Latest on FTTP?

[#1]

It's now two years since I left PN and when to 150Mbps full fibre FTTP with BT.

Now is the time when I need to aviod price hikes and look around for a new contract. 

I would like to come back to PN or stay with BT, but why is the pricing uncompetitive in comparision to Community Fibre?

BTPlusnetCommunity Fibre

[#2]

I was in the same boat back in January. Ended up going to EE. Will review again at the next contract renewal.

[#3]

Community Fibre don't use Openreach network, that's why they are cheaper.  Also Community fibre use CGNAT and I don't believe they offer optional static IPv4 address to residential customers if that is important.

Note if you sign up to Plusnet before April, the price will rise by 14.4% starting from 31st March 2023.

[#4]

Although I've been with Plusnet for 14 years now and for the last 8 years or so on the FTTP Trial, I am moving to BT Full Fibre 500 in a few days for the £30.99 offer and no price rise until next year.

Bye all.

[#5]

@SpendLessTime How did the switch to BT FF 500 go ?

Were you out of contract with Plusnet ?

Ofcom seem to have thrown a spanner in the works for Equinox 2 pricing for openreach FTTP which was due to start on 1st April 2023.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/03/ofcom-uk-delay-start-of-openreach-fttp-broadband-price... 

Could be June 2023 before the dust settles....

[#6]

@Leapy 

Because Community Fibre is priced to attract customers from Openreach networks.

The initial offer is a very significant discount to aquire a new customer. There are many different offers and different price structures so try the price comparison sites for your postcode and house number.

It will be a new installation (and entirely new fibre) to your house.

[#7]

@markhawkin If I go with them maybe they will use the same hold that Openreach made?

[#8]

@Leapy  I presume you mean the same hole that Openreach made.  You have an Openreach ONT installed which is their property and you are not allowed to remove the existing ONT and incoming fibre. So Community Fibre will have to drill another hole through the wall.😲

[#9]

@RealAleMadrid interesting point that Iv'e given my building hole to a third party to fill and they have to remove their bits in it.

[#10]

@Leapy Not sure what your interesting point is but if you think Openreach should remove their kit if you no longer want it try asking them, problem is there is no way for the public to contact them directly and I doubt that the ISP that is losing your custom would be inclined to do anything about it. 

[#11]

The Openreach Fibre cable and ONT are treated the same as the phone line and master socket, they are the property of Openreach. They are associated with the property. The only difference is you are not obliged to keep the ONT powered if not being used.

[#12]

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@bill888 wrote:

@SpendLessTime How did the switch to BT FF 500 go ?

Were you out of contract with Plusnet ?

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Hi Bill

Sorry for not getting back sooner.

Yes I was out of contract with Plusnet as I was a "FTTP Trial" customer and that always had a rolling 1 month contract (with no discounts).

And the switch has been easy. BT kept me informed of what was happening and my line went down early morning and once I entered my BT login details, I was up and running at full speed with my ping times similar to Plusnet FTTP as to be expected.

Royal Mail seems to have "lost" the BT Smart Hub 2 (it has been stuck in their regional distribution centre since Thursday on 48 delivery tracked service) so I will have to tell BT about that but I always use my own kit so I wasn't worried.

Hopefully the Plusnet account final billing will be good and that's all.

[#13]

Thanks for update.

I'm really sad to report I am also reluctantly heading off to BT 😢

I am half way through my 24 month Unlimited Fibre Extra contract, but with BT offering 500mb FTTP for £30.99 per month, the offer is just too hard to resist.

I phoned CoT this afternoon.  The helpful agent did offer discounts on Plusnet 145mb and 500mb FTTP products, but couldn't match BT's £30.99 price for 500mb.  I was expecting the agent to hand me over to BT sales agent to place BT FTTP order, but it did not happen. 

After being put on hold twice, a marker has been put on my account and because the CoT agent told me he could not order BT 500mb FTTP at the advertised online price of £30.99 pm for me, I was instructed to go ahead and place an order with BT myself.   He sent me an email confirming the instruction.   

BT FTTP must be activated within 30 days, otherwise, plusnet contract will continue as normal after the 30th day.  If there is a delay to FTTP activation beyond the 30th day, I must contact CoT again to avoid incurring early termination charges.

I went through quidco and placed an order with BT for 500mb FTTP at £30.99 pm.  Earliest installation date is Monday 17th April - 2 weeks from today.

It's just a real shame Plusnet couldn't match BT's price given they are all part of the same group.

Soon to be Ex - Plusnet Customer (2007 - 2023) 😢

[#14]

@bill888 Hope it all goes well.

The BT Smart Hub turned up a few hours after I typed the last message. Typical eh.

So I just checked it was all in the box and put it away safely so that it can be returned should I move away from BT or if needed to debug any issues.

Not expecting any issues to be fair as in 9 years plus of FTTP only had 1 issue that needed an engineer or 4 to fix! As that was in the very early days for FTTP, the systems to fix serious issues weren't in place nor the trained staff.

I went through Topcashback for my bonus as if all helps  😁

[#15]

@MisterW 

If the ONT installed by BT Openreach is their property, and is associated with the property it is installed in, and is unlikely to be removed if the customer moves away from a product carried on BT Openreach fibre, are we heading for a scenario that if a customer moves from one fibre network to another and another (if available - there will,be three networks in my street in the not too distant future once BY Openreach get there finger out) multiple ONTs will be installed in a property with little prospect of rationalisation?