FTTP Plusnet in County Broadband area

[#1]

Hi Guys,

Im in rural Norfolk, long standing Plusnet customer, very happy with them.

Our area has been provided with a fibre network from County Broadband, who have tried to sell to me a package with them. Im not convinced with their customer service reputation so declined the offer. I have checked the FTTP availability from Plusnet here and its not available, seems County Broadband have a FTTP monopoly in my area.

However a few miles down the road in Kenninghall the fibre installed by County Broadband is being offered to customers of Plusnet and others. I have checked the Openreach map and officially the exchange there close to Kenninghall is not in the build plan..

Does anyone know why Plusnet are not offering the service in all County Broadband areas ?

Thanks

Andrew

[#2]

@Andrew70 I doubt anyone can get PLUSNET internet connection over County Broadbands network - PN are a BT brand and will only use the Openreach network.

[#3]

Plusnet are a BT owned company, and ONLY use Openreach cables to your home.

We have County Broadband locally here in Essex, and as you say the customer service is poor, and their FTTP connections here are reported as down far more often than the default Openreach FTTC,  also lookout for the huge price hike after the initial introductory price contract has come to an end !

I did look into upgrading my broadband to County Broadband, and for me their technical support team were unable to answer ANY of my (not difficult) questions about their service, and their sales pitch was that they did everything better than any competitor - which was obviously a lie.

I'm sticking with Openreach SoGEA, until BT eventually over install FTTP here, and I can use an ISP of my choice.

[#4]

@Andrew70 

I suspect customers elsewhere have had both OR FTTP and County Broadband networks installed therefore have a choice.

Count Broadband do not have a monopoly - it's simply that no one else has installed a FTTP network in your area.

Brian

[#5]

Thanks for the replies. Can I assume then the Openreach map is out of date ?

it says "no plans to upgrade the Quidenham exchange" postcode NR16 2EP, yet its available via Plusnet and others..

https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/where-when-building-ultrafast-full-fibre-broadband

[#6]

Try different addresses in the Ofcom checker - https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/broadband-coverage 

[#7]

Ofcom checker also says Ultrafast not available NR16 2EP... very strange

[#8]

@Anonymous 

As suggested try the Address version of the Checker. For OpenReach FTTP you're looking for WBC FTTP in the left hand column.

To re-iteriate - PN only use the OR network.

Brian

Edit : This is the Checker I meant https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

[#9]

Sometimes there is a pocket of properties that have Openreach FTTP available because somebody paid (a lot) for the FTTPoD service - FTTP becomes available for properties that are within easy reach of an FTTPoD property.

[#10]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to Everything Else

[#11]

Checked random address in the Kenninghall area and WBC FTTP stated as "Unavailable" under the availability date column BUT in the text at the bottom says this :

"Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH Feed with no anticipated issues.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL availability: If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules.CPs should order FTTP or SOGEA. Copper products are only available by exception.

Thank you for your interest"

[#12]

@Andrew70  - try this link -  ThinkBroadband map

then on the right hand side, toggle the tick boxes for "Openreach native FTTP" and "County Broadband Fibre FTTH"

to see where the respective existing FTTP installations are.

[#13]

One of those two things - either the 'availability' column, or the text, is wrong.

[#14]

@jab1 

Not necessarily - it could be that due to an issue OR are not accepting orders. From memory I've seen this before.

Brian

[#15]

@Anonymous Thanks for the link to the map, very interesting. I can see a few County Broadband connections and zero Openreach native in Kenninghall. A bit odd that