switch to fibre

[#1]

I've been happily plodding away with Plusnet copper for many years and about 2 years ago Giganet installed fibre optic in our road with a spur to every property but Plusnet satisfied me with my limited needs so I refused to upgrade to the monthly knock on the door from the rep. and soldiered on with copper. Times have now changed and delays are settling in and with a thought to get Netflix I have tried to get some info on a fibre upgrade but every site I visit, including Cuckoo who took over Giganet, say that fibre is not available in my road, begs the question  why ?  Racking my elderly brain I think I recall reading some years ago that providers of new instals have a 1 or 2 year exclusivity on the new system before they have to open it up to the competition so can I please ask this very knowledgable forum if that is so and hopefully very soon I will have a wide choice. many thanks.

[#2]

@CharlieM 

Look at the OR website - it'll tell you Full Fibre availability from OR - www.openreach.com

You could also look at OFCOM - https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/

Brian

[#3 · Accepted solution]

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@CharlieM wrote:

I've been happily plodding away with Plusnet copper for many years ...

... Times have now changed ... with a thought to get Netflix I have tried to get some info on a fibre ...

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Don't let me put you off upgrading to fibre-optic,  but you shouldn't have any problems with Netflix on almost any copper lines -

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@CharlieM wrote:

... Cuckoo who took over Giganet ...

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Apparently it was Giganet who took over Cuckoo in September 2022, 

however "Cuckoo Broadband" is currently the retail brand for residential customers.

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@CharlieM wrote:

I have tried to get some info on a fibre upgrade but every site I visit, including Cuckoo who took over Giganet, say that fibre is not available in my road, begs the question  why ?

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I did a brief search for the installed coverage areas for Cuckoo and Giganet, and came up with very little.

Both Cuckoo and Giganet in the past have used CityFibre to do the fibre-optic installations.

@CharlieM  try putting your postcode in to the CityFibre availability checker ?

If you can use the CityFibre cables, then that also opens up a lot of possibilities for you.

@CharlieM do you live in your own self contained home, and not in a multi home dwelling (like a block of flats) ?

I ask because installing fibre-optic cables in to blocks of flats is a lot more work than in to a single home, and could be why the Cuckoo website is telling you no.

Good luck !  🙂

[#4]

many thanks to all of you that replied and following your links it seems that Open Reach are working in this area at present and as I have 3 weeks before I have to renew then I can wait a bit longer to decide.  cheers

[#5]

@CharlieM  are you still using a traditional landline telephone on your copper cables ?

.

[#6]

@outcast.. we still have, and are using, copper wires and still working reasonably well with just occasionaly the please wait sign especially after heavy rain when the on street green boxes get flooded but we also had about 2 years ago now, Giganet instal full fibre cable to every house in our road with some residents connecting. and now as I'm possibly thinking of up grading I go onto the Cuckoo website, who took over Giganet, and a search of my postcode reveals they have no fibre in my road. So, onto openreach who say they are working in the immediate area but no specifics  so I'll take advantage of a good renewal deal from Plusnet and if fibre becomes available they have just confirmed I'll get a special deal to switch. Can't complain about that...