Virgin say my new address will 100% be able to get 50MB fibre, is this so?

GizmoTheMogwai · 18 Oct 2009 at 20:56

So I just called them up and they say that I can definately get 50MB fibre optic in my new address if I take out the 50mb package.

BT broadband check says I can only get 4mb here, but I called Virgin up and they say 100% I would be able to get the maxed out 50mb.

This seems a bit weird to me, can anyone clarify please?

Just did a postcode checker for the maximum speed on http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/ and it says 4mb.

Really confuzzled?

JamesU2005 · 18 Oct 2009 at 20:59

That's cause Virgin uses fibre optic cables in the ground, not via the BT phone lines.

s0ck · 18 Oct 2009 at 20:59

BT checker doesn't check for Virgin services.
You might want to get it in writing from Virgin if you're buying a house based on their verbal though

GizmoTheMogwai · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:00

s0ck said:
BT checker doesn't check for Virgin services.
You might want to get it in writing from Virgin if you're buying a house based on their verbal though

Not buying a house, council swap, but still

So if they say my area can do 50MB fibre is it fairly confident to say that I should be able to get that, apparently fibre speeds don't fluctuate as much as ADSL over distance or something?

s0ck · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:04

Pretty sure you can whack your postcode onto the Virgin website and it will confirm/deny it there too.

It's 50Mb btw; sorry for being picky

GizmoTheMogwai · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:13

So I guess that confirms it then, still don't entirely trust Virgin though...

TheRedZealot · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:14

Up to 50Mb broadband

tolien · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:15

Virgin Media use separate infrastructure from BT, so unsuprisingly the BT checker isn't so useful here... it doesn't tell you what 3G coverage you'll get either.

The "fibre optic" thing is complete marketing dross. Based on that you'll get their 50Mbps cable service and you should get what it says on the tin, network conditions allowing.

GizmoTheMogwai · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:16

The Virgin dude said that if I chose the 50Mb package that I would get the full 50mb, that's where I was a bit :confused:

about.

tolien · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:28

In so far as there's no need to worry about the length of your line, you'll connect at 50Mbps.

Whether you get it or not depends on the area and how oversubscribed it is and what capacity the site at the other end has. You don't have to be a genius to see that VM will eventually apply their STM to the 50Mbps tier too.

Caged · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:29

You do, but it's not fibre.

paradigm · 18 Oct 2009 at 21:58

tolien said:
You don't have to be a genius to see that VM will eventually apply their STM to the 50Mbps tier too.

They will, but by this time it will most likely be their XL package rather than XXL. Give it not too long and they will roll out 100Mb.