FTTP possible if I sign up to ADSL first?

[#1]

Hi,

I'm hoping that somebody would be kind enough to help with my FTTP query. Currently I'm looking at switching to Plusnet from TalkTalk ADSL, I'm on ADSL and FTTC is on a waiting list, will be for a while yet as more surveys are planned.

Fortunately FTTP is showing as available in my postcode via the BT wholesale checker. My property currently does not have fibre to the door, would I still be okay to sign up for the trial? I just hope for a bit of help before I lock into Plusnet on ADSL if I have no chance of getting on the FTTP trial?

Fingers crossed and thanks for any help.

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat) Personal information removed from a public forum.

[#2]

@Jessimon

Welcome to the Forums.

Does the BT Wholesale checker show this text ?

FTTP on Demand

If so, then that is not the type of FTTP that Plusnet can supply.

[#3]

Hi @Jessimon Welcome to the community forums.

I've checked a random address on that postcode (I've also requested our mods remove your postcode as it's a public forum) and there's unfortunately not much more I can say further to what SpendLessTime has said.

It looks like the current availability in your area is ADSL, FTTC (As you say, currently waiting list) and FTTPoD which is unfortunately no longer offered.

The FTTP we currently provide on our trial would show on the DSL Checker as WBC FTTP. I hope this helps.

[#4]

Checker shows as both Fttp on demand (Left) and WBC FTTP as being available:

I've sent a PM to Harry with my address which hopefully would confirm the same as the BT checker. Thanks for helping so far. 1Mbps ADSL is torture!

[#5]

Coincidentally I had checked an address extremely close to the one you have PMed me, however my initial response unfortunately still stands.

The results showing for your address do not appear to include WBC FTTP, only FTTP on Demand (FTTPoD)

Just for comparison, here are the results (Without the address for obvious reasons) for a line that does have FTTP availability:

 

I hope this clears things up and fingers crossed you're not waiting too long on the FTTC waiting list.

[#6]

Thanks again.

What's the difference in terms of FTTP OD and FTTP WBC? The wholesale checker is confusing, added that plusnet provisioning earlier today said I have access to the trial when they checked my address, I thought it best to check twice.

[#7]

a heck of a lot of money - like for FTTPoD it runs into thousands

[#8]

With the standard WBC FTTP service, the Fibre Optic cabling is already laid to the street level, and your personal install is just connecting from the DP(distribution point) on the street, to your home, via overhead of underground Fibre.

With FTTPoD you are required to pay for the infrastructure from the closest Fibre DP to your home, this can be anything from the end of your street, an FTTC cabinet or further away. the costs for this, equipment and cable wise would have been covered by yourself, this service is no longer offer by BT Openreach or Wholesale however, the costs when we did trial this were in the thousands usually

[#9]

Darn.

Here's a common query, where is the mythical waiting list for FTTC?

I note a few queries on the forum and it appears to be a bit of a grey area for the sales team on the phone (mention a waiting list and t prompts various responses dependent on whom you're speaking with, from 'no waiting list exists' to 'it exists but you have to order and go to ADSL, but then have to wait for a call about Fibre' (which doesn't clarify that you're on any kind of list....)

Checking the status of the FTTC capacity is a lottery for ordering and I'd much rather be able to be dealt with in turn if at all possible? It seems quicker.

[#10]

As Oldjim has said, FTTPoD is considerably more expensive to provide, some information on costs (If anyone is even still providing the service) can be found here.

Wholesale cost:

Fixed connection fee - £750
Annual Rental - £1188Additional distance based charge for provisioning - Anywhere from £350 to £6125 to £?????? (I once saw an estimate come in for around £50k)

With WBC FTTP, I believe the majority of the infrastructure is already in place and needs considerably less work (Therefore less cost) to install. Having said this, I've still seen additional charges (That the customer would need to agree to and pay for) on WBC FTTP of between a few hundred £ to a few thousand £ for costs not covered by our suppliers.

EDIT: I was typing the above out while the previous couple of responses came in.

RE: The waiters/waiting list for FTTC, it's not so much a physical list we can see. It basically means that we can place an order, which will join a queue on a first come first served basis when capacity becomes available. During this time, we generally get review dates from our suppliers on when we can expect further updates (But not necessarily dates when capacity will definitely be available)

If the order has not reach a committed state after 3 months (I think) the order would be automatically cancelled by our suppliers and it'd essentially be back to square one.

[#11]

Fantastic information - thanks all.

FTTC looks like my only option, nice to hear that FTTP WBC is likely less infrastructure costs and something i'll watch for but is it something that is likely to die a death due to the up and coming G.Fast?

@HarryB

Waiting list is something that is unheard of to most in the sales team, where do I start? Thanks

EDIT: First come first served? Does that mean it's not a list managed by openreach? It's a list that plusnet hold of customers interested in Fibre, and the orders are checked periodically just as I would on my end for FTTC availability? 

Is it perhaps that FTTC orders are on an openreach list and are fulfilled in turn? Sorry for repeated questions but I'm trying to clarify if there is any advantage to ordering or waiting and checking myself? Say somebody moves to ADSL for example and a slot is taken by my theorised openreach waiting list?

[#12]

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@Jessimon wrote:

EDIT: First come first served? Does that mean it's not a list managed by openreach?

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It's not a list with us, Fibre availability is unfortunately out of our control and in the hands of Openreach.

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Jessimon wrote:

Is it perhaps that FTTC orders are on an openreach list and are fulfilled in turn?

This is more accurate. It's my understanding that the longer an order has been on the waiting list for FTTC, the higher they will be on the list. So if I lived next door to you and placed an order for my service a day before you, then 1 connection became free, it would go to me as my order (On a wholesale level, not specifically signing up with an ISP first) was in first.

That's what I meant by first come first served.

I placed 2 orders on the waiting list a few weeks ago, one completed 2 weeks later, I've been given a review date on the other for 15/09/16.

[#13]

@HarryB

Update: I spoke to CS at plusnet just now and they have read the post but maintain that no waiting list exists.... I'm caught between the two sides now, could you please help clarify? Thanks

[#14]

As much as they are wrong, I've just been told that unfortunately we may not be signing up accounts directly on to the waiting list due to the unknown amount of delays it will incur

[#15]

Thanks, a similar problem occured in another FTTC thread, but it seems you're still able to do the waiting list judging by the 2 sign ups you did in the example above?

If I placed an order would you be able to ensure I was on the waiting list? Would I need to order Fibre as opposed to ADSL and allow the order to obviously fail before obtaining ADSL instead?