ISP TalkTalk Trial UK FTTP Ultrafast Broadband via Openreach
Last month UK ISP TalkTalk promised that they would launch a new range of ultrafast broadband packages “before the end of the calendar year“, which for the first time would be based off Openreach’s (BT) new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network. The first customer trials are now quietly going live.
At present if you want “ultrafast” (100Mbps+) speeds from TalkTalk then you can either take their hybrid-fibre G.fast based packages from Openreach (covers around 2.5 million UK premises) or, if you’re very lucky, you might be reached by one of the limited FTTP deployments under their own independent FibreNation network sibling (i.e. York, Dewsbury, Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon).
Despite this TalkTalk has recently indicated that they want to maximise their “full fibre” coverage by adding Openreach’s FTTP network into the mix (covers around 2 million premises). This is an important move considering that they are also reportedly in the process of trying to sell FibreNation to Cityfibre (here), although TalkTalk will probably retain some degree of preferential wholesale access in any sale.
In any case we’ve been eagerly awaiting news of TalkTalk’s first Openreach based FTTP packages. In keeping with that some of their customers have recently informed ISPreview.co.uk that they’ve been invited to a new 6 month trial of a related “Future Fibre Broadband” product and we now have some solid details.
Guy Miller, TalkTalk’s Fibre for Everyone Director, told ISPreview.co.uk:
“TalkTalk has long been a champion of full fibre so customers can benefit from faster, more reliable services. Following our successful rollout of fibre to the premises in York through FibreNation, we are delighted that we are now bringing better connectivity to more customers using the Openreach network.”
At the time of writing you won’t find any public package details or prices for the new “Future Fibre Broadband” product on their website and that’s because they’re currently only inviting a selection of existing TalkTalk customers to trial it, absolutely free, for the next 6 months. The trial invites include the following package description (this appears to be based off Openreach’s 330Mbps [50Mbps upload] tier).
Future Fibre Broadband
* Guaranteed speeds of 100Mb/s
* Possible speeds of 300Mb/s
* Our most reliable connection yet
* Free and easy set up
* No obligation to keep it after 6 months
* Keep your current line and contract alongside the new free connection
Separately we understand that partners on the TalkTalk Business platform are also in the process of gaining access to the new service and as a result we’d expect to see more ISPs offering related packages in the coming months. At present the ISP only seems to be doing this as a data-only product but in the future it will be accompanied by a new IP voice (VoIP) style solution for calls.
Despite the description above, we understand that TalkTalk will also offer a package based off Openreach’s 115Mbps tier and they appear to be testing even faster speeds (above 330Mbps). We view such testing as a reference to Openreach’s planned launch of a new 550Mbps and 1Gbps product for consumers, which is due to go live on 23rd March 2020 (here).
At present there are no confirmed details on what router (TT Wi-Fi Hub?) will accompany the trial or when a final product may emerge, although the new trial takes us up to about the middle of 2020. Naturally you’ll need to be covered by Openreach’s FTTP network in order to benefit.
UPDATE 1:37pm
TalkTalk has confirmed that everyone on the trial will be offered their Wi-Fi Hub router.
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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I have G.Fast with EE in Caerphilly. Currently getting speeds of 140Mbps+ I can upgrade it to 330Mbps if I wanted too.
and the relevance of this to the article is….?
Hi can you have a second box for bedroom if so do you get the same channels as the main box and how much extra would it cost for second box.
Great that people are able to get FTTP but what about regular Fibre to some of talk talks loyal customers… We’re still waiting for something other than slow broadband that cannot cope with streaming on one device while having another device connected. Limited to one device at a time and feeling ripped off.
If the Hybrid FTTC/G-Fast is not installed in your area then that’s an issue with Openreach rather than TalkTalk as they can only give you what’s available.
Looks very good to get FTTP, but what are the “costs” after that.
Depends what BT set the Wholesale prices as? Hence why its a ‘Trial’ with free service for 6 months while they rest it all out?
Not sure that I agree with Badems reply. The FTTP product has been available from BT Wholesale for nearly 10 years with established price points, likewise directly from Openreach (in TTG’s case)so it’ll be a matter of how much TTG want to charge for the service (& their margin)
Our area isn’t even fibre enabled thanks to Openreach, the nearest cabinet is fibre ready but no link yet.
Maybe you need to move to where Fibre is available. If there is less demand for Fibre in your area then BT will not upgrade your cabinet until they see a higher demand.
Now if sky and Vodafone can release FTTP based packages as well in the future. I’II be happy as there will be more choice on offer and better deals in general
Sky already offers Ultrafast Broadband 1 which is FTTC and Ultrafast 2 for FTTP if FTTP is available in your area.
Sky doesn’t sell FTTP yet, ETA is beginning of next year.
I’m with BT would I be able to use the openreach/talk talk fibre nation FTTP when all goes live fibre nation cables getting laid as I speak outside
If your have FTTP available in your area then you can go with any provider for FTTP in your area. Sky and now TalkTalk sale FTTP depending with availability in your area.
Just to clarify, if Fibrenation are installing in your street (assume York or Dewsbury?) then the FTTP will be available via TalkTalk once the cabinet is released for sale.
@ Badem
Yes that’s correct. TT is available once cabinets go live. Sky is available but seem very reluctant to take orders. I’m a sky Customer and they politely told me no so I went with TT. £25 a month really can’t complain.
So fed up with Talktalk , worst service I have ever experienced. Trying to leave them but they just wont let us leave! Wouldn’t connect with them no matter how fast they claim to be.
I’ve been waiting for seven months to get connected, I’m fed up being fobbed of with excuses, don’t be fooled by lies and excuses, bt/openreach such a big outfit but still can’t get my broadband up and running, I told them I need it for hospital and doctor appointment and ordering my medication but might as well told my dog.
That’s because Openreach is the equipment provider and they playing a monopoly on this.
Only Virgin use own equipment the rest have to go through Openreach which is BT.
@John. Seven months for broadband sounds crazy, but it sounds like we’re missing some context for the what, where, when and why? Can you share a bit more detail.
@SilentSinger. Your statement doesn’t make any sense. What equipment do you mean? We don’t know the detail of John’s situation yet.
BT continues to have a telephony obligation so if John has a BT land line then they are obligated to fix it. If the line is serviceable then currently some form of DSL can be provided (even if very slow). So John is either very remote or there is an engineering issue such as decayed poles which are prohibiting safe access.
We have a market driven provision of broadband in the UK. What broadband network(s) are provided is dependent on the various providers commercial decisions (unless covered by contract e.g BDUK) so those without Ultra/Giga will just have to wait. OR may be regulated for DSL but going forward they have no obligation to provide broadband other than the basic USO they have committed to from next year (new build areas being excluded). OR will not be the 100% provider assumed by many so if they don’t come to your street, tough, select an alternative. But I wouldn’t worry as Boris has oven ready plans and Jeremy going to nationalise it.
Seven months is a very long time so if a broadband cannot be achieved for genuine reasons John should look at mobile or satellite alternatives.
In my view the importance of this announcement is that Talk Talk don’t want to be exposed by owning their own network (competition and impact of 5G) and, like other ISPs, to maintain their market share they need to develop their processes for multiple network providers for Ultra/Giga. OR may end up with a significant reduction in UK coverage but they will still be the most significant and where they are rolling out FTTP, TT need them to compete with the other ISPs. So no surprises really.
Talk talk you are so shit when I’m playing fortnite I’m on 120 ping to 200 shot broadband ever
There can be any number of reasons why your ping to a server is massively high and in most cases it is actually CPE related rather than network.
So for example if you connect on Wireless to play gaming you get rubbish Ping rates, also if you are ‘streaming’ your game it can impact the performance based on the amount of applications hogging the bandwidth.
You need to start with the basics and test the line from the router (wired in) using either the Traceroute in Windows or using an application to help pin down where the latency is occurring, if its Hop 1 then its internal and not much the ISP can do, if its Hops 2 to 6 (depending on ISP) then its either the connection, their network or the Peer at fault, if its the final hop its the gaming Server itself causing the issue.
Is openreach subsidized , funded or regulated by the government so it does not need to make a profit and offer lower wholesale rates ?
Absolutely not.
Good news that sky and talk talk are going to be offering open reach fttp next year, I already have BT 330/50 but like the sound of these 500 and 1000 packages coming in march but I bet the price will be £90+ a month
How do we join the trial and is it for everyone who has signed up for it ?
They are contacting random fttc customers that live in a property that’s got the option for openreach fttp to be installed, if your a Talktalk customer and your home can get fttp and shows up on the openteach checker it could be worth calling Talktalk to see if they could put you on the list.
So turns out the area i’m in they have nearly completed 75% progress on FTTP then no where near FTTC (25%)
Have we reached the ‘end of calendar year’ yet?