Openreach Revise UK ISP Install Options for G.fast Broadband UPDATE

Last year Openreach informed ISPs that it was going to change the way it handled installation options across their broadband portfolio (here) and this is now about to start, with a new ‘Standard‘ and ‘Premium‘ Managed Engineer Install being added to their G.fast hybrid fibre “ultrafast broadband” service from 30th July 2019.

The options form part of a new briefing on Openreach’s website (here), which touts the introduction of Early Market Deployment Launch (EMDL) prices on G.fast (this is technically an update to the EMD prices announced all the way back in 2017 – here – since G.fast is still technically a trial product). Beneath the surface of this the only real change relates to their refreshed installation options.

Previously the operator charged ISPs £99 +vat for an engineer install with their own modem or £49 +vat for an engineer install with the ISP’s device (modem or router). In addition, Openreach has been conducting trials of a new Self-Installation (PCP-Only) option for G.fast (here) but this is not mentioned in today’s briefing.

Under the revised approach Openreach are offering a ‘Standard‘ (£79 +vat) and ‘Premium Managed Engineer Install‘ (£99 +vat) service (not all ISPs that we spoke with are happy about this pricing as it seems to be higher than expected). An additional connection charge of £55 is also applied for the provision of an Openreach Modem (Huawei MT992), where required.

We have asked the operator to clarify the differences between Standard and Premium but from speaking with ISPs we believe that it goes a little like this. Both are obviously engineer visits to your home, until Self-Install arrives.

Standard Managed Engineer Install

The engineer will upgrade your Master Socket to a newer NTE5C (unless it has one already – unlikely), connect the modem / ONT and ISP router (if applicable) and will also connect one device to ensure everything works.

Premium Managed Engineer Install

The engineer will do all the above but they’ll also carry out an analysis of the WiFi and reposition the customer’s router for best results, if necessary. The engineer can also add up to two data extension kits and will connect up to two more devices and demonstrate the service. We think they also need to test that it’s VoIP capable.

The premium option seems designed to ensure that both the broadband and your home network is running and up to the task of service delivery, rather than plugging everything in and leaving after a simple test. No doubt some people with less familiarity may find the premium option useful.

All of this falls under Openreach’s new Site Visit Reasons (SRV) approach and will also affect FTTC (VDSL2) and FTTP services going forward.

UPDATE 3rd July 2019

Openreach has confirmed that ‘Standard’ and ‘Premium’ are their new options for managed Gfast installations – with ‘Standard’ simply getting the customer connected and verified, and ‘Premium’ offering a complete in-home service, including Wi-Fi optimisation. All of this is in keeping with what we said above.