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Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

jb1233
Newbie
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Registered: ‎09-09-2020

Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

Is there any update on when Plusnet may be offering ultrafast services based on Openreach FTTP? There is a community fibre project running in my area where over 100 houses are about to get FTTP, some of which are Plusnet customers who may be forced to move elsewhere to upgrade.

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Baldrick1
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

@jb1233  Welcome to the forum.

This question keeps cropping up. Whatever plans Plusnet have if any to provide FTTP is not being shared outside of Plusnet so they will have to sign up with a different provider.

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ndv
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

@jb1233

I'm in the same position.  Openreach have installed FTTP throughout my local area, but when I ask to upgrade from painfully slow ADSL (1.5Mbps) I'm told that Plusnet has "No plans to offer FTTP products".

The expert view on this forum seems to be... if you want FTTP you have to leave Plusnet.

Now that FTTP is being rolled out to so many remote places there are going to be many people in the same position, and unfortunately Plusnet is going to lose an awful lot of long term customers. 

 

Strat
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

Moderators Note
This topic has been moved from Plusnet Feedback to FTTP Trial.
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ccarmock
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

Seems crazy dosn't it - but Plusnet, while trialling FTTP before many, then stopped and others have taken over the lead

Usually PlusNet just follow Talk talk (remember the ridiculous situation on 2 Mb/s upload on some FTTC services).  As soon as Talk Talk changed their policy PlusNet followed, but that has not happened with FTTP.

So PlusNet went from trialblazers, to followers to laggards!

As others have suggested here Plusnet have become the bargain basement of ISPs since being taken over by BT who offer their premium services under the BT brand. That's fine because in some cases a budget service is what people want or need.

We are now getting to the time where BT have indicated their intent to stop sale of copper services in some 118 exchange  areas, meaning plusnet services will not be available to customers in those areas without an existing copper service.  Thus PN's market will gradually reduce.

 

What I think would be an idea, for Plusnet to continue in the bargain end of the spectrum, is offer an 80/20 service on FTTP.   They should focus more on the speeds they offer and less on the way to deliver them.   They could leave the more ultrafast FTTP services to the BT brand.     Since under that brand 80/20 isn't an option, this could be a way PN can make a service offering thats more guaranteed to provide the 80/20 service at the full speed than FTTC and still leave the more advanced services to BT.

 

Alex
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

I know I commented on another thread about this.

I'm seeing it crop up more times on the forum about FTTP (you lucky people who can get it!). I didn't even have FTTC when I moved here, so my only option for cable was Branson Media now he seem to have managed to take complete control of the cable network in the UK. How Branson got away with that I don't know, he must have given the Monopolies and Mergers Comission a nice bit of a backhander to stay quiet. 🙄

Sorry back on topic, but yes I am seeing a pattern (basically of it being asked more on here). PlusNet are not giving much away as to whether they'll support it within any of of our life expectancies. I can understand management may not be sure yet, so can't make any promises, certain people may be under non-disclosure agreements (the good old NDA's) so can't say.

They're just losing customers, will lose more and the problem will just get worse as FTTP gets more popular. They seem to have done some of the work to be able to offer it a trial. I appreciate for PlusNet there may be a lot more work, such as back end system changes, staff training, testing, deployment, rolling out changes from test platforms to live at say 3am (I know how fun that isn't!).

Just trying to be constructive, and (for a change) I am trying not to moan too much.

danludlow
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

Is the general slowdown many seem to be experiencing in their FTTC service part of a plan to make the difference greater between FTTC and FTTP and encourage (goad) customers to take up the faster (and more expensive?) service as it rolls out.

FTTC has technologies to make it faster but seems these are not being rolled out at the moment. The future is Fibre to the Premises or at least fibre to the pole isn't it. 

PlusNet must at some stage offer these, even at slower speed packages and cheaper the speeds will at least be stable. But then I guess why use BT if you can get 80/100Mbps down and 20Mbps Up for a cheaper price?

How reliable is Fibre? Fit and forget? If so you don't need a lot of costly support like you do with FTTC do you. 

danlebath
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

I shall be leaving Plusnet when my contract runs out in a few months. I've got fttp in the area and it's been there for nearly a year. I doubt it'll be BT, Plusnet's owners as that's probably their marketing ploy.
bmc
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

@danlebath 

Latest news is PlusNet will be offering FTTP a "little later" than summer. There is also an updated router in the works.

 

However, there will be no details available until PlusNet launch.

 

Brian

ndv
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

If this is true it would be really good news for those of who have remained on board in the hope being able to upgrade to FTTP with PN.

Is this news from a reasonably reliable source? We have heard so many hints before that it "may be offered, but no plans at the moment....."

Nigel

bmc
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

ndv
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Re: Ultrafast Openreach FTTP

Brian thanks for the links, in particular the ISPreview article is convincing evidence that some progress towards an FTTP product launch could at last be in the wings, and that this might be more than just "corporate marketing noise".

However I guess we must continue to be patient, as there's still plenty of room for delays.

Nigel