Moving from Virgin back to Copper provider

RickyB2007

Hi, we are reaching the end of our contract with Virgin and it may be cheaper to move back to an Openreach provider. When we left Vodafone broadband/home phone several years ago we had to pay £60. My understanding is that there is no longer a charge going either way, but is that the case? The Openreach socket should be fine, as it was only installed about 4 years ago.

Thanks!

molerat

Is there Openreach FTTP in your area ?  If so you may not be able to get a copper connection.

RickyB2007

Thanks for the reply. I did a postcode check on openreach.com and it says that I can get FTTP. Given that the broadband checker on this website says I can get 145 Mbps (and more) that makes sense. It says it’ll cost me £33 a month from Sky. I can’t see any additional charges but are there likely to be any? I presume if the phone socket was installed 4 years ago it’ll still be connected to the t with a copper wire. If so, does that need to change? 

littleboo

Openreach will bring a fibre to your property and terminate on an ONT, which needs mains power. The existing socket will be redundant.

molerat

RickyB2007 said:

Thanks for the reply. I did a postcode check on openreach.com and it says that I can get FTTP. Given that the broadband checker on this website says I can get 145 Mbps (and more) that makes sense. It says it’ll cost me £33 a month from Sky. I can’t see any additional charges but are there likely to be any? I presume if the phone socket was installed 4 years ago it’ll still be connected to the t with a copper wire. If so, does that need to change? 

What I meant was that in some areas where OR offer full FTTP they will not install a "new" copper service which includes reinstating one that is already wired but disconnected at the cabinet.  This is part of gradually moving forward to ceasing all copper services  from 2026.

HaroldWren5

RickyB2007 said:

Thanks for the reply. I did a postcode check on openreach.com and it says that I can get FTTP. Given that the broadband checker on this website says I can get 145 Mbps (and more) that makes sense. It says it’ll cost me £33 a month from Sky. I can’t see any additional charges but are there likely to be any? I presume if the phone socket was installed 4 years ago it’ll still be connected to the t with a copper wire. If so, does that need to change? 

When you sign up to FTTP (Full Fibre) from an Openreach broadband provider, they will arrange for Openreach to come on the start date/installation date to bring Fibre all the way to the property (either from a node on the nearest telephone pole, or a nearby duct). The Fibre feed will come to a "Customer Service Point" which is a small Openreach box on the outside of your property. And from there they will drill in to run the Fibre cable into a new unit. This is a brand new "Optical Network Terminal" (ONT) which is a new small box that you plug your new router into. The old "Master socket" is not necessary for the Ultrafast Fibre internet. 

If you can get Full Fibre, FTTP, then be sure to check various providers who can supply via an Openreach line. The contracts usually vary from 30 days, to 12 months to 18 months to 24 months. Some providers maintain fixed prices throughout, whilst others conduct their price increases during contract (e.g. BT, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk). 

The_Fat_Controller

If you need a landline of sorts, make sure the FTTP service comes with VoIP, some providers are Data Only.