Forced Migration To FTTP

molerat

It looks like it has started.  A friend has received an e-mail from BT stating that they will be receiving communication in the post to arrange their migration to FTTP and to arrange install dates etc.  The service will be provided on the same contract as at present with no increase in cost or contract length.  No mention in the e-mail re speed but I suspect it will be at the lower end of the scale.  Not sure if this is exchange wide or a one off as they do have around a mile of 20 pair copper serving only 2 properties - although the other house has satellite broadband - which is in a poor state and in constant need of maintenance and OR recently installed fibre all the way parallel to that cable - still ends about 100 yards away from the house though.

mebu60

Started! It's been ongoing for some time now.

I remained on Superfast bband (as opposed to upgrading to Ultrafast) following my FTTP migration and the speed went up from 44 Mbps to 50 with the change of cable.

Be aware that the replacement internal wall unit requires power as well as the router and any landline phone base unit that may be being used. 

My installation was a one-off and others have been done individually since. I have a good view of the telegraph pole from where I sit at the computer! 

iniltous

Perhaps you can post a copy of the email that ‘forces’ migration to FTTP , the notifications I’ve seen so far are not a take it or leave it proposition , although the email is crafted to imply the change to FTTP is compulsory, carefully reading the text you realise it’s  the migration to Digital Voice  that is compulsory but the added change to FTTP isn’t .

Clearly there are situations where a change to FTTP can’t be done , it not just being a Luddite, renters without the landlord’s permission or where the construction costs to get FTTP installed currently would require a contribution from the customer towards the provision (that they may not want to pay or be in a position to pay ) , obviously anyone joining as a new customer or re-contracting is different, but anyone mid term or outside a minimum term and content to pay more for the out of contract price , to avoid the move to FTTP can remain on copper , unless of course you can provide a citation, like a copy of the email stating conclusively they have no choice but to take FTTP …..if it were compulsory, what does it supposedly say about failure to comply ?

There will come a day when FTTP is presented as as take it or leave the Openreach network entirely but I doubt we are there yet.

As far as speeds etc , whatever profile the customer is on with their ‘copper’ service will be provided on FTTP with the advantage of getting the headline rate ….FTTC speeds are 40,55 or 80Mb , if (for example) someone on the 80Mb profile was getting 65Mb , they get an increase to the full 80Mb , if there are a small number of  cases of customers still on ADSL (rather than FTTC ) so getting no more (in reality) than 20Mb and probably way less , they get the lowest FTTP speed  or 40Mb so a big increase for them , but the numbers on ADSL will be tiny .

FYI , conversion to FTTP is not just a case of replacing a copper cable with a fibre cable , it’s an entirely different network.

mebu60

That's a good point @iniltous, it is only the switch to Digital Voice that is currently compulsory. I considered declining their kind offer of the FTTP upgrade as that is not required for DV. My main objection was because of the way the communication was worded implying that FTTP was not optional. That sort of duplicitous approach is guaranteed to make me want to take the opposite approach to what they want to achieve. But I managed to engage my rational head and go with the flow as it will inevitably be required at some future date.

molerat

I will have to have another look at the e-mail.  IMO though they should take up the offer as whatever speed they will get can only be better than their current 1Mbps guarantee with a max observed speed of 1.82 !

molerat

Here are the main points of the e-mail

JSmithy45AD

molerat said:

Here are the main points of the e-mail

So, not forced then?

Ectophile

Different exchanges are at different points in the migration process.

In my case, I wanted to change broadband provider to get a better deal.  The only option I was given was FTTP.  So it was stick with FTTC with NOW broadband at an escalating price*, or apply for FTTP with another provider (which could have been Sky, but wasn't).

*Sky are effectively shutting down the NOW broadband system and want to get all customers off it.  That means no contract renewals with NOW.  Just an obsolete and unsupported router and ever increasing prices.

molerat

JSmithy45AD said:

molerat said:

Here are the main points of the e-mail

So, not forced then?

It does state we are upgrading rather than would you like an upgrade so not offering a choice.

I do wonder if they have identified the particular line as uneconomical to maintain hence the no price change / no new contract.  I suspect if they and maybe half a dozen others go to fibre OR could de-commission around 5 miles of copper cable.

iniltous

As stated it’s intentional , the wording to persuade you to take the free upgrade to FTTP , but the email is in two parts ,

the first part about the analogue phone system being tired and moving to broadband technology, that is compulsory but that  doesn’t need FTTP , ADSL and FTTC broadband can run Digital Voice as well as FTTP , BT are closing PSTN telephony.

the second part is ‘our Installation partner will be in touch to arrange an appointment for FTTP’  , it doesn’t make it seem optional , by adding ‘ if you would like it ‘ , because Openreach don’t want refuseniks, but when Openreach call to make an appointment , if anyone said , for example, ‘ I can’t have FTTP because I rent the property and the landlord won’t allow it ‘ , clearly Openreach can’t proceed with FTTP against your will .

Its a form of social engineering, its very naive to think they will put ‘if you don’t want it ‘ as an option on the email , because Openreach really want customers to switch to FTTP once it’s available, just because the option of refusal isn’t shown doesn’t mean it’s not possible, it is .

brewerdave

When I was looking to renew my FTTC contract earlier this year with Plusnet (on a fibre priority exchange) my only choice was to stay on 40/10 FTTC with PN or "upgrade" to FTTP. None of the other usual ISPs would offer FTTC .
 I hesitated because I was going to keep my phoneline but decided to make the leap and do without a landline phone number. - stayed with PN at a price that was better than they were prepared to offer for a continuation of FTTC product. Has proved to be much more stable connection and not missing the home number (and all the spam calls!)