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100Mbps has arrived! Plusnet begins Fibre to the Premises Trial

100Mbps has arrived! Plusnet begins Fibre to the Premises Trial

100Mbps has arrived! Plusnet begins Fibre to the Premises Trial

fibre1-300x247We thought today would be rather timely to post an update about our fibre trials. Today saw the first customer in the UK to go live on BT's Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) trial and he's a Plusnet customer! One of the first things he did was run a speedtest and this was the result:

77Mbps down 15Mbps up

Latency to the BBC 5-6ms

(note: as with DSL there will be a certain amount of overheads on the connection). You can read his initial feedback in our forums. Our next batch of FTTP customers are expected to go live on the trial in the next couple of weeks. We have about a dozen customers currently lined up in Milton Keynes to go on the trial and will be contacting other customers in the trial area to see if they would like to take part later in the trial. If you are in the area please feel free to post in our trial forum and we can check if you're in one of the trial areas.

FTTP offers speeds of up to 100Mbps down and currently up to 15Mbps up (the upstream will be increased later in the trial). Unlike existing DSL broadband services there's no copper involved in the connection, an engineer will run fibre optic cable direct to your home. As such certain limitations on copper such as the speed decreasing the further you are from the exchange are no longer an issue. Find out more in our handy guide how fibre broadband works.

Is 100Mbps overkill? What will people find to do with 100Mbps? It's hard to say, from an application point of view what services will make best use of speeds that high? File downloads will benefit of course and the faster upload will really help people that send large files or host services. Our first thoughts on the faster downloads will be the benefits it gives to people with slower speeds. For those with speeds under 2-3Mbps on DSL the difference will be huge. Where in the past they may have struggled to watch online video for example they can now watch iPlayer HD with ease and also download files at the same time and have someone else in the household play games or watch another HD stream at the same time. We've begun an FAQ page for FTTP here and will add to it as and when more questions come up. The big question people will be asking is "when can I get it?". At the moment the trial is very limited in availability. The trial is currently limited to parts of the Milton Keynes and will expand to Highhams Park in London in the next few weeks. In the coming months we're expecting two further exchanges, Leytonstone and York to be added to the trial. Not all areas covered by each of the exchange will be able to get FTTP. The broadband availability checker is being updated to say when an individual line can get FTTP. We expect that the rollout of FTTP will continue into further areas next year in a similar way to Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) has been doing. Some customers will remember we began trialling FTTC a year ago. Our trial is still ongoing, we now have about 65 customers on the FTTC trial. The results of the trial are very promising with most of our customers seeing download speeds above 30Mbps down and 6Mbps up. Areas that offer FTTC are expanding on a weekly basis as more exchanges and cabinets are enabled. A list of the exchanges to get FTTC is available here with approximate dates. Like FTTP not every line on an exchange will be able to get FTTC as not every cabinet will be enabled and not every line will be able to support FTTC. If your exchange is on the list as being enabled then to check if your cabinet is ready and your line can support it you can check this using the availability checker. You must though check using the phone number as postcodes can be served by more than one cabinet. If you would like to take part in the trial and your line can get FTTC then please have a read through the FAQs and T's & C's and raise a ticket via the link here. You can discuss either trial in our dedicated Fibre Trials forum here.

Dave Tomlinson Plusnet plc

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60 Comments
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60 Comments
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Plusnet PLC, Richard Burkinshaw. Richard Burkinshaw said: RT @plusnet: 100Mbps has arrived! Plusnet begins Fibre to the Premises Trial http://bit.ly/9R4quO [...]
scootie1
Not applicable
5-6ms to bbc.co.uk. asbo sits here drooling
NSavage
Newbie
@ asbo - me to, I keep going up to Dave and asking him if he can tell BT to connect my exchange. Sadly it doesn't quite work like that ;) He just keeps telling me to move to Milton Keynes. It's a bit more of a commitment than I'm willing to give...
Mark_-_ISPrevie
Not applicable
Excellent work becoming the first ISP to get a real customer connected to FTTP, it may be 6 months late to the party from BT but the service is a major step forward over the old network.
Steve_M
Not applicable
I dont know Im just out of contract and leaving PN and something exciting and MAJOR like this happens, Oh well my contract on new ISP is 18 month, Think this will be the Norm by then?? I sure do hope so!!
canarycity
Newbie
I wish I get faster then 2Mps, no chance of me getting this kind of speed.
mudstuff1
Not applicable
Great news, could you confirm if Monkston Park (MK) is in the FTTP trial area, i think it is? How can I get on the trial? I'm not currently a plusnet customer but seriously considering it! Cheesy
dave
Plusnet Help Team
mudstuff, I've dropped you a mail, if you can let me know your postcode I can check if you're in one of the areas that's being covered.
Sanj
Not applicable
Hi Dave my postcode is mk10 9jw can I get on the Middleton trial? I'm not a plusnet member but wanted to know if I could join the trial? Regards, Sanj
dave
Plusnet Help Team
Hi Sanj, Your postcode shows that it will be covered by the trial, do you want me to send you a mail when the area gets enabled and you can then decide what you want to do? To take part with us you would of course need to be a Plusnet broadband customer, but we've no limitation on who takes part in the trial or how many just so long as you're happy with the Ts & Cs and that it is a trial basis.
Be3G
Grafter
I hope Value customers think carefully before deciding to give FTTP a go… at the real-world speeds reported in the post, one's whole monthly allowance would be used in under 20 minutes of solid downloading! (That's not a criticism of the download allowance by the way, merely a little marvelling at FTTP's ability to shift so much data in such little time…)
networkhenry
Not applicable
I had a chat with one of the BT Open Reach guys as he was labelling up the termination point of the fibre that drops in right under our server room, they ran it in a few weeks ago and I have been trying to get onboard since! Now after seeing on news sites that a residential Plusnet customer has already managed to get on to their fibre connection I decided to give Plusnet a shot. I am excited about what this will mean for other businesses too lucky enough to be within this exchange! For most people I guess the download speeds will be the exciting part (with the exception of the RIAA and MPAA), for us and I am sure others too this will bring a great benefit to our network. However I think the greatly improved upload speeds too, at what will after the trial hopefully remain a reasonable cost is a welcome improvement also. Although I believe there will always be a place for dedicated hosting companies, the ability for SMB's to more cheaply host their own data such as MySql databases and websites etc within their own company network for even quicker manipulation and potentially increased security could perhaps have an impact on hosting companies costing structure... Maybe by 2015 when many more exchanges provide FTTP...?
alan_moffett
Not applicable
Hi Dave im in Northern Ireland is possible to get on this trial my exchange is limavady im a plusnet customer
Deepfat
Dabbler
Great news - I'd also be delighted to 'assist' in the trial. LU7 3BT. We have had consistent ADSL 2+ issues (3 x BT Visits) and the Fibre would be seen as a distinct way forward as my wife and I regularly work from home.
KJILM12311
Not applicable
Where is my trial ? I think I deserve it after being cut off.
chris24
Not applicable
is the DA1 area post code covered with the trial 🙂 i guess its not but thought i would ask
dave
Plusnet Help Team
networkhenry - I think you've already spoken to one of my colleagues in sales, I'll be in touch in the next couple weeks once you're area is ready for the trial Alan - unfortunately your exchange isn't current on the fibre lists, you can check which exchanges are on the list here: http://community.plus.net/21cn-exchange-availability/ we'll update it as and when new exchanges are added. Your exchange is though due to get 21CN later this year which will bring ADSL2+. Phil - your postcode shows you might be in an FTTC area, check your phone number here: http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.postcode and if it says you can get FTTC raise a ticket using the link in the blog above. KJILM123 - if it's available in your area more than happy to have you on the trial, if you check the link above it should tell you if it's available Chris - it won't be covered by FTTP but might be for FTTC. DA1 I'm guessing is Dartford which is on the FTTC list, again check your phone number in the link above and see if it says you can get FTTC. The exchange was only due last month so it may not show up as enabled yet if the cabinet hasn't been done yet as not every cabinet gets done for the first day the exchange is ready.
networkhenry
Not applicable
Hi Dave yes that was me, my account was set up last week and it looks like my DD's will start to be drawn from Aug 2nd so I guess It's just the waiting game now.. I had a chat with one of the Open Reach engineers before they left our area last week and I am fairly sure ours is now live (SMBA) would you be able to PM me any info on expected timescales, I understand you probably cannot give me an exact date... Ps have any other customers gone live yet on the Bradwell Abbey Exchange?
Sanj
Not applicable
Dave do i need to be a plusnet customer to get on the trial? as I still have a few months before I can leave my current ISP. Can you email me your number so we can talk further? My postcode is covered MK10 9JW
Roy_T-H
Not applicable
having had our street FTTP enabled and the BT checker say my phone number is FTTP ready i phoned up plus net to get on board and told my postcode MK10 9AY is not covered by the trial, I am not far off other post codes listed above that are covered, I am Pissed off now. how rubbish is this!
dave
Plusnet Help Team
networkhenry - no other Plusnet customers live yet, the rest of the areas have been delayed a little so I'm hopeful the next ones will be next week now. Sanjay - I'll drop you a mail, your postcode is in the trial area, but it's not ready yet Roy - Sorry about the confusion, the support team at the moment have very little information about FTTP as the data keeps changing on a near daily basis so it's hard enough for me to keep track never mind everyone in the call centre. Your postcode does show as being covered by the trial, although it isn't enabled yet. I'll drop you a mail as well.
Jay2
Not applicable
Hi. Interested in FTTC - the only option available in my area (cabinet due to go live by 30/09/10). However, don't want to lose my current internet service during the switchover. Have spare capacity on my dual-wan switch to connect another service. My preference would to run both my current provider (Be*) and FTTC thru plusnet at the same time for a month or so before cancelling my Be* service. Would I need to get a second BT line on order now, to be prepared? Anything else I need to do? Oh, a couple of other questions - I'll need a few (at least 3, although I already have 4) static IPs - and I'll "needm" plusnet to amend the reverse PTR to the name of my hosts for two of them. Be* have done this - I assume this won't represent an issue on plusnet? Thanks in advance, J
bobpullen1
Not applicable
@Jay If you want to run Be's service in parallel then yes, you'd need a second line installing. How many 'usable' static IP's do you need as a 4-block would only provide you with 2 and we don't tend to be in the habit of providing blocks on residential accounts. We'd also need pretty decent justification as to why you need them. If what you're doing can be achieved using NAT then it's unlikely your request for additional IPs would be honoured.
Jay2
Not applicable
Bob, Thanks for the fast response. I have a limited company and can order a business tariff if needed... I have a Virgin cable broadband which is used for internet browsing, My ADSL service is used for running a couple of test servers connected to the internet for my "working from home" projects. I cannot use NAT for this purpose. It is POSSIBLE for me to use a perimeter ISA server (or similar) to use SPI and forward to the internal servers. However, this represents an unnacceptable performance and confguration overhead. Do plusnet have FTTC available to businesses?
bob_lindsay
Not applicable
Please put my name forward FTTC trials
nolan1
Just browsing
@Dave The Phone number checker above is missing the suffix ".welcome" :) http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome If the exchange is FTTC enabled is that all that is needed to partake in the 'trials' as my exchange doesn't support ADSL2+? Thanks
bobpullen1
Not applicable
@The 10th, I've corrected the link in Dave's comment, thanks for pointing that out. FTTC is reliant on BTw's 21CN network so if ADSL2+ isn't available at your exchange then fibre won't be either.
David_J1
Not applicable
I am not currently a plusnet customer, but am happy to move if and when my address is FTTP enabled. My postcode is MK10 9NY, which is in the Broughton areas of Milton Keynes. Do you have any information if this area will be covered by the FTTP trial? Thanks in advance.
dave
Plusnet Help Team
Hi David, your postcode is on the "to be enabled" list but it's not enabled yet. There's no date been published yet but they only announce dates a week ahead. If you like I can keep a note of your details and drop you a mail when it's enabled.
David_J1
Not applicable
Thanks for the prompt and positive reply. I would be very greatful for more information when my address is finally enabled. Regards
PETER_DABARE
Not applicable
I WAS PART OF THE TRIAL BEFORE I MOVED AND WAS WELL HAPPY WITH THIS SERVICE AND HAVE JUST FILLED IN THE FORM ON TO BEABLE TO HAVE IT AGAIN AS I HAVE NOW MOVED AND WAS TOLD THAT IG7 6HS IS OK TO HAVE IT BUT WILL PLUSNET SAY YES?!?!?! (PLEASE:)
bc
Dabbler
Hi David, is MK10 9DR covered by the trial?
maneeshks
Dabbler
Hi Dave, I live in Loughton, Milton keynes (MK5 8ER). i am not on Plusnet, but i am happy to move if you can enable fttp for me? thanks, Maneesh
James111
Not applicable
Hi Dave, My postcode is RH136RH and I am a Plusnet customer. Do you have any information if this area will be covered by the FTTP trial? My exchange is showing a mix of information (details below) Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 1Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 1.5Mbps. Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 31st December 2011. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 20Mbps and upstream line speed of 8.8Mbps.
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi, I've just checked the DSL checker site using my house number and postcode and it says FTTP is available. I can't check using the phone number because I don't have a BT line, I'm with Tiscali/TalkTalk. I know the fibres run past my house because I watched them flood the area with fibre & "interrogated" the engineers doing it. I would like to move to Plusnet for FTTP (not FTTC) but can I really get it? If I can, I will move ASAP, if not, what are my options please? Thanks, Frank.
Dave_P
Not applicable
Hi Dave BT have just announced the rollout of fibre in Cornwall in a joint projetc funded by the EU and BT. Any idea if and when the PL25 area will be 'connected'? Cheers Dave
dave
Plusnet Help Team
Dave P - I've got the list of areas in Cornwall yet, once I do I'll update our 21CN availability page here: http://community.plus.net/21cn-exchange-availability/ Frank - I can check if your postcode is covered, I'll drop you a mail if you can let me know I can check James - Looks like it's a no to FTTP but a yes to FTTC next year, your exchange and cab are on the plan to get done, keep an eye on the checker as it will update as and when the date gets changed. No line will get the choice of FTTC or FTTP it'll be one or the other as they won't mix them in an area. Maneesh - your postcode shows as being in the enabled area. I can't give you a 100% guarantee that you can get it (blocks of flats and multi occupancy business units can't for example) but if you move across then by all means I can place an order for you and give it a go. Brian - unfortunately your area isn't covered at the moment, it may get filled in at some point if they decide to deploy FTTC in the areas that didn't get covered Peter - just replied to your ticket, you should be back now :) David J - I've added you to my list, I'll send you a mail when it gets done.
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi Dave, Thanks for your reply. I've jumped the gun a bit, as I started the migration process yesterday to Plusnet. My postcode is MK5 7PY. I'm keeping everything crossed! Thanks, Frank.
ST2
Not applicable
All sounds very interesting but I think given the recent security issues with customer data, customers posting their Postcodes need to also think about the data they expose on here!
dave
Plusnet Help Team
Good point, I'll try and get the ones here removed.
dave
Plusnet Help Team
Frank, I've sent you an invite ticket out.
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi Dave, Thanks, that's great news! Have you sent it to my ntl email address, or by post please? Regards, Frank.
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi Dave, I spoke to Freyer in Customer Services today to see how the migration was going - 3 more days or so before the phone changes and another week or so for the adsl. She resent my FTTP invite ticket out to my ntl email address, but it still hasn't arrived. I'm wondering whether my email address is incorrect on the system? It's correct on here! Regards, Frank
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
HI Frank, I have made sure you have the correct email on your account and have sent you a copy of the original. To reply to that then log in to your account where there is a ticket with the same information. Jojo Smiley
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi Jojo, Thanks for your message. I spoke to Customer Services again yesterday evening to confirm my email address was correct, which it was. I suspected there was a problem with the ntl address, so asked the person to change my account and resend, but the ticket still hasn't arrived. I was told the ticket is also waiting for me in my plusnet mailbox, but as I'm not yet active, I can't get at it. I was also told it will now be another couple of weeks for the phone and yet another week or so before broadband is connected 😞 It seems I'm a bit stuck at the moment - waiting to move and chomping at the bit! Regards, Frank.
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
HI Frank. I sent you a copy of that email from my own mailbox and didn't receive a bounce back, so I'm not sure why you haven't received that you might have to contact NTL about that. Your account is already created so you can go to the plusnet website click membercenter and log in using your plusnet details, you'll be able to see the ticket there. Jojo Smiley
Frank1
Not applicable
Hi Jojo, Thanks for your reply. For some reason, the emails didn't get through to the NTL inbox & there's no sign of them in the spam filter either. I no longer have a paid-for NTL account, so can't really chase it (It's actually Virgin now as I'm sure you know). I haven't been with them for about 8 years. I have managed to get into my Plusnet account and replied to the trial invite. The phone line should change today, followed by ADSL in the next few days hopefully, then I await the appointment for the fibre install! I'm sure it will be worth the wait. Many thanks for your help. Frank.
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
HI Frank, maybe you should use another email address for your notifications then as not only was it sent by our systems but I also sent it from my personal work email too. Jojo Smiley
alex2
Not applicable
Hi Dave, I also live in the Broughton area of Milton Keynes postcode MK10 9NY. Could you let me know when FTTP or FTTC is available and I will be more than happy to join Plusnet. Many thanks
Oliver2
Not applicable
Hi, I live in Milton Keynes, my next door neighbour is on the trial so i know the fibre optic is in my area! How long will I have to wait to get on to the trial do you think? I am signing up to plus net currently! Cheers!