Separate thread, related to the previous one...
Previously, on a copper connection, I have been free to swap and change ISP's. How does the change to fibre, affect the ability to change suppliers, please?
At the moment we have FTTC, delivered overhead, via a pole. Along the street we have access boxes (Virgin??), at every drive. Another fibre supplier has been down the street, adding yet another fibre cable.
How big a job will it be to simply swap suppliers in the future, once forced to fibre?
Well in terms of Openreach fibre, OFCOM dictates that any ISP can rent it.
In the case of private fibre firms, you are likely to be stuck with them as an ISP.
At least that is my current understanding.
Though not all ISPs may choose to provide fibre, e.g. for reasons best known to themselves, Plusnet only started offering FTTP quite recently.
I gather CityFibre (in some? of their areas) act as a common carrier to multiple ISPs, so there is no lock-in ...
I didn't know that: it is good to hear.
CityFibre (PHY) with Zen (ISP) here in sunny Wolverhampton.
We also still have Virgin cable (coax) as a backup, though Virgin also offer a fibre service now, so wondering how long they are going to keep the cable offering, and what happens if they force us to fibre[1]. Will they kick off Zen, or throw another fibre line over the fence, which would hardly be resilient?
[1] It won't be immediately, because their cable TV offering still requires an actual coax cable connection, and won't work just using IP. I know this, because the cheapest offer we could get for broadband required us to also take the TV offering. OOI, I hooked up their TV box to their broadband and it all worked wonderfully, menus, interactive and EPG, right up to the point where you launch the content, at which point it whines about no service. Unfortunately the cable termination is in the server room[2], and the TV is downstairs, so thats not going to happen. At least we're paying a negative amount for this service we can't use :) [2] Upstaris spare bedroom...
Their website is a good source of information.
My fibre was installed by Cityfibre but I pay (for the fibre and internet connection) Zen internet as my ISP. I also pay Zen for their digital voice and connect my conventional (DECT) answerphone basestation into the back of the Zen supplied Fritzbox router.
In my area Vodafone, TalkTalk, Giganet and Zen are currently Cityfibre partners, with maybe more ISPs to join in the future.
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Peter Johnson snipped-for-privacy@parksidewood.nospam writes
Plusnet are not offering anything with fibre here:-(
That's because nobody will be yet ...
Yup mine also. Also worth noting that not all ISPs have a full range of FTTP products as yet - but that is changing.
I would dispute that. Cityfibre installed fibre in my part of Dundee two or more years ago. Their website postcode checker tells me that I live in "a private road". I don't. After the initial installation, I have seen no sign of anyone taking their service.
I've had Virgin fttc for years. It's currently giving me >550 Mbps down and >50 Mbs up, so I (and presumably others) see no need to change.
The only reason to change is the eye-watering cost of Virgin's service. I can get the same speed fibre connection via various ISPs on recently fitted Openreach fibres for 65-75% of the same package on Virgin.
Cityfibre is even cheaper. A work colleague who lives about a mile away has a Cityfibre 900/900 package for less than any packages on OpenReach and fabulously cheaper than Virgin.
That's not true. Just because fibre has been fairly recently installed in the street doesn't mean every ISP will suddenly offer service over it. Plusnet for example is BT's bargain basement offering, and may be one of the last to get their act together.
In message <urf5du$1q32c$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me, at 10:39:57 on Sun, 25 Feb
2024, mm0fmf snipped-for-privacy@>> >>> >>>In the short term. Just wait until the introductory offers expire, and over-inflation price increases kick in.
I think I'd put Plusnet at the other end of the scale, they may be bargain basement but they are usually quick off the mark. Only problem is their call centre is in Yorkshire so the accent may be difficult if you are used to Mumbai!
Ironic when you consider they normally out perform BT at every turn :-)
In message snipped-for-privacy@news.individual.net>, at 08:15:59 on Mon,
26 Feb 2024, Jeff Ga>My personal experience doesn't support that assertion.
In message snipped-for-privacy@perry.uk, Roland Perry snipped-for-privacy@perry.co.uk> writes
The bloke doing some work at the pole this afternoon told me he was employed by Openreach!
He looked pleased when I said that the remaining Hawthorn hedge near the pole would be trimmed by hand rather than the farm tractor mounted hedger:-)
That's a pity, I've used them for many years and they have been excellent at fixing the occasional problem, as long as you follow their system.
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