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Fibre available? - Opinions differ

lowden
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Registered: ‎18-10-2007

Fibre available? - Opinions differ

Ever since the fibre boxes arrived on my street's telephone poles a few months ago, I have been keen to upgrade, but Plusnet's support chat are emphatically telling me 'computer says not available'. But if I go to the BT Broadband availability checker and enter my postcode AND full address (and those of my neighbours), it says it is. Surely Openreach can't favour BT over Plusnet? Does this mean that Plusnet have got it wrong (and I'm pessimistic about convincing them of that) or that BT are lying?

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dvorak
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ


Moderators Note


This topic has been moved from  Fibre to My Orders

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dvorak
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

What happens when you put your phone number in here https://my.btwholesale.com/includes/adsl/adsl.htm?s_cid=ws_furls_adslchecker - the postcode / address isn't 100% accurate.
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bmc
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

@lowden 

It appears dvorak beat me too it!!!  Can you post an image of the results.

 

What does the OpenReach checker say

https://www.openreach.com/

 

Brian

 

 

Mads
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

Hey @lowden,

 

As the users above have mentioned you could check the linked website entering your full landline telephone number: https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/ . You can also call into our Customer Options team on 0800 013 2632 as they will be able to discuss an upgrade to fibre, the availability and prices available to you.

 

Thank you.

lowden
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

Here's a screenshot - and the other BT checker says 'FTTP is available'. I only want vanilla FTTC though, to get my download speed a bit faster and my upload speed a lot faster, compared to ADSL.

dvorak
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

You can't get FTTC only FTTP, which PN don't support sadly.
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bmc
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

@lowden 

PlusNet staff are technically correct in saying they can't supply faster broadband. However you think they might have said that FTTP was available if you move ISP.

 

Unluckily for you PlusNet don't currently offer a FTTP service so if you want faster speed you need to move. BT and Zen are the two best known names offering a service though Sky are supposed to starting towards the end of the year. Several smaller ISP's also offer FTTP. A new one (to me) is

https://www.aquiss.net/home-broadband-packages/

 

On technical matters the results say that they should be able to install FTTP on one visit (One Stage) and that you have an OH feed with no anticipated issues. They do require access to your house to install the ONT.

 

Brian

lowden
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

I thought FTTP was the luxury version where they run fibre optic cable into your house, and FTTC was the ordinary version which was good enough for domestic use, where you just attach a different router to your master socket. And that the latter was going to be the easier-to-offer mass-market offering.

That's what I was hoping for.

I can sort of understand that they might have FTTP available earlier than FTTC if it can have premium pricing, but surely Openreach would intend to get round to offering FTTC?

RandallFlagg
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

 

Hi @lowden

 

All of the info you've been given on this thread is absolutely correct.

 

FTTP uses a slightly different infrastructure to connect to your premises (essentially, it doesn't use the phone line at any point) which is why FTTP may show as available where FTTC isn't.

 

As much as we'd like to provide you with a service, if FTTC isn't showing as available on DSLchecker we'll be unable to do so.

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

bmc
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

@lowden 

Given that FTTP is available I would suggest Hell would need to freeze over before FTTC was installed - as you already have the better product available. FTTC depends on the distance to your cabinet and for it to have enough lines to support the cost of a FTTC deployment (a new cabinet, fibre to that cabinet and a power supply).

 

With FTTP distance isn't a problem. On a 38/10 product you should get around 36-37/9

 

As far as I'm aware most ISP's who offer FTTP charge the same for 38/10 & 78/20 as they would for FTTC. If there's a choice of which product to supply a service over (which is happening in some places due to FTTC being available before a FTTP deployment was made) then I suspect it'll always be FTTP as you get better speeds.

 

When PlusNet had a Trial running for FTTP (it closed to new applicants in July last year) they charged the same as FTTC service and you would assume if they ever get around to offering a commercial FTTP service that would continue.

 

As for you immediate needs - if you want more speed you need to change ISP.

 

Brian

Baldrick1
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ


@lowden wrote:

I can sort of understand that they might have FTTP available earlier than FTTC if it can have premium pricing, but surely Openreach would intend to get round to offering FTTC?


Think of it more this way. FTTC is a complex bodge to get digital data from the street cabinet to your home over 19th century telephone wiring technology. FTTP is finally becoming available to some, which should lead to a far cheaper (once the initial installation costs are recovered), faster and reliable connection. So rejoice that you have access to FTTP. The cost can only drop relative to FTTC in time.

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lowden
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Registered: ‎18-10-2007

Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

Thanks for that info, especially bmc and Baldrick - I'd clearly misunderstood how FTTC and FTTP would be marketed. I'll go and educate myself about FTTP.

Rhyn
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

There's a lot of people who would surrender a part of their anatomy for FTTP. 

bmc
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Re: Fibre available? - Opinions differ

@lowden 

As I understand it OpenReach would replace your current phone line with a hybrid phone/fibre cable run to your house (split at either end into component parts). The fibre gets connected to an Optical Network Terminator (ONT) which is fixed to an internal wall near a power source. There is some leeway as to where it's put within your house - it would depend on what the engineer thinks on the day as to your preferred location. Note that if the fibre comes in through your existing phone entry and you want the ONT elsewhere in the room they staple to fibre to the skirting board. They won't do an internal cable run to put the ONT in another room.

 

The router gets connected to the ONT with an Ethernet cable which does give you some discretion as to where you want it - if you're happy running Ethernet cable.

 

If you go with either BT or Zen they give you a far better router than PlusNet would (even if they offered FTTP!!!).

 

Note that you don't need a phone line for FTTP though savings are minimal (last time I checked) if you went for a FTTP only service. BT don't even offer the choice. You can also use VOIP.

 

Brian