Unable to change to fibre with plusnet, but fibre offered to my phone number from BT

[#1]

So, I *really* want to stick with plusnet. I love the customer service quality, my connection uptime is fantastic and I like that plusnet has cultivated a great online community.

I was recently informed (after requesting info from openreach) that a fibre expansion had been completed in my area, and sure enough if I look up my phone number of BT's fibre broadband promotion page, I can get their 80Mb/s package whereas before all that was on offer was basic broadband.

However, I tried to do the same via PlusNet, and am only offered standard broadband, and nothing is available on my plusnet account "product change" page. Is there a reason why plusnet can't offer me fibre but BT can? I thought they shared connections

[#2]

@Rapthorne

It depends on the type of fibre offered.

What does the BT Wholesale checker show for your phone number at https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

If the first line of the results  is FTTP then no Plusnet cannot offer it to you. 

If the first line is VDSL then does the column at the end of that row, say "available" or "waiting list"? If it is not "available" then Plusnet will not be able to offer FTTC aka fibre.

[#3]

this is what I get for my phone number. So I guess BT is  my only option for fibre at the moment?

[#4]

Even with BT you will have to wait for a free fibre port to become available as it says "waiting list".

Plusnet do not use the waiting list so will not order under such circumstances.

BT may do but there is no guarantee when a port will become free or even how far down the waiting list you will be.

So currently you cannot get fibre from anyone.

[#5]

But it let me go all the way to payment confirmation, surely if it wasn't available for me they would not be able to sell me it? When ever I did a phone number check on sales sites before, only basic broadband was shown, now I'm being shown fibre available to purchase when I make the check (using the direct bt website purchase)

[#6]

I have no idea how the BT order system works. So they may offer fibre but as the wholesale checker shows, it is "waiting list". So you would be placed on there and no doubt go live on ADSL  in the meantime (or they may offer to cancel the ISP switch to them when they find out there is no free fibre port).

The only way fibre will be available to you is

1. Some existing user stops their fibre service and you are at the top of the waiting list (slight chance)
2. Openreach add extra fibre port cards to the cabinet or add an expansion cabinet 

And no, BT do not have a number of hidden fibre ports jut for their own customers as that is in direct violation of OFCOM regulations.

Edit to  Add to end of first paragraph

[#7]

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@SpendLessTime wrote:
And no, BT do not have a number of hidden fibre ports jut for their own customers as that is in direct violation of OFCOM regulations.

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But they have on occaision been a bit dilatory in updating the status on the DSL checker, which can have an effect.

[#8 · Accepted solution]

Hiya @Rapthorne

To essentially echo what @SpendLessTime has said, it's likely that BT Retail/Consumer will take your order but will unable to be put the order through to BT Wholesale/Openreach until DSL Checker shows there's no longer a waiting list/that the service is available.

I'd recommend keeping an eye on this as capacity issues are generally resolved within 3 months. Once DSL Checker shows fibre as available you'll see the option to upgrade accordingly when you go to the product change tool on your account.

Let us know if you have any further queries.