Full Fibre / Part Time Fibre Availability

Excalibur_Lion42 · 8 July at 2:22PM

Hello all,

I’m moving into a new flat (central within a city) and have been trying to sort out broadband ahead of move in and have ran into a huge issue surrounding the ability to get this implemented asap.

The flat I am moving into doesn’t have full fibre currently but only part fibre connection. I work from home (as do a lot of people) so I am astounded at the 5+ week lead time quoted on getting full fibre broadband up and running. When we request part fibre from utility providers they state that they cannot offer it due to its phase out and the full fibre commitment by 2032 that is being followed by Openreach.

What’s bothers me is that the previous tenants, who will only have moved out 2 weeks prior to us moving in, were on part fibre but because we are a new tenants for some reason they can’t offer us part fibre, only full fibre.

As you can imagine this is incredibly frustrating as we are looking at no broadband for 5+ weeks. Surely broadband providers should have a degree of accountability to provide an alternative when WIFI is so fundamental to working and personal life nowadays. I don’t understand why they can’t provide part time fibre in the interim until the full fibre is implemented and then change you over. When we ask the provider of the previous tenant (Vodafone) they say it is not possible. How could they not provide us with an alternative is WIFI was able to be provided 2 weeks prior?!?!

Any suggestions on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated. We’re trying other forms of coverage (mobile data/dongles) but I feel like broadband providers are not doing enough to cover customers whilst full fibre is installed.

Thanks

iniltous · 8 July at 2:47PM

Presumably this address now has FTTP available, and the provider you have chosen won’t or can’t make use of the existing FTTC connection , and is insisting on you taking FTTP and that has a 5 week lead time between ordering and installing, is that it ?

If the exchange area is at 75% FTTP availability then ISP can’t order SoGEA if FTTP is available, but otherwise they can , most chose to offer FTTP only once it’s available, that’s understandable from Openreach point of view, why spend a fortune on a new network and not use it , with this in mind the ISP is financially rewarded by Openreach for steering their customers onto FTTP , but it doesn’t necessarily mean no ISP can order FTTC (called SoGEA) at all , but that isn’t as lucrative to the ISP , so try a different ISP , try the more expensive/niche ones , they may be less competitive from a price point of view , but possibly more inclined to forgo the financial reward OR offer to use FTTP , and will order SoGEA if that’s what you want , that’s assuming your exchange isn’t at 75% and a FTTP priority exchange.

A 5 week lead time is not the norm BTW , most FTTP installations will be scheduled in a much shorter timeframe , often less than a week , which suggests your MDU is not fully ready , and once an order is received permission etc need to be sought from freeholder/managing agent etc hence the much extended lead times.

You overestimate the ‘responsibility’ the network provider has to you ,it has none , if you don’t like they way Openreach or the ISP you pick that want to use Openreach want to proceed, there are many other networks offering service and ISP’s , if they are not in your area that’s hardly Openreach fault , if you want to use an ISP that wants to use Openreach FTTP you need to accept the timescale …..giving realistic lead times is understandable given the compensation penalty for giving short lead times , failing because of matters beyond their control , then having to pay £10+ per day for each day after the failed appointment , 5 weeks is likely to be a worst case scenario date , to mitigate against compensation claims , it could be sooner , but the 5 weeks is basically insurance against matters beyond their control.

Rodders53 · 8 July at 3:39PM

Flat: You'll need approval from the Freeholder / Building Management Company / Factors to have a cable/fibre installed to run through the non-demised Building areas so the ISP / fibre supplier timescale may be the least of your problems as you need to seek permissions to do that - via your Landlord if not the flat owner/leaseholder yourself!

Put the address into https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

to see what is available. FTTP has been replaced by SOGEA (which is no landline phone over the same copper cable as a FTTP was)… SOGEA was noted as an 'exception' at two addresses I once lived that have FTTP now. So likely only provided if a Fibre install was not physically/technically possible when they visit to do so.

WFH: Of course BUSINESS use needs BUSINESS solutions… Pretty sure if you pay enough someone will put a fibre in pronto. Or investigate satellite via Starlink. Or go into the office like we all used to do.