Price differences and the governments gigabit voucher scheme

[#1]

Hi all, 

We recently got invited to the governments gigabit voucher scheme where you pledge to enrol with a compatible provider - It's showing as 75% of the target pledge completed but I can see various providers as well as openreach's fibre checker offering full fibre 900mpbs connections to my address (We've only been able to get up to 20mpbs until recently as I'm quite rural).

I've got 2 questions:
1. Is there a reason/catch as to why the price at plusnet is 41.99/m and BT 52.99/m for the same product?
2. As this is 900mpbs, it presumably doesn't fall into the Gigabit Voucher Scheme but there's not much information about any of it online, so if anyone has any idea around how that'll effect me when the scheme reaches completion, particularly if I'm locked in to a 24/m contract, I'd appreciate that.

Thanks

[#2]

@BNC 

While BT and PN are part of the same group they are different retail brands so have their own pricing policy. The BT offering may well include VOIP whereas the PN one doesn't (they don't do VOIP).

Don't know why you were offered a Voucher when FTTP is already available to you. It's to encourage providers to install FTTP in areas where it is uneconomical to do so commercially.

As an aside think carefully about just what speed you need if you upgrade to FTTP. PlusNet will upgrade you mid contract (you lose your phone line) or will allow you to transfer to BT foc to keep your landline (at least they have in the past). Just make sure you arrange things through them.

Brian

[#3]

@BNC 

Are you saying that there’s other full fibre operators as well as Openreach supplying your property?

The gigabit voucher scheme can offer speeds up to 900Mbps of usable speed. However you don’t need to take the full speed, you can take slower, cheaper max speeds. Read the voucher scheme T’s and C’s. If there’s a catch I can’t see it.
It just happens that our village has recently hit the target number and Openreach are currently trying to clear their main cable ducts in preparation.

Plusnet are the EE/BT budget provider, hence the difference in price.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

@BNC 

After reading the post from @Baldrick1 is it possible OpenReach have just installed the FTTP network in your area in response to the Gigabit Voucher Scheme?

If so, you can sign up for a Voucher and when received upgrade to PN FTTP and advise the Voucher scheme when it's installed. You don't get any money but Openreach do - a contribution to their costs of install.

Brian

[#5]

@bmc 

We're really quite rural, there's only 20 houses or so in the village so we were offered the voucher about 6 months ago and that's around when I pledged - It's at 75% of the target right now and since I last checked a few months ago, the highest speeds we could get, guaranteed speeds, were around 20mpbs. With that said, I've got no idea where or when these full fibre connections have been introduced and have been on to openreach and BT today who have confirmed they definitely are available to me, just not as part of the gigabit scheme.

I don't know an awful lot about speed, I believe it relates to bandwidth but regardless, I moved from a city and a 500mbps connection to what I have now, which comes in at around 15mpbs and it's obviously very noticeable. I actually think the 500 package is suitable for my needs as the upload speeds and guarantee are still good. I don't have a landline either so not to worried about that.

Thanks for your reply.

@Baldrick1 

Same as above, I don't have working knowledge of these things but I believe there was 2 providers on the list in my area, Openreach and another - I just can't seem to find the list I had earlier to say who that was.

Seems like the scheme doesn't really matter if I can already get FTTP, I just don't want to get caught out as I've already pledged.

I think I'll take up the 500mpbs with plusnet and see how I get on when the scheme is completed and implemented, I'm sure I'll be contacted about my pledge.


Thank you for the reply as well.

[#6]

@bmc

Sorry just seen your follow up after I replied - I do have a voucher code that was emailed to me by OpenReach, I received a voucher code and have been told a DMCS voucher is coming to me shortly, though not sure what that is yet.

They may well have done the initial works but it's still showing as not in progress.

I'll hang on to the voucher and see what comes when it does! 

@Baldrick1 

As a side note, the other provider operating in my area is Cerberus Networks, but I've never heard of them.


Again, thank you both very much, you've been really helpful. Also apologies, I could only mark one of you as the accepted answer!

[#7]

@BNC 

It sounds like the Gigabit scheme that you have committed to join has been instigated by an Altnet, not Openreach. Have you validated your Gigabit voucher? If so, if I am correct you have commited to leaving Plusnet and moving to one of the ISPs that use that particular Altnet within, I believe, 12 months of the Altnet full fibre service being available to you.

Just check and be aware of the implications if signing up to a long Plusnet contract.

Edit,

This post has crossed with yours

[#8]

@Baldrick1 

Actually, I'm not currently with Plusnet - We're with Sky but as I got the email today from openreach telling me it's available in my area, I've had a browse.
Plusnet isn't actually one of the options seen here https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fttp-providers but it's certainly cheaper and seems to be offering the same product.

Also, that's a good thought so I checked and it looks like I've not validated my voucher and need to request another as it's 25 days outside receipt, far past the 14 day expiration. Hopefully that means I'm no longer tied into that agreement but I'll have to read the t&c's as suggested to confirm.


Thanks

[#9]

So the voucher came from Openreach? If so then put your phone number in here and see if WBC Full fibre is available to you: https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

[#10]

I hit an error with that: 

"There is no data available for this number. This could be either because it is not a BT line or it is a new BT number that has just been provided. Most new numbers will appear on the checker 24 hours after BT has installed the line"

Maybe it's not a BT line after all.

I am fairly confident the voucher was from Openreach as an email from them starts:

"Hello ,

Thank you for pledging your Gigabit Broadband Voucher with Openreach.​"

But then the follow ups, were from the scheme itself BDUK - Building Digital UK.

[#11]

@BNC 

Try the address version.

Brian

[#12]

@bmc @Baldrick1 

Sorry, I did not see that address lookup at the top.



These are my results

[#13]

@BNC 

WBC FTTC shows as available so you can order from any ISP who uses the OR network.

If you leave Sky mid contract you will pay early termination charges. What little I know about the Voucher schemes includes they must be used within 6 (maybe 12) months.

Going back to speed - if you are "managing" on your current setup then possibly PN FF145 would do you. It's cheaper and PN will happily upgrade you at anytime if you do need a higher speed. However it costs money to downgrade mid contract.

Brian

[#14]

@bmc 

I'm actually struggling on my current setup so definitely looking to increase it.

I certainly won't be downgrading from it as it's not that expensive to begin with but I think I'll go with PN FF500 as it's only a fiver more a month and I'll evaluate after that - Fairly confident that should be more than fine though. 

I'm out of my Sky contract and it's rolling monthly now so I don't think I'll incur costs there but will double check anyway before I finalise anything and yeah, I think it did say within 12 months but since mine expired, who knows, I'll have to confirm with Openreach when they respond.

Thanks again both for your help and more importantly, time. If you have buy me a coffee links or anything, feel free to send them through.

[#15]

@BNC 

You implied in your first post you were in a 24 month contract. If on a rolling one now you might have a few days to pay Sky for.

As soon as you get confirmation from OR that your Voucher is valid then you can following the instructions given for the voucher and order the FTTP install.

Brian