CMTS deployment for Virgin Media

During 2015-16, Virgin Media revamped its UK FTTC cable network in order to achieve some of the best figures on the market in terms of reliability and downstream speed. A team from Optiva Media was sent to the field to upgrade CMTS infrastructure to new Arris E6000 equipment in 45 locations across the British Isles. Activities during the project included:

• Pre-installation tasks: site survey, reception and validation of materials.
• Cabinet mounting: CMTS installation, drilling, grounding, card installation and physical configuration.
• Wiring: cable runs, terminations, labelling and verification, including CAT5, fiber, RF, ground, etc.
• Cable dressing: according to Virgin Media’s specs for identification protocols, color codes, and quality of visual appearance.
• Verification protocols:
  • Engineering documentation analysis and checklist revision.
  • Connectivity between the new CMTS and the core router.
  • FMP (First Modem Provisioning) to verify upstream and downstream parameters such as speed, signal levels, noise, etc.
  • Verification of optic fiber connectors with fiberscopes.

The project was run by on-field Optiva Media personnel in full coordination with both Virgin Media’s and Optiva Media’s headquartered operations teams for migration control and acceptance.