What internet can I get?

ayupmeduck

We are moving into a row of cottages and had planned to take our Virgin package with us. I've checked the post code checker with Virgin and our cottage is on the available list, 3 of the 9 aren't. Have got an engineer visit booked for 1st September but still unsure if we can get it installed.

Our letting agent has just informed us that only certain providers can supply and BT has been used before. They are not set up for fibre and would need permission from the LL. 

More info below:




The cottage currently has the following box installed, who is this with?





Should we just go with mobile broadband?

flaneurs_lobster

That first picture is a Calix Gigapoint GP1100X, which is an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) used for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet connections. (says Google Lens).

Not obvious to me which network it's connected to (Openreach? CityFibre?).

Not the prettiest of installs.

ayupmeduck

So the cottage has fibre? Maybe it's BT. 

I am very tempted to just go with the Three 5G Outdoor Hub and cancel Virgin. 

Doing postcode look ups for cityfibre and I can get connected so this might work.

iniltous

Not BT (Openreach )as that black box is not an Openreach ONT , but the DSL checker shown for the address shows Openreach FTTP is available, so although it’s not currently fitted , it is available, (  from a telegraph pole as it says Overhead in the checker details ) obviously if an ISP that uses OR are chosen , unless they also use whoever that ONT belongs to , then a new FTTP service will be installed, possibly alongside that existing black ONT , that belongs to  an unknown network provider.

flaneurs_lobster

First time that I've seen that Three outdoor router package, looks like a decent product, especially at £21 a month. Not seen a device using power over ethernet before either.

You'd have to be pretty confident in your Three mobile signal, have you tried a speed test on a 5G mobile with a Three SIM (NOTE  don't do this unless you have an unlimited or very generous data plan - it will eat your data).

I know it comes with a 30 day moneyback, but having to deinstall something you've attached to a wall or drainpipe or stuck to a window would be a pain.


 

matelodave

Openreach use branded OR ONT's, that's not Openreach (BT) and AFAIK they are white. Have you got a termination box outside on the wall, if it's  Openreach then again it will be branded

A quick interweb search suggests that CityFibre use Calix ONT's

iniltous

If CF is available , CF use that type of ONT ,  a previous occupant obviously had service from an ISP that uses CF network 

flaneurs_lobster

matelodave said:

Openreach use branded OR ONT's, that's not Openreach (BT) and AFAIK they are white. Have you got a termination box outside on the wall, if it's  Openreach then again it will be branded.

Bit of Googling says those ONTs are used by CityFibre, but not exclusively. Might be a local fibre outfit.

OP could try sticking their postcode into the CityFibre checker 

https://cityfibre.com/homes

ayupmeduck

flaneurs_lobster said:

First time that I've seen that Three outdoor router package, looks like a decent product, especially at £21 a month. Not seen a device using power over ethernet before either.

You'd have to be pretty confident in your Three mobile signal, have you tried a speed test on a 5G mobile with a Three SIM (NOTE  don't do this unless you have an unlimited or very generous data plan - it will eat your data).

I know it comes with a 30 day moneyback, but having to deinstall something you've attached to a wall or drainpipe or stuck to a window would be a pain.


 

Just doing Three online checks. Cottages 1 & 2 get offered 4g broadband, the rest outdoor 5G. Haven't checked actual signal yet.

ayupmeduck

flaneurs_lobster said:

OP could try sticking their postcode into the CityFibre checker 

https://cityfibre.com/homes

Doing this says I can connect. If any provider needs to come out and drill holes etc I need to ask the agent to get permission from the LL. 

flaneurs_lobster

ayupmeduck said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

First time that I've seen that Three outdoor router package, looks like a decent product, especially at £21 a month. Not seen a device using power over ethernet before either.

You'd have to be pretty confident in your Three mobile signal, have you tried a speed test on a 5G mobile with a Three SIM (NOTE  don't do this unless you have an unlimited or very generous data plan - it will eat your data).

I know it comes with a 30 day moneyback, but having to deinstall something you've attached to a wall or drainpipe or stuck to a window would be a pain.


 

Just doing Three online checks. Cottages 1 & 2 get offered 4g broadband, the rest outdoor 5G. Haven't check actual signal yet.

Three's online coverage checker? Don't believe a word of it.

Local factors can have a huge effect on the actual quality of a mobile signal. Tree/building between you and the local mast? Even which side of your cottage you could site the router.

Three's online checker says I can get a 5G signal outside in my house and 4G inside. Actually their local coverage is negligible (bit of a valley between 3 story stone-built terraces).