On 14/10/2020 17:37, polygonum_on_google wrote:
On Wednesday, 14 October 2020 15:59:15 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 13/10/2020 08:46, polygonum_on_google wrote:
On Monday, 12 October 2020 22:56:02 UTC+1, Dave Liquorice
wrote:
On Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:38:45 +0100, alan_m wrote:

From memory the contract had to be with EE.

Most if not all none Openreach physical broadband providers
only offer a single ISP be that one they also run or one
contracted in. So no choice of ISP like you get of OPENreach.

When FTTP was installed for us, we had very little choice of
ISP. Most wouldn't touch us.

A quick check suggests that there are still problems.

Not all ISPs do, however there is now good choice of those that do.
Even when getting ours a while back there were probably half a
dozen that did then.

We found that many checkers said they could supply fibre, but
when they found out it was FTTP only, they would not offer
anything. But

Sometimes it takes a while for the openreach databases that
indicate what services are available to be updated and indicate
that FTTP is live - so you may find with new installs that many
can't actually identify a service they could provide for.

True - but Openreach did update their database fairly quickly.

Even when I contacted some of the ISPs, they either didn't
understand, or their internal systems were not checking the Openreach
database, or something.

their websites often continued to make offers based on FTTC. (It
is because our copper is so bad, we couldn't get even halfway
acceptable broadband until FTTP was laid. Totally unsuitable for
FTTC. But the ISPs don't know/understand that.)

That's usually the main driver for Openreach to in install FTTP -
basically when (like here) the cabinet network is unable to support
FTTC at the location)

Our cabinet was showing that some properties it supplied had pretty
good broadband. But others, sometimes literally the house next door,
had appalling speeds (like us). Openreach decided to install FTTP
capability for every house. Since when we have seen them installing
FTTP for, I'd guess, at least half the properties we can see from the
road outside our house.

I actually got a map, checked the broadband claimed for every
property, and marked them all up. There was no sense to it at all.
Especially as all the ducting is in tiptop condition, properly
installed, and with good access.

It seems to be a regional thing, but there was actually quite a good map
like that for our area:

https://www.superfastessex.org/inter...s/rollout-map/

You could drill down to individual properties and see what the status
was. For a couple of years we were in a shaded area saying "might get an
upgrade in the next tranche of work" kind of message.

But often, these things are only as good as the data.

Looking back, it appears that someone made a few mistakes either with
the original installs, or how they recorded the information.

It could also be that not al properties were supplied from the same
cabinet.

The people who did the work were excellent. Friendly. Worked hard and
long hours. Came from up to several hundred miles away as well as
some locals.

Yup, ours were good. The install of the actual fibre along the street
seemed to be mostly the work of one chap working for KMCO, on his own.
He climbed each pole in turn, pulled along and fixed the next segment of
wire, and then every few poles installed a junction box ready for the
drops to the properties. He came knocking on my door to ask if he could
park on our drive and climb the pole buried in the hedge in the garden.


Afraid the few ISPs which at the time would offer FTTP were either
much more expensive or unimpressive outfits. A&A, for example, were
more expensive and had a download cap.

You often get what you pay for in service though. Of the more budget
providers, Plusnet tend to be somewhat better in that respect than the
big four.

I already had and account with IDNet so it was much easier to go with
them so I kept my static IP etc. They were initially slightly more
expensive than BT for the 160/30 service, and noticeable so for the
330/50 - however their prices fell to about the same after a few months.

The companies that came out well were Openreach (once they made their
decision to go ahead), BT, and Plusnet. Our annual renewal with
Plusnet had only just been done when the FTTC option appeared.

Plusnet did participate in a FTTP trial, but then decided not to offer
it as a service for some reason.

Despite their T&C saying we were stuck with them, Plusnet did agree
it would be unfair and agreed a refund. They were very pleasant to
deal with.

Yup they are usually not too bad, although not as good as they once were
with 24/7 support etc.



--
Cheers,

John.

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