Question about upgrading from FTTC to FTTP

[#1]

I don’t post here often because our FTTC connection just works (helped by being connected to a UPS) so I don’t have much to write about.

Like most of you reading this you will have had the new price increase update and no this is not a rant about that.

I have a question;

Part of the email is all the ‘upgrades’ to FTTP, and I would just love to grab one but, and here is the rub. Openreach say on their website broadband checker people in my street/close area will not be upgraded to FTTP until late 2026 way beyond the cut off date of early 2025.

The reason is all our landline connections are old (installed 1975) and underground (as in just buried in the earth).

We do have a third party internet installer working in the area who, according to the leaflet through the door, can offer FTTP connections but at a monthly price above that charged by BT or Plusnet and no price for the install of the connection from the cabinet to the house. From what I have seen around the village this seems to be connections to existing poles were fibre has already been terminated.

So has anyone been in this situation and resolved the connection problem either with Openreach or a third party and how did they do it?

[#2]

My local observations show when a third party installs fibre to the premises then Openreach will back off and drop priority.

[#3]

Strange that, @Champnet - Connect Fibre cabled us up and claim to be providing a service 'sometime this month'. Our exchange wasn't supposed to be connected by OR until late 2025/early 2026, but we are now FTTP ready.

[#4]

Just a local observation, always happy to be proved wrong.

@jab1  but which supplier is ready to supply ?  Connect, Openreach, or both ?

[#5]

Openreach - Connect have gone strangely quiet.

[#6]

Just wonder if there’s an anti-competitive agreement…

[#7]

@Champnet I wouldn't know, but as Connect used the BT/OR cable routes, I doubt it.

[#8]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to Everything Else

[#9]

@Pendragon 

OpenReach are a law unto themselves when it comes to the FTTP rollout. From what you say there is no knowing when they will install.

If I'm reading your message correctly you may be mis-reading the 2025 date mentioned. 2025 is when PSTN is planned to be switched off. This does not affect your connection but you will lose your landline at some time in the next couple of years. Internet will still be supplied over the copper wire from the cabinet using an OR product called SOGEA. If you look at the ADSL Checker you'll probably find this is already available to you.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

If you want to keep your landline (and number) you'll need to open a VOIP account and port the number when you move to SOGEA or the AltNet FTTP.

You can get the AltNet FTTP without disrupting your PN account. Note that if you choose to leave PN you'd lose your email and any other add ons.

Brian

[#10 · Accepted solution]

Many thanks for the replies fellow users.

Ok seems I might have been somewhat confused because I thought (wrongly) that loosing my landline would also loose my internet access unless the FTTP had been installed/completed.

However from reading the BT checker (wish I had found that before thanks for the link) and correct me if I am wrong, new FTTC connections cannot be ordered only FTTP but if you already have it you can keep it.

So all I have to do is keep what I have (FTTC 79 down/ 19 up) and wait (assuming I’m still alive) until Openreach et ell have the push to actually get around to upgrading our half of the village. The checker says,

‘FTTP is not available.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme’

I assume the third party installer is grabbing the ‘Low Hanging Fruit’. The already fibre connected telegraph poles around the more ‘affluent’ and new build parts of the village. Openreach did ‘Blow In’ quite a bit of fibre to large parts of the aforementioned areas last year.

Next step, research some VoIP providers ( AltNet FTTP?) so I can keep my land line number. Thanks again for the help.

[#11]

@Pendragon 

Almost there. You can remain on FTTC as long as you like but at some point you will be transferred to a SOGEA connection and lose your landline. You can change at any point in your contract at the cost of a new contract.

You can change ISP but it would be to a SOGEA connection. If they offer a phone service it would be VOIP.

You can keep phone / internet so long as you're allowed but it would take a phone call to Support to get the contract renewed.

For VOIP have a look at A&A. They can handle the port of a "ceased" number and gave good FAQ pages.

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

Brian

[#12]

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@Pendragon wrote:

Next step, research some VoIP providers

Many of us here have successfully moved our landline phone numbers to A&A's VoIP service -

        https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

EDIT: @bmc replied quicker than me !

[#13]

@Pendragon 

Just to add a bit to my last post.

If FTTP is available then that's all you can order. If it's not then you get FTTC or then ADSL.

Brian

[#14]

@bmc  I believe that only applies to Fibre priority exchanges which have a certain percentage of properties with FTTP available, possibly 75%. I just checked an address with FTTP installed and SOGEA and ADSL products are still available.