Just joined Plusnet, told cant upgrade to broadband to Fibre

[#1]

Hello,

I've just joined Plusnet and should have gone for Fibre instead of Broadband. I've called Plusnet to upgrade but have been told the local cabinet doesnt support this and it might get looked at in the next 90 days. I'm in the middle of Cardiff and find this a bit hard to believe that it can't get sorted out sooner, and with a date.

Details from broadbandchecker below - and the openreach site says Superfast Fibre is available...

Any thoughts/advice?

Telephone Number 02920666666 on Exchange ROATH is served by Cabinet 168

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream HandbackThreshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability Date WBC SOGEA Availability Date Left in JumperHigh Low High Low        VDSL Range A (Clean)VDSL Range B (Impacted)

80	74	20	19	67.9	Planned	Planned	--
80	74	20	19	67	Planned	Planned	--

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install ProcessWBC FTTP

Upto 1000

Upto 220

--

Available

1 Stage

ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) ADSL Availability Date WBC SOADSL Availability Date Left in JumperWBC ADSL 2+ADSL MaxWBC Fixed RateFixed Rate

Up to 4	--	3 to 5	Available	Available	Yes
Up to 2.5	--	1.5 to 3.5	Available	Available	--
1	--	--	Available	Available	Yes
1	--	--	Available	--	--

Other Offerings Availability DateVDSL Multicast

Available

Premise Environment StatusBridge TapVRINTE FacePlateLast Test Date

U

--

--

--

Exchange Product Restrictions StatusFTTP Priority ExchangeWLR WithdrawalSOADSL Restriction

N

N

Y

The premise/line is associated with exchange which is NOT part of current fibre priority programme.

The premise/line is associated with exchange where WLR is not withdrawn.

The premise/line is associated with exchange where SOADSL service is restricted.

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH Feed with no anticipated issues.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

VDSL FTTC and SOGEA is currently not available on this cabinet due to following reasons:- This cabinet is under review. We'll explore fibre broadband solutions & will update once done.

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

The Stop Sale date for IPstream is from 31 Dec 2012. The Formal Retirement date for IPstream is from 30 Jun 2014.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband :-

Great news. Ultrafast Full Fibre is available at your address.

[#2]

p.s. I've also opened a query with Openreach...

Hello,

Thanks for getting in touch with us about fibre broadband availability in your area. Your case number is C66666.

So we can answer your questions we need to thoroughly check our network and any future plans we have for your area, so we aim to respond to you in 5 working days.

In the meantime, you can check the latest status for your address here - https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband

If your enquiry is about a new build home, there is information about where to get help here - https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/problems-and-appointments/broadband-in-new-build-homes

Please note: This enquiry point is for queries about fibre broadband availability.

If your enquiry is about any of the following you'll find what you need here:
https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/when-to-get-in-touch-with-openreach

1. Faults or orders on your line - You need to talk to your communications provider first – that’s the company who sends you a bill. We’re sorry, but we can’t talk to you directly about it.
2. Raising a complaint– use the information on the site above.
3. Reporting damage/health & safety – use the link on the site above for rapid resolution

Kind regards

[#3]

Hi @robertplant76  and welcome to the Forum.

The problem here is not that High Speed broaband (FTTP) is not available at your local cabinet, but that Plusnet in its Business Plan has elected not to supply the service yet.  Other ISP's will happily be able to supply.

With FTTP already available at the cabinet, it will be unlikely that BT will also provide an FTTC product.

[#4]

@robertplant76 Ok, from the availabilty checker, so there's bad news, good news and more bad news

First the bad news

VDSL FTTC and SOGEA is currently not available on this cabinet due to following reasons:- This cabinet is under review. We'll explore fibre broadband solutions & will update once done.

Fibre to the cabinet(FTTC) is not currently available, the availability checker says 'planned'

The good news

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered

Fibre to the premises(FTTP) is available and is a 1 Stage install.

Now the 2nd bad news, PlusNet dont currently have an FTTP product available. So to get FTTP you would have to go to a supplier that does.

TBH given the fact that FTTP is available, I suspect that FTTC, even though it says its planned, is unlikely to be available.

edit: @MauriceC types faster and put it more succinctly!

[#5]

@robertplant76  You have a  problem. Plusnet can supply FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) but that is not available at present and there is no timescale for that to change, Plusnet probably made up the "might get looked at in the next 90 days" bit. So you can't get it and you will not get any definite date.

"VDSL FTTC and SOGEA is currently not available on this cabinet due to following reasons:- This cabinet is under review. We'll explore fibre broadband solutions & will update once done."

However as you have noticed the Open reach checker says "Great news. Ultrafast Full Fibre is available at your address."

You have WBC FTTP (Fibre to the premises) available, unfortunately Plusnet do not supply FTTP services, they did a trial several years ago and some customers are still on it, but it is now closed.

So to get a fast broadband connection you need to order FTTP from another ISP, that is not good news if you have just started a Plusnet ADSL contract.☹️

Edit: My slow response is repeating what has already been said in the other replies.🙄

[#6]

---

@MisterW wrote:

edit: @MauriceC types faster and put it more succinctly! Although I think his first reference to FTTP is a typo and should be FTTC

---

No. @MisterW   it's my clumsy use of a double negative in trying to explain why Plusnet say "FTTP not available" when clearly it is. 

[#7]

Hmm. thanks all,

When the Openreach contractor put the 'BT line' in, I asked about upgrading once the line was in and he said 'yeah plusnet will sort that' Obviously not then.

I wonder if I'm within my rights to cancel this service as 18 months of just Broadband in a WFH world is pretty weak?

Perhaps I should have swallowed my pride and negotiated with VirginMedia.

[#8]

@MauriceC  yes, having reread it, I realised I was wrong😧

[#9]

I'm curious about this

"You have WBC FTTP (Fibre to the premises) available, unfortunately Plusnet do not supply FTTP services, they did a trial several years ago and some customers are still on it, but it is now closed."

Does that mean Plusnet cannot offer Fibre to homes? I realise this is a mixup in terminologies as they clearly offer this when you're shopping around.

[#10]

Fibre to the Cabinet is wrongly described as Fibre Broadband by all the Suppliers. The connection to the home is the copper phone line.

[#11]

so, I wonder if I'm within my rights to cancel this service as 18 months of just Broadband in a WFH world is pretty weak?

[#12]

@robertplant76  When you ordered your service did Plusnet inform you of the expected speeds that you would get?  What actual product was ordered? Is there a chance that Plusnet put you on ADSL because the FTTC service was not available, if that is so you would have a case for terminating the contract. If you ordered ADSL broadband which they have supplied I'm afraid you have no rights to get out of the contract.

[#13]

Well, I called Plusnet and they passed me over to BT to upgrade to a better contract albeit longer and more expensive. I've agreed to go with 'Fibre 1', they will swap me over and Plusnet will waive the cancellation fee due to the Plusnet<>BT parent company/group relationship.

TBH, even though I could have done with the limitiations on my line/property being spelled out at inception - I did assume that an upgrade would be possible, I wasn't aware of all this FTTC/P stuff - Plusnet have been very good communicating and VERY fast in answering my calls. After a year of torment trying to get refunds and well, lets just say I will NEVER deal with Expedia (hotels.com etc) again, it's been almost emotional dealing with a company that seems to actually know what it's doing and answers the phone!

I hope this changeover goes well too.

Thank you all for your time and assistance!

[#14]

@robertplant76  Plusnet have been unusually helpful to allow you to switch to BT perhaps they felt that had not explained the limitations sufficiently. Let's hope that the Plusnet billing system behaves and doesn't demand early termination charges.🙄