This topic

BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:18:56 GMT

I have been with BT now for many years and I would like to get a faster connection as my current one gives me 59 Mbps down and 16.8 Mbps up. I had hoped that BT would be going to full fibre but I am told that as Virgin already have their communications in our road it is unlikely that BT will be installing theirs in the near future - so it would appear that I have very little alternative but to go with Virgin.

**Edited**

Re: BT or Virgin?

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:04:25 GMT

@fireman999

Sorry, its not permitted on this forum to discuss other providers.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Announcements-Guides-Community/BT-Community-User-Guidelines/td-p/1375043

Try asking on one of the many public forums, like thinkbroadband.

Re: BT or Virgin?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 14:55:14 GMT

New Ofcom report show Virgin as the most complained about ISP.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2024/latest-telecoms-and-pay-tv-complaints-revealed

All but three times worse than BT & more than double the industry average.

Re: BT or Virgin?

36ULW — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:28:02 GMT

Don’t know why people assume because one Network Provider covers an area it means others won’t.

Most of the places where I live are covered by two FTTP Network Providers, Openreach and CityFibre, another FTTP Service Provider who own their own Network as well as VM, who mostly have CO-AX.

So most people have 4 to chose from if they wanted.

Re: BT or Virgin?

Weerab1983 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:15:02 GMT

I get 500mb full fibre from BT and about 6 months ago Virgin came to my street. So I would take what you have been told with a pinch of salt.

Virgin go underground where as BT go overground in my location.

They would both be competing for your custom.

Re: BT or Virgin?

Colin_London — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 21:05:02 GMT

We have Virgin in our town. Didn’t stop Openreach installing FTTP everywhere. Openreaches network here is much better than Virgins which is literally falling to pieces and highly unreliable.

Re: BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:00:44 GMT

It is very difficult to get any details from Openreach about their plans and you do get more information from their engineers who have told me that the area is virtually completed for full fibre but OR will only say they have "no plans". I did have one interesting conversation with OR engineers who told me that the installations favour "well to do areas" and I think that this may be the case as other more affluent areas close by have been done. Thanks for your comments.

Re: BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:04:08 GMT

Thanks for your comments and that is the situation here and I am waiting for a pre installation inspection from Virgin as some of the installations that I have seen are not really underground as they just leave the cable on top of the garden.

Re: BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:09:01 GMT

We really only have Virgin for full fibre and I think that some of the other providers are canvassing the area for potential customers as I have spoken to one company who appeared quite keen but told me that there was difficulty getting their own cables into the ducts. This is a pity as it is very close, they have their own network and customers are very happy with them. Thanks for your comments.

Re: BT or Virgin?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:39:48 GMT

@fireman999 Virgin Media is the only Ultrafast provider where I live and after enjoying their "services", I prefer to trundle along on a 60 Mbps copper connection.

Personally, I would rather move than use VM, their network is a mess, their customer service doesn't seem to understand the meaning of either word, and in 5 years time when the majority of their current areas are covered by alt-nets and Openreach FTTH, I actually think they will be in serious trouble.

Do you really need an Ultrafast connection that much right now?

We have 4 in the house and can stream 4K all day, enjoy gaming, web browsing, Zoom calls, stream music etc. on our FTTC from BT without issue.

Re: BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 10:03:15 GMT

Thanks for your comments and there are a number of reasons that I want to go to full fibre and obviously speed is at the top of the list. and because I have around 50 online clients, not all at the same time, it does have quite an impact on the installation especially when streaming the TV.

The other problem is security as the cable from the pole is quite low as I live in a bungalow and a recent burglary prevented my security system working as the cable was just ripped down, so obviously the underground option was quite attractive but as mentioned in a previous post some of their current installations look dreadful.

OR tell me that there is nowhere else to bring the overhead cable in as they are not allowed to secure to chimneys and they have agreed it is too low but that there is no other option, so as you can see I am in a difficult position.

Re: BT or Virgin?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 10:09:58 GMT

Understood. Do you have a decent 4G signal?

Could a mobile broadband solution be a better option? Failing that, I would rather give Starlink money than Virgin Media! You wouldn't need a ladder for an install on a bungalow either...

Honestly, I work with people every day who are on VM and they often can't even maintain a basic Zoom call on their 500 Mbps connection. I appreciate that might be an internal issue to them rather than the overall network, but if the connection is critical and involves clients that are vital to you, I would go with literally any other solution if you can.

Trying to get out of a VM contract is a bit like being in an escape room as well...

Re: BT or Virgin?

fireman999 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 12:24:06 GMT

Thanks for the information and I will have a look at that option.

Re: BT or Virgin?

36ULW — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:08:36 GMT

‘I did have one interesting conversation with OR engineers who told me that the installations favour "well to do areas"’

I can 100% assure you of three things.

1. That’s absolute Bull S***. I used to be a Service Delivery Engineer and have installed FTTP in some of the nicest areas you’ll ever see and in places where even the Pigeons fly upside down because there’s literally nothing worth s***ing on. I’ve installed Fibre in places where there had to be 3 of us present, 1 inside doing the job, another one watching the first one for his safety and one outside watching the vans.

2. Openreach Engineers are Kept in the Dark just as much if not more than Members of the Public about Roll Out Plans. Believe me, they’re not told about what’s being built when and where unless it’s them doing the Building. A lot of the time when Fibre pops up in a Village, Town or City it’s just as much as a surprise to your random Service Delivery Engineer is than it is you.

3. Openreach Engineers have this tendency to let their mouths run away in conversation over false rumours they hear down the yard. So I would take what most say with a pinch of salt.