5,000 Extra Doncaster Homes Get Virgin Media O2’s Full Fibre
Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (VMO2) and nexfibre have confirmed that an additional 5,000 homes and businesses in the South Yorkshire (England) city of Doncaster have now been reached by their new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP / XGS-PON) network.
Doncaster is only the latest in a growing list of Virgin Media locations that, over the past three weeks, have reported the completion of sizeable coverage expansion projects – including Sheffield (South Yorkshire), Scarborough (North Yorkshire), Coleraine (County Londonderry) and Wakefield (West Yorkshire). All of this reflects work conducted via wholesale network operator nexfibre.
Just to recap. Telefónica, Liberty Global and InfraVia Capital Partners created a new joint venture called nexfibre in 2022 (here) – backed by £4.5bn – that aims to deploy an open access full fibre network to reach “up to” 7 million UK homes in areas NOT currently served by Virgin Media’s own network – starting with 5 million by 2026. But Virgin Media, which shares some of the same parents, is currently the only ISP on this network (here).
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Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
October 2023 BT Progress Update on 10Mbps UK Broadband USO »
When are they going to start upgrading the HFC network?
In my area I can see VM fibre boxes appearing next to their HFC cabinets. Perhaps they have realised there’s no point good money chasing after bad and they will migrate HFC networks to fibre? If that’s the case, perhaps they will not continue investing in their HFC network besides the usual maintenance required for upkeep until fibre takes over.
https://www.libertyglobal.com/virgin-media-o2-announces-2028-full-fibre-upgrade-plan/
They started that last year?
@Tom: VM started the migration of its legacy DOCSIS network in March 2022 with the aim of getting all 16.2m premises, including 14.3m HFC, passed by December 2028. As each area is ready it will be put on sale.
They are still working on the Cantley and Bessacarr areas of Doncaster -it’s all ongoing. It seems to be a mix of ducts and piggybacking off Opeanreach’s poles. They didn’t dig up my street, I think they must have used poles as two days ago I got a Virgin Media card through the letterbox saying my house had been connected. Some other nearby streets have had paving removed and ducts installed though.
Lots of VM roadworks across Milton Keynes showing on one.network where traditionally VM have little to no presence.
Now that is interesting
I think that shows that a purchase of CityFibre is unlikely now
MK is one of the 3 major places where CF have coverage and VM don’t
So starting build there is a good indicator that they have abandoned their plans for acquisition
Yes, my area is CityFibre and VM are installing fibre cabinets next to their HFC at quite a fast pace. Probably helps that they have existing trunking they can use. I remember them putting fibre down existing main ducts many months ago in preparation for this. So yes, I agree, it does make it unlikely they would want to buy CityFibre but instead to compete with them.
@CF
Always thought it extremely unlikely that VM would buy any alt-net as the memories of integrating the cable firms still hangs over them. Cheaper in the medium to long term to build your own so you know what you have in place.
Seems they are happy to buy altnets that don’t overlap too much
They bought Upp and are sniffing after others
That integration pain may be re-lived yet!
I live in the doncaster area and a young lad came to my house that is a Virgin Media sales rep really polite and very helpful. He said he was happy for me to give his number 07866018884 to anyone else that is interested.