existing VM areas
FibreFredPosted: 21 February, 2012 - 10:38 AM
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But I'm saying they can use the same solution and PIA for both infill and outside of VM areas, no need for a cab on either.
Fibre from the home back to the exchange and VM kit in the exchange
BerksPosted: 22 February, 2012 - 11:29 PM
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Bob VM wanted the Open Network as it would allow them to expand their customer base, while keeping their own Network at its current size.
VM has not shown any interest to increase its footprint beyond the 50% or so it has now, any major increase will finally give VM SMP and be forced to wholesale, something its looking to avoid at current.
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