Better speed with infrastructure upgrade?

[#1]

I have been with Plusnet at this property for just over 2 years. I am on the Unlimited Fibre tariff with estimated download speed of 31 - 40 mbps. However, despite Plusnat having got Openreach to check/repair lines, I have had to accept a lower speed, 18 - 21 mbps due to poor local infrastructure ie. distance to cabinet over .75km & overhead wires being old.                                        Recently Openreach have been working in this area, installing fibre cables from the cabinet to the posts in our street. They have now contacted me to say that the area has been upgraded to Ultrafast Fibre Broadband & offering Ultrafast to the door if I want it. I appreciate that I will have to upgrade my account with Plusnet to get this 1gbps speed but want to know if the upgrade to fibre to the pole outside my property will improve the speed on my service even if I stick with Unlimited Fibre using the old wire from pole into house. Looked at simply, my slow speed was down to failing connection from cabinet to property, so surely I can expect a much improved speed now that almost all of that has been upgraded to fibre?

[#2]

@Edges 

I suspect the short answer is no. The fibre optic cable is completely independant of the copper wires.

However, although it's advertised as Ultrafast you can get a 40/10 service on FTTP where you would get aroung high 36 / 37 down.

Brian

[#3]

@Edges If you remain on FTTC, your situation will not change - you will still be on the old infrastructure, as FTTC and FTTP are two distinct technologies.

[#4]

@Edges 

I can’t see BT spending money trying to improve the cranky old infrastructure when they are already providing their FTTP service. My gut feeling is that as this old stuff deteriorates things will get worse to tempt you to adopt the 21st century solution.

[#5]

Thanks you Baldrick, Jab1 & BMC.  I naively assumed that, as the whole old inastructure of copper wire to cabinet was failing, then the fibre cable was replacing it.  Seems like I will be going over to FTTP, once Plusnet can offer it to me, as I get fed up with slow speed and broadband dropping out several times a day when it's windy or raining. Either that or it's back to the pigeon post. 

[#6]

@Edges  Did you not know that as from yesterday Plusnet now offer FTTP connections for existing customers who wish to re-contract, with speeds up to 900Mbps downstream or various lower tiers, that is depending on Openreach having completed the FTTP build and that it is available to order at your address

Have a look at the Full Fibre section of the forum.

[#7]

@Edges 

One thing to note - PN FTTP is an Internet only service. No phone and you lose your landline number.

You can check OR records here. Look for WBC FTTP in the left hand column and Available to the right.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

If it's shown, simply phone PN and place your order for whichever speed is suitable for you.

Brian

[#8]

Thank you bmc. I have checked and WBC FTTP is available. Nothing on the PN website re Full Fibre offers but seems that a phone call is required. Will PN let me switch over with 3 months of my existing FTTC left to run?

[#9]

@Edges 

PN will happily switch you over but it'll probably need a new contract. Negotiate the price!!! You'll also get a Hub2 out of it whch in general has better WiFI (it's a modified BT SmartHub2).

Remember your phone line and number will be history.

There's nothing on the main page of PN as they are still working on things. I believe FTTP is only available (at the moment) to existing customers.

The Full Fibre forum is the best place for information. This video gives info on the actual installation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2W8S_l8b0c

Brian