Renew Contract or switch provider - optimum timeline...?

[#1]

Fair enough, but as I said, the only altnet round here (atm) is Connect Fibre, a they too certainly use all solid cabling (and BT chambers and poles).

The fibre arm of Virgin  have also put cables in the BT chambers and their own street cabs &c up,but I don't know if the system is working yet - I certainly haven't seen any flyers.

It is academic for me though - unless Zen either skyrocket their prices or start behaving like GPO Telephones - sorry - BT/Openreach - I'm very unlikely to move.

[#2]

City Fibre (and Youfibre) have both used existing Openreach ducts where possible but have provided other ducts where the existing ones are over subscribed or, in the case of City Fibre, to connect to their own cabinets.. They both seem to use existing Openreach poles for overhead feeds judging by the kit and cables appearing on the poles.