Fibre only area - openreach to stop selling copper products (adsl/vdsl/ fttc etc)

[#1]

Here we go, my local exchange is now fibre broadband only as it is now in an open reach stop sell copper area, with fibre being the only option for new provides/lines etc.

So a few questions:

 My current plusnet account will continue, however will i be locked into plusnet and unable to move to another non fibre ( ie vdsl/fttc ) provider should i find a better price?

I know someone who is intersted in changing from Sky to Plusnet , and someone else who wants to move from Talk talk, will they now be blocked

None of us want to pay extra for FTTP

I also know someone who want to move to the area, and as far as i know they are a pluset customer ( not too sure though) will they be able to move their contract and continue with plusnet in an openreach stop sell area?

[#2]

Who says you have to pay more?

Have you checked FTTP prices?

[#3]

That’s the problem with progress.

A couple of generations ago there was resistance to the new fangled telephone, after all what was wrong with your message being transmitted by it being tapped in morse code over the telegraph lines then delivered by a telegraph boy in a smart uniform? 
Then why should you have to ring a telephone number yourself? What was wrong with having a telephone operator to make the connection for you then ring you back?
Then why would you need broadband speed when you could get through with a dial up modem?

Now why would you need to take FTTP when the technically inferior and statistically far less reliable FTTC/POTS still staggers along in your area? 
Sorry but the world will not stop and allow you to get off.

I would put money on the price structure reversing in the future and the cost of sticking to the old system becoming more expensive than the modern, simpler and more reliable solution.

[#4]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Fibre to My Account / Billing

[#5]

@pint 

Have you checked what's actually available for your line - ADSL/FTTC/FTTP

What OpenReach have done is to stop selling PSTN (copper) products. If you want a phone service you'll now get a VOIP solution. ADSL & FTTC will be supplied as required (as far as I'm aware).

Brian

[#6]

[quote]

Who says you have to pay more?

Have you checked FTTP prices?[/quote]

Plusnet VDSL/FTTC starts at around £23/month

FTTP seems to start at around £40/month

The next issue, is if someone who is currently with plusnet moves to an area where open reach no longer sell copper what happens? Will plusnet provide a service, likewise if someone wants to change ISP, i.e. form Sky to Plusnet?

I'm aware of the benefits of FTTP, however if it's seen as not worth paying extra for then why pay more for a something?

[#7]

Who says you have to pay more?

Have you checked FTTP prices?[/quote]

Plusnet VDSL/FTTC starts at around £23/month

FTTP seems to start at around £40/month

The next issue, is if someone who is currently with plusnet moves to an area where open reach no longer sell copper what happens? Will plusnet provide a service, likewise if someone wants to change ISP, i.e. form Sky to Plusnet?

I'm aware of the benefits of FTTP, however if it's seen as not worth paying extra for then why pay more for a something?

[#8]

My guess is, backed up by somewhat similar scenarios in the past, that if you move to an area where Plusnet do nor provide a service then you would have to cancel and pay cancellation charges. After all, it is your decision to move and break the contract. The basic agreement is that you are paying for a service to be provided at a specific address, it is not a portable obligation that will follow you wherever you choose to live.

[#9]

@pint wrote:

The next issue, is if someone who is currently with plusnet moves to an area where open reach no longer sell copper what happens? Will plusnet provide a service, likewise if someone wants to change ISP, i.e. form Sky to Plusnet?‌‌

We wouldn't be able to provide a service but we'll be happy to waive termination fees if you go to EE or BT for FTTP.

We'd just ask that you call our customer options team on 0800 013 2632 to discuss and arrange this first.

[#10]

@pint 

It appears to me that there are two separate issues here.

If you move to a property that has FTTP only (ie no copper line) anywhere in the country then you will need to take a fibre based service. PlusNet currently don't supply one. With a FTTP only property you can get a VOIP only service (not certain who currently offer these - BT certainly will).

If you move to an area where the Exchange has stopped accepting PSTN (copper) orders voice & internet orders will still be accepted - they just need to be provided over the internet via existing copper or FTTP lines. So you should be able to transfer with PlusNet if a copper line exists.

Some information on the phase out of PSTN services can be found here

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/05/openreach-stops-selling-traditional-copper-phone-in-mi...

Brian

[#11]

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@bmc wrote:

If you move to an area where the Exchange has stopped accepting PSTN (copper) orders voice & internet orders will still be accepted - they just need to be provided over the internet via existing copper or FTTP lines. So you should be able to transfer with PlusNet if a copper line exists.

---

I put it to you that regardless of whether there is still copper going to a property, if the adslchecker says only FTTP is available then the Plusnet response will currently be:  'the computer says NO, go to BT ot EE' and take advantage of the offer promulgated by @Gandalf .

Obviously this will change if/when Plusnet offer FTTP.

[#12]

@Baldrick1 

As I understand it, if a copper line exists to a property then the Checker should show all available products. The ISP Review article states

"In practice, you’ll still be able to order things like ADSL (SOTAP), FTTC (SoGEA) and G.fast (SoGfast) based broadband products just like you can today, which all still use copper lines, as well full fibre FTTP, but now if you want to attach a phone service to these then it’ll be a digital-only (all-IP) connection that goes over broadband (e.g. plugging an analogue or DECT phone handset into a router instead of your wall socket). Come December 2025 this will be the norm for everybody."

Brian

[#13]

@bmc 

So what you ar saying is that @pint is wrong and properties can still get ADSL and FTTC even though it's a stop sell area providing there's already copper to the property?

There's something not joined up here. Unless of course Openreach disconnect the copper as soon as a contract is cancelled and it's the copper that's no longer joined up!

[#14]

@Baldrick1 

@pint started this thread by asking questions. Based on my understanding of the plans I hope I have been able to answer these.

The Stop Sell order applies to new PSTN orders - the copper connections themselves are not being withdrawn. They will continue to be used as required for SOTAP (ADSL), SoGEA (FTTC) & SoGfast (G.fast) 

Voice only services will be provided over SOGEA - see

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2020/03/openreach-formally-launch-naked-broadband-via-sogea.ht...

Further information on the Stop Sell can be found at

https://www.openreach.com/locations/mildenhall

Brian

[#15]

@bmc 

I hear what you say but I also read from your link:

On 4 May 2021 we stopped selling copper broadband services in the Mildenhall area. This means that you if you upgrade, re-grade or change service provider you'll be provided with a new digital line. 

I fully get the telephone connection changing from analogue to digital bit. What I can't get my head around is how a new ADSL line could be provided without it being a copper broadband service. I can't imagine Plusnet providing a new FTTP connection to a property and calling it ADSL because the speed was locked down to 20/1 Mbps.

Maybe I'm being too literal here.

[#16]

@Baldrick1 

I have no technical knowledge but in general think of it like this.

In an Exchange a copper line connects to a switch. This switch has two ports. One connects the phone service (PSTN) and the other port connects to the equipment providing the internet service. The port for the PSTN is no longer served by new connections but the port for internet services is still there.

I'm sure somebody could explain it better than this.

Brian