Only able to get superfast broadband from BT?

april_fool

I currently have a BT package for phone, broadband and a basic TV package. I have BT Infinity broadband, and have had it for the past 3-4 years. As it is coming up to the time when the annual line rental saver is due, and all the prices will go up (unless I re-negotiate), I thought I would look around at other options. I looked at Sky, Virgin and Talk Talk, and all 3 of them have said that superfast broadband is not yet available for my area, and that my phone number is not recognised. After BT implemented the fibre broadband equipment at my house, even their own website did not recognise my phone number – all checks to see what other services I could get from BT resulted in a message saying that my phone number didn’t exist, even though BT were providing me with the service! After endless phone calls (over a period of 2 years!), I finally discovered that they had switched me to a fibre optic phone line, which was on a completely different system, and therefore not recognised, even by BTs own systems. My options appear to either be to stick with BT and have superfast broadband, or switch to another provider but give up the fast broadband. I don’t understand why I am restricted to BT? Surely all providers use the same lines?

jb66

Cant you choose the option of installing a new line?

boatman

https://www.samknows.com/broadband/broadband_checker

https://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

Do these links give you any more info?

steveE2

You have a FTTP(Fibre To The Premises)connection with FVA(Fibre Voice Access),this wont show on any checkers as the number is assigned to the fibre point.

You can transfer from BT but there are only a very few ISP's who will provide FTTP and it will probably mean a call to their sales team to order.
Ones I know
AAISP.net
Plusnet(have to take standard ADSL first then upgrade)
Zen.co.uk
IDnet.net

As far as i know only BT and AAISP will offer voice over fibre so to have any calls would mean either using a voip provider or installing/activating a copper line.

iniltous

I think it slightly ironic that in a country where many people give Openreach a hard time for not providing 'universal' fibre to the premises, that you have it and feel disadvantaged.
You can have FTTP with providers other than BT, but BT is in many ways the 'value' brand, you can use other providers and pay more if you want.
If you feel you should have the choice to use the likes of Sky or Talk Talk on your FTTP connection, then you need to lobby them, as its their choice not to be involved, OR make the connection available on a wholesale basis, Sky , TT , etc obviously don't want to offer it at retail level, it's not like they are barred from offering it, they just don't want to.
If you are part of a new development where fibre was exclusively provided from the start, then an OR copper alternative won't exist, so it's Virgin Media (if available) or mobile broadband if you don't want to use your OR 'fibre'
If you live somewhere where they overlaid fibre alongside the existing copper line , you may be able to go back to copper and have the choice of copper service providers.

april_fool

Thanks for the replies, and esp to SteveE2 for the explanation as I didn't fully understand what BT had done.

I don't believe that I gave the impression of feeling "disadvantaged", or if I did, it was unintentional. I am fairly happy with the service I get from BT, except for when I need to contact them with a question or a problem with the router, when the service is very poor. I just wanted to be able to look around at options before committing to another year with BT, which I believe is what most people who are members of this site would want!

JJ_Egan

Problems .
Step one read the BT Help pages .
Step two use your BT Community forum .

macman

What speed of 'superfast' do you actually need? It may be that a plain FTTC service will be adequate for your needs. In which case you will have the options of Plusnet for certain, and possibly Sky and TT, depending on the LLU suppliers available at your exchange.

lee111s

macman wrote: »

What speed of 'superfast' do you actually need? It may be that a plain FTTC service will be adequate for your needs. In which case you will have the options of Plusnet for certain, and possibly Sky and TT, depending on the LLU suppliers available at your exchange.

Very, very few people have the option of FTTC and FTTP.