FTTC Contract Ending - Will I have to move to FTTP?

flaneurs_lobster

My BT Broadband contract ends in a couple of months, Fibre 1 FTTC which has been flawless for the last 2 years, capacity/speed never an issue.

The street has been cabled for Openreach FTTP and a couple of neighbours have switched. I'd be perfectly happy to renew my contract "as is" but I'm unsure if I will be obliged to switch to FTTP on renewal.

Is there some rule or guideline that says "if FTTP is available you must switch" or would I be able to renew onto another FTTC contract?

Does the BT Wholesale Broadband checker output show anything relevant?

Thanks

brewerdave

IF your exchange has moved to a status of "Fibre priority exchange" then you will only be able to renew your existing FTTC contract ie same speeds, same supplier - in THEORY, you can switch to a new provider on the same terms HOWEVER my experience is that no one else will offer FTTC. 

400ixl

They will put a stop sell order on the exchange for fttc.

That will mean that anyone on fttc wil remain on it for their current contract. They can stay on it if they move onto a rolling contract or take a new minimum term with the same ISP.

If they want to change ISP then it will have to be fttp as it is a new order.

Why would you want to stay though, it is slower and less reliable and often now more expensive.

flaneurs_lobster

brewerdave said:

IF your exchange has moved to a status of "Fibre priority exchange" then you will only be able to renew your existing FTTC contract ie same speeds, same supplier - in THEORY, you can switch to a new provider on the same terms HOWEVER my experience is that no one else will offer FTTC. 

Is this the relevant entry from the checker output?

"The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme"

400ixl said:

They will put a stop sell order on the exchange for fttc.

That will mean that anyone on fttc wil remain on it for their current contract. They can stay on it if they move onto a rolling contract or take a new minimum term with the same ISP.

If they want to change ISP then it will have to be fttp as it is a new order.

Why would you want to stay though, it is slower and less reliable and often now more expensive.

Your last point, the FTTP install would be disruptive and potentially of significant cost (new cabling would be required because of the physical building layout and some restrictions due to building being listed).

The current 50Mbps service has been 100% reliable todate and the speed has not been restrictive.

But yes, I take your point that if the FTTC product became significantly more expensive than a FTTP replacement then the reasons to switch would become persuasive.

p00hsticks

400ixl said:

Why would you want to stay though, it is slower and less reliable and often now more expensive.

Is retaining a landline number a valid reason ?
Asking as some elderly relatives may be in  this position soon....

iniltous

p00hsticks said:

400ixl said:

Why would you want to stay though, it is slower and less reliable and often now more expensive.

Is retaining a landline number a valid reason ?
Asking as some elderly relatives may be in  this position soon....

Moving to FTTP doesn’t affect the landline phone number , retention of the landline number is simply not an issue .

If by some chance the existing ISP provides telephony for FTTC customers but doesn’t for FTTP customers ( Plusnet us the only example I’m aware of ) then they offer a free transfer to BT or EE , both  of these offer telephony and the telephone number is retained if moving from another ISP , what’s more , staying on FTTC on an out if contract basis is a best , short term , and more expensive , out of contract prices are more expensive than inside a minimum term , plus it’s now common for the conversion to DV ( BT group companies) to include a migration to FTTP ( although it can be refused ) .

As far as the OP is concerned, the only realistic way to not be upgraded to FTTP is by not renewing or changing provider, but allowing the existing contract to move outside any minimum term , you lay more but potentially remain as you are …..renew the contract or start a new contract with someone else almost certainly will come with an obligation to take FTTP once it’s available, but as stated , it’s short term at best , eventually you will be told to take FTTP or leave Openreach

400ixl

You can still have a landline number of FTTP, it would just be via a digital voice solution and phones plug into the router not the master socket (which will no longer exist).

Not all ISP's will have a digital voice solution (e.g. Plusnet) so if you want it bundled from the ISP then you may less choice of your provider.

Digital voice solutions have some limitations today for some people if they have equipment such as alarms or personal health devices that rely on the old technology. Also limitations on that if there is a power cut then the router goes off and so does the phone. Battery backups are available and the industry is working on solutions for vulnerable people but there isn't a standard solution as of yet.

So, if you need an old style landline and your exchange has already been FTTP enabled with a stop sell on FTTC you will likely only be able to renew with your current ISP.

littleboo

flaneurs_lobster said:

brewerdave said:

IF your exchange has moved to a status of "Fibre priority exchange" then you will only be able to renew your existing FTTC contract ie same speeds, same supplier - in THEORY, you can switch to a new provider on the same terms HOWEVER my experience is that no one else will offer FTTC. 

Is this the relevant entry from the checker output?

"The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme"

400ixl said:

They will put a stop sell order on the exchange for fttc.

That will mean that anyone on fttc wil remain on it for their current contract. They can stay on it if they move onto a rolling contract or take a new minimum term with the same ISP.

If they want to change ISP then it will have to be fttp as it is a new order.

Why would you want to stay though, it is slower and less reliable and often now more expensive.

Your last point, the FTTP install would be disruptive and potentially of significant cost (new cabling would be required because of the physical building layout and some restrictions due to building being listed).

The current 50Mbps service has been 100% reliable todate and the speed has not been restrictive.

But yes, I take your point that if the FTTC product became significantly more expensive than a FTTP replacement then the reasons to switch would become persuasive.

But you will need to bite the bullet at some point and have FTTP, any retention of copper based services will be time limited.

flaneurs_lobster

littleboo said:

But you will need to bite the bullet at some point and have FTTP, any retention of copper based services will be time limited.

Agreed, but I'm a firm believer in the maxim

"Never put off 'till tomorrow what you can put off until 2027"

SillyOldHector

I'm in a similar position. I'm now out of contract with BT and want to try and reduce my costs. I did order full fibre a year or so ago but it wasn't until the engineer came that I realised it's a massive faff to install in my terraced home. This is because my BT service comes into the front of the house where there's a small hallway, a toilet and a kitchen, none of which are suitable to house a hub. So to get the cabling to the back of the house where my TV is would mean running a cable through an internal wall over a door and across the living room. I have little choice but to stick with what I have and will never be to cut the costs or get any deals. Not happy!

400ixl

SillyOldHector said:

I'm in a similar position. I'm now out of contract with BT and want to try and reduce my costs. I did order full fibre a year or so ago but it wasn't until the engineer came that I realised it's a massive faff to install in my terraced home. This is because my BT service comes into the front of the house where there's a small hallway, a toilet and a kitchen, none of which are suitable to house a hub. So to get the cabling to the back of the house where my TV is would mean running a cable through an internal wall over a door and across the living room. I have little choice but to stick with what I have and will never be to cut the costs or get any deals. Not happy!

Where is your current router then?