CityFibre - gigabit with Vodafone - fibre with existing?

anotherday1974

My street is due to be upgraded to gigabit fibre. At the moment I am lucky to get 2mps through the copper wires. I have read that I would be forced to use Vodafone for the gigabit, but I would not be keen given the cost and it also requires having my newly built garden dug up. Once fibre is installed in the street, can I just upgraded to fibre with my existing provider and this would avoid having my garden dug up? I would be more than happy with 50mps! I know it wouldn't be full fibre, but this would be still a major improvement!

Thanks, Richard.

Highland76

No, at present its just Vodafone who have exclusive access to Cityfibre FTTP for residential connections. Though TalkTalk will also start selling Cityfibre FTTP lines to residential customers once Vodafone-Cityfibre exclusivity deal comes to an end.

Also what makes you think Vodafone will dig through your new garden? If your copper line feeds through a different route then there's a chance the fibre may enter the same way.  I take it FTTC isn't available where you live? 

Chino

Highland76 said:

Also what makes you think Vodafone will dig through your new garden?

How else will Vodafone (or will it be CityFibre?) lay a fibre optic cable to the OP's premises? Or is the fibre optic cable strung from a street pole to customers' premises? (I don't know either way)

Highland76

Chino said:

Highland76 said:

Also what makes you think Vodafone will dig through your new garden?

How else will Vodafone (or will it be CityFibre?) lay a fibre optic cable to the OP's premises? Or is the fibre optic cable strung from a street pole to customers' premises? (I don't know either way)

Correct, it could come via overhead pole. However before installation, a survey is usually done to make sure the homeowner understands and agrees to the work required. 

anotherday1974

Highland76 said:

I take it FTTC isn't available where you live? 

That's right. I can only get 2mps. I do not have FTTC and I would be happy with this due no dig on my property and I would be happy with 67mps. Surely if there is fibre in the street they could connect my copper wire to it? 

Mister_G

anotherday1974 said:

Highland76 said:

I take it FTTC isn't available where you live? 

That's right. I can only get 2mps. I do not have FTTC and I would be happy with this due no dig on my property and I would be happy with 67mps. Surely if there is fibre in the street they could connect my copper wire to it? 

Err, no.  The whole idea of FTTP is that it is a total fibre solution with no unreliable copper involved.

Highland76

anotherday1974 said:

Highland76 said:

I take it FTTC isn't available where you live? 

That's right. I can only get 2mps. I do not have FTTC and I would be happy with this due no dig on my property and I would be happy with 67mps. Surely if there is fibre in the street they could connect my copper wire to it? 

If you want fast, reliable, & future proof broadband, then full fibre (FTTP) is the way to go. 99% of people would give an arm & leg for FTTP if they were stuck on 2 Mb/s - even it meant having the front of their property dug up. Assuming they do end up digging your front garden, you'll find there's a very high chance of Cityfibre's contractors reinstating the front of your garden to the same standard they found it in. Its in their own interest to do a good job the first time around, because otherwise it would end up them costing lots & lots of money if they had to repeatedly dig up customers property in order to make things right. Be grateful you're finally getting FTTP, loads of people would love to be in your shoes!!

JJ_Egan

The Open Reach optical fibre runs in the ducts to the pole . Then from pole to the premises via drop wire .

At least for my BT OR FTTP .

Presume City Fibre would be the same sort of setup .

99% arm and a leg  does not tie in with the multiple FTTP posters on here who don't want to pay the higher price .They just want cheap cheap .

Mister_G

OR are in the unique situation of having their own exclusive pole infrastructure.  It's very unlikely that they will let another provider onto it.  That's why most of the other providers put their own ducting in place. (i.e. Virgin, Hyperoptic, etc)

JJ_Egan

In that case guess they will tunnel under the garden .

iniltous

If other providers want to use OR infrastructure ( poles as well as ducts ) they can,  
OR have to offer  PIA ( passive infrastructure access ) to them, they cannot refuse, OR’s FTTP is delivered overhead and underground, obviously if the existing copper network is overhead then any FTTP is likely to also be overhead, if the copper network is underground , then FTTP will also be underground , any alternative FTTP provider is likely to use their own ‘network’ right up-to the customers address, but if they want to use OR PIA along the way, they can, they pay very little for this access