Openreach Discount UK Dark Fibre Alternative – Adds 7 Yr Contract
Openreach (BT) has discounted the pricing for their multi-Gigabit virtual (grey) dark fibre style solution (OSA Filter Connect / FSP3000) on 5 year contract terms and introduced a longer 7 year term in order to “better meet the needs of infrastructure providers,” which tend to plan their networks over a longer period of time.
The product, which enables ISPs connect their own active equipment alongside managed wavelengths on a common Optical Spectrum Access bearer (here), was originally designed to offer an alternative to Ofcom’s now cancelled Dark Fibre Access (DFA) solution.
Until now the longest minimum contract term for their single fibre variant was 60 months (5 years), but from 2nd July 2019 network providers (broadband ISPs etc.) will also be able to purchase a new 7 year (84 month) contract on their Very High Bandwidth Ethernet Access Direct (EAD) 10Gbps and OSA Filter Connect products.
On top of that Openreach are applying a 9-17% rental discount to their existing 5 year term products. The existing OSA Filter Connect 5 year minimum period variant will thus be withdrawn for new sales after 90 days on 2nd September 2019.
7 Year Term
| Feature | Connection £ Exc VAT | Rental per annum £ Exc VAT |
| OSA Filter Connect FSP3000 – Dual Fibre | £12,233 | £3,850 |
| OSA Filter Connect – XG210 – Dual Fibre | £8,590 | £3,850 |
| OSA Filter Connect – XG210 – Single Fibre | £8,590 | £3,200 |
| EAD 10000 | £4,065 | £3,100 |
| EAD Local Access 10000 | £4,065 | £2,600 |
5 Year Term (Lower Pricing)
| Feature | Connection £ Exc VAT | Rental per annum £ Exc VAT | Rental discount compared to current 5 year variant |
| OSA Filter Connect FSP3000 – Dual Fibre | £12,233 | £4,800 | 17% |
| OSA Filter Connect – XG210 – Dual Fibre | £8,590 | £4,800 | 17% |
| OSA Filter Connect – XG210 – Single Fibre | £8,590 | £4,000 | 9% |
Further details can be found here. However the alternative OSA product doesn’t suit everybody, not least since it means having to provide space and power etc. for Openreach’s kit.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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When is by fibre comming to Birmingham b128sn plz sick of this unlimited broadband crap we get
No current plans for your telephone exchange(Calthorpe) area yet. Could change.
I think uk is the only country in europe without good internet connection and nobody do anything to change that. Bt thinks 75mbps is a fibre connection you kidding me or what.? I pay for 75mbps and i can’t even get that pathetic country.
In the highlands of Scotland we still have the old copper wire which is a load of crap they have been promising fibre broadband for years fed up
How many people actually moan at the other providers for not actually investing in putting fibre in the ground in their own network. Too easy to slag off BT/Openreach without addressing the issue of other providers not putting the funds forward for them.
I think it’s about time Virgin Media upgraded the piece of rope that runs from their cabinet to my front door.
Rope To The Premises might have been acceptable when it was installed in the 1990’s. I could have used it for voice communications by attaching a tin can at each end and pulling it taut. But it’s not the 1990’s any more. It’s so unfair when Virgin upgraded people in other areas from rope to coaxial copper cables years ago 🙂
The poor chap in the picture appears to have had an accident stretching over all those cables. Shouldn’t of drunk all that Tea first 😀
Shouldn’t of?
Thank you for noticing a common grammar mistakes at 5.30am. The rest of us can only dream to one day have a life which must be so exciting and fulfilling .
What if there’s a fault on the cable at the bottom of all that mess, the cables/fibres should all be tidied and tied into frames on the walls and in the middle of the room so you can walk around them and reach each and everyone of them – they need to hire a couple of Swiss Telecoms Engineers to sort it out.