iDNET Launch G.fast and Revise FTTP Ultrafast Broadband Packages

During a routine check we noticed that UK ISP iDNET appears to have joined the club of providers that are now selling packages based off Openreach’s new hybrid fibre G.fast (ITU G.9700/9701) technology, which can offer maximum download speeds of up to 160Mbps or 330Mbps. They’ve also revised their FTTP plans.

At present G.fast has only been deployed to cover 1.1 million premises and it’s expected to reach 5.7 million by the end of 2020. The technology works in a similar way to the existing Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) service, which means that a fibre optic cable is run to a local Street Cabinet (PC) and this is then fitted with an extension “pod” to house the G.fast line cards. The service then reaches your home via existing copper cables.

Several providers have already launched early G.fast packages (BT, EE, TalkTalk, Zen Internet etc.) and the latest to join this slowly growing club is iDNET. On top of that the ISP has also revised their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based packages (currently available to 631,000 premises and rising to 3 million by the end of 2020), which on the 160Mbps tier is only slightly more expensive than the equivalent G.fast plan.

The following packages typically include line rental (except on FTTP where it’s not relevant), unlimited usage, 1 static IPv4 and a /48 block of IPv6 addresses and a 12 month contract term. The G.fast service attracts a one-off installation charge of £85 and the FTTP service does the same, albeit for the lesser fee of £50. No router is included but you can add one at cost (note: the G.fast service does come with an Openreach modem).

Fibre Unlimited 160/30 (G.fast)
Price: £49.80 per month (£42 without line rental)

Fibre Unlimited 330/50 (G.fast)
Price: £67.80 per month (£60 without line rental)

Fibre Unlimited 160/30 (FTTP)
Price: £51.60 per month

Fibre Unlimited 330/50 (FTTP)
Price: £120.00 per month

If we only look at the monthly price then iDNET may well have one of the cheapest G.fast broadband and phone bundles on the market right now, which is a little unexpected for a provider that normally focuses on quality and thus charges a bit extra but we won’t complain. On the other hand the installation fee is more expensive than some others and a few rivals, such as BT, also include a router in their package.

The only gripe we have is that they’re promoting these alongside maximum theoretical speeds instead of the ASA’s required average speeds (measured at peak time). This isn’t so much of an issue for iDNET’s FTTP tiers but G.fast is a lot more variable.