Gigantic and PlusNet

[#1]

Hi, I am currently on fttc, giganet are installing Fttp in my area and it would appear that I will (reluctantly) have to leave PlusNet if I want to have Fttp. Is this correct?
It seems a bit strange that an infrastructure installer effectively takes over an area removing the choice of ISP.

Interested to see if anyone knows any different.

[#2]

@tgd  Welcome to the Community Fora.

This sounds like sharp/dishonest sales patter from the Altnet supplier to me.

Have Plusnet or Openreach contacted you and told you that they are withdrawing your service? If not, treat this with the contempt that it deserves,

[#3]

Looks like standard practice to me. The OP is being told by Altnet that if they want to move to FTTP then they'll have to leave their current supplier and use one of Altnet's preferred suppliers.

[#4]

@tgd If you want FTTP from Plusnet you will have to wait until Openreach install it in your area as Plusnet only use their network. Giganet are not taking over the area, you are under no obligation to move to them. Some people will if they are desperate to get higher speeds. Many areas have more than one FTTP network available. Do Openreach give any indication of when they may be installing in your area? Try this checker.....

https://www.openreach.com/fibre-checker 

[#5]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to Everything Else

[#6]

@tgd 

Sorry, I was obviously still half asleep when I read your post this morning and read it as if the Giganet agent had told you that you would lose your current connection unless you moved to their Altnet.

As has been explained, they are a competitor to Openreach. Their presence does not mean that they are 'taking over the area' or that Openreach will not install in your area at some future date, giving you the choice of full fibre ISPs. However, Gigaclear are the first on the scene with FTTP.

[#7]

We have CityFibre running along the pavement outside our house. Checking the Openreach fibre checker estimates are currently late 2026, obviously no rush to replicate installations. You'd really think these companies could work together so ISPs could offer a service over which ever cabling is available...... Isn't that how electricity and gas supply companies work ?

[#8]

Thanks to all who responded. It does seem ridiculous that unless the carrier used by your ISP lays Fibre you will (if you want FTTP) have to change to an ISP who uses whoever laid it.

As I said, I’m on FTTC, which shouldn’t be too bad but rather than be connected to the cabinet at the end of my road (approx 100m) the connection is to a cabinet nearly a mile away with the inevitable impact on line speed- 25mb on a good day.

I’ve used the OpenReach checker and unfortunately there is no information as to when (if at all) they will be providing FTTP in my area 😡

[#9]

When using https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL earlier this year to see what potential speeds we could get while property searching I noticed that most of the areas with excellent speeds 70-80Mbps are FTTP enabled yet many (most in my experience) of areas with less than 50Mbps were not enabled and not classed as priority.

I would have thought that those with much lower speeds should be a priority?

[#10]

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@Mav wrote:

I would have thought that those with much lower speeds should be a priority?

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I’d guess that decision would be based on population density….

[#11]

I’d guess that decision would be based on population density

yep, purely predicted profitability....

[#12]

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@Champnet wrote:

We have CityFibre running along the pavement outside our house. Checking the Openreach fibre checker estimates are currently late 2026, obviously no rush to replicate installations. You'd really think these companies could work together so ISPs could offer a service over which ever cabling is available...... Isn't that how electricity and gas supply companies work ?

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The whole point here is that there is competition at the FTTP infrastructure level.

There's a good argument to be made that Openreach would be far slower with their FTTP network rollout if there wasn't this competitive pressure.

[#13]

@Champnet 

I checked the BT Fibre Checker again to see if there is any indication as to when Fibre might be available - all it shows is “Not yet available” So I guess your date of 2026 is pretty positive in comparison…

[#14]

Fortunately I do have a choice, unfortunately I’d have to leave Plusnet….

[#15]

@Champnet That’s exactly the situation I’m in - to get FTTP in a reasonable timeframe I would have to (very reluctantly, as I have found their customer service to be exemplary) leave PlusNet.