FTTP Trial - OMG am I too late?

[#1]

Hi All

Deepest apologies but I just learnt that Plusnet has a FTTP trial and I just joined the forum to find out what it's all about.  I'm not with Plusnet but am looking for a new ISP.  Can anyone let me know what the medium from the cab to the Home/premeses is.  I know a lot of companies say "fibre" to the end user but it's actually coax or whatever.  Is the trial actually fibre to the door or what?  Perhaps someone could provide a link for more details.  I called the sales guys but they didn't seem to know anything.  Big ask for a newbie I know, but thanks in advance.

[#2]

@Polardillo

Put your phone number in the following and see what's on offer for your line.

http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

If you have "WBC FTTP" in the LEFT hand column then FTTP is available.

Brian

[#3]

Welcome to our community forums @Polardillo!

I know a lot of companies say "fibre" to the end user but it's actually coax or whatever.  Is the trial actually fibre to the door or what?  Perhaps someone could provide a link for more details.

Our FTTP Trial is actually FTTP on the Openreach Network, fibre from the exchange, to a fibre node, to the premises in to an Openreach ONT.

Availability and criteria for being accepted on the trial is basically that WBC FTTP is available, as per the response from bmc.

Having said this, part of the criteria of being accepted on the trial is being an existing broadband customer, which may make it tricky to get on the trial before we stop accepted new connections on it at the end of the month

[#4]

Thanks for that guys.  I don't see WBC FTTP in the left column but here is what the left column is populated with:

Featured Products
VDSL Range A (Clean)
VDSL Range B (Impacted)

Featured Products
FTTP on Demand

ADSL Products
WBC ADSL 2+
WBC ADSL 2+ Annex M
ADSL Max
WBC Fixed Rate
Fixed Rate

Other Offerings
VDSL Multicast
ADSL Multicast

Premise Environment
Bridge Tap
VRI
NTE Faceplate
Last test Date

[#5]

Sorry but you can't get FTTP.

[#6]

Thanks RealAle and every one else, you've been very helpful. I guess the hunt goes on for a copperless provider that isn't £irgin £edia or BT (blinking terabucks).  I would be so happy if someone like Plusnet could provide an affordabe non-copper broadband service for a fair price.  Never know, one day... : -)

[#7]

@Polardillo

Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) is what's available for your address. PlusNet I'm sure would be happy to have your custom.

Brian

[#8]

@Polardillo

If Virgin Media is available at your address it's highly unlikely anyone else will be laying a pure fibre network near you any time soon.

Brian

[#9]

Thanks Brian

As far as switching providers goes, I'm trying to get shot of my BT copper. I'm already running an OBi100 (VoIP ATA thing) for our phones with VM as the ISP on running off coax.  I'm at the point now, where I can cancel our BT PSTN line that's now seldom used. I've gone off BT for numerous reasons. I'm open to other non-copper pair providers (coax etc) solely for broadband, but I know they are few and far between.  I'm not even ape mad on a pure fibre service, just one that doesn't rely on a copper connection and isn't as grossely expensive for just broadband (no TV, phone and other nonsense).

[#10]

Why the aversion to copper?
I'm getting over 200Mbps on a G.fast connection.

[#11]

Hi Browni, yes I know copper can be fast, but fast isn't even my criteria as 50/5 would do me.  I guess in the past I've just got tired of being robbed by ISPs who piggyback off the Openreach network and support their services badly.  I’ve had a couple of ASDL installs a mile from the exchange and also quite close to the PCP that only got about 20% of their advertised download speed, until I took a lot of time out taking the ISP to task.  I also got the rain inside the cab issue that was intermittent.

I’m not actually against copper, it’s just that in my experience the offerings from a lot of ISPs who almost entirely base their service on it have either been really awful support, tragic value for money or forcing you to have the phone service bundled (ugh - set-up fee of 22p per call?).  I just don’t need a phone from the ISP anymore.  Maybe it’s me, but paying for a medium that’s now old tech, G.fast notwithstanding, seems counter intuitive.  We all know there needs to be big investment, so that everyone can have a decent, cheap, fast fibre service and well done Plusnet for trying out FTTP.  To me, proper fibre just seems to be the way to go, even if you don’t need a Gb connection.  Thanks for the thought provoking though. : - )