Call Flow Deploy 100Mbps FTTC Broadband to Fairseat and Stansted in Kent

Alternative network ISP Call Flow Solutions has completed another expansion of their ‘up to’ 100Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) based broadband network in Kent, which now includes an extra 700 premises in parts of rural Fairseat and Stansted.

The deployment, which covers the installation of three Sub Loop Unbundling (SLU) based Street Cabinets, appears to form part of Call Flow’s contract with the county council’s state aid fuelled Superfast Kent programme. Openreach (BT) sell SLU to ISPs, which gives providers access to a partial local loop and enables them to build their own “fibre” cabinets (Openreach remain responsible for the provision, maintenance and repair of the SLU circuit).

Apparently the early connection speeds for new customers have been “exceedingly good, with all exceeding the predicted speeds and some customers achieving never seen before download speeds of 100Mbps” (very good performance for VDSL2).

Andy Conibere, Managing Director of Call Flow, said:

“Call Flow are thrilled to have completed our latest fibre superfast broadband network in Kent, commissioned by Kent County Council. Working in and around rural Stansted and parts of Fairseat has presented a wide range of challenges, particularly due to the landscape which has involved careful co-ordination between a number of parties.

This work was also unique due to Openreach installing a brand new cabinet for Call Flow to fibre to, where no previous cabinet existed. This means customers in Stansted, who would have been a long way from their fibre cabinet, now have one right on their doorstep and will be able to get far faster speeds as a result.

All three cabinets are now ‘live’, and we are looking forward to connecting customers so they can experience home and business life in the broadband superfast lane. Our growing network reflects the significant demand for superfast broadband, and we now plan on raising the profile and awareness of the newly available service at every opportunity.”

Overall the ISP’s network, which includes various other “superfast” Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and “ultrafast” fibre optic (FTTP/H) based services, can now cover over 13,000 residential homes and businesses across Kent, East Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire in England.

Residential customers in the FTTC areas will typically pay up to £55 per month for an unlimited 100Mbps (20Mbps) package, which includes a free wireless router and connection. Cheaper and slower packages are also available. However we do note that their “unlimited” option comes attached to a FUP, which warns that the top 1% of heavy users could face Traffic Management, be offered usage based charging or at an extreme they may potentially even lose their service.