ISP iDNET Puts Pause on CityFibre Based UK Broadband Packages UPDATE2
Popular business and residential broadband ISP iDNET appears to have suddenly stopped selling packages based off CityFibre’s new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network. The exact reason for this decision remains unclear, but we understand that some “admin issues” need to be “resolved” before they can return.
Until recently iDNET only sold broadband packages via Openreach’s national network, but all that started to change in October 2021 (here), when they began selling packages over CityFibre’s network too (initially across Derby, Cambridge, Leicester and Peterborough). Since then, they’ve also become available via FullFibre Limited‘s (Fibre Heroes) new alternative network.
Due to this, it came as somewhat of a surprise when, through a combination of routine database updates and reader emails, we spotted that iDNET seemed to have suddenly removed almost all trace of their CityFibre based packages. This change occurred at the very end of January 2023.
Advertisement
The provider has since confirmed the move and, although the details remain thin, said they hoped it would be only a temporary pause in the ability to place new orders whilst “admin issues” are resolved. Disputes between ISPs and network suppliers do sometimes occur, although such things only very rarely result in this sort of impact.
Hopefully the underlying issues can be resolved quickly, since iDNET was one of the more familiar ISP options on CityFibre’s network.
UPDATE 8th Feb 2023 @ 11:22am:
CityFibre has confirmed that they do have a small administrative issue with iDNET and are working to resolve it. The expectation, we understand, is that it will be sorted shortly.
Advertisement
UPDATE 12th Feb 2023
Good news. CityFibre’s packages have returned to iDNET’s website. Suggesting that the issues have now been resolved.
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, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
« Sky UK Makes Improvements to Sky Glass and Sky Stream Firmware
ISP Upp Remain Optimistic Over Sale of UK Full Fibre Network »
I do think IDNet are in troubles with their financial lately
[citation needed]?
I hope not since their my ISP, does anyone have any proof of this? I pay a pretty healthy £57 for my service since it was based on their old gamer package but I accepted that cost as they seemed to be a robust small ISP.
Based on what exactly?
The latest accounts for Infinity Developments Ltd t/a IDNet are for the 30 June 2021. They ended the year in a way better position than the previous year (which was still in the black).
Soo, unless you have any more up to date information, I’m calling bullshit
I think this is just a trolling post by the usual random. iDNET itself does not have any financial problems, that I’ve seen.
It appears this coincided with Cityfibre’s announcement of restructuring and redundancies, are the two connected?
why would they be?
If it was down to CF – it wouldn’t just be iDNet with the pause.
No, not related to that, this is a more specific issue that iDNET has concerns about. So it’s not directly related to CF’s restructuring.
In a similar vein there’s been constant delays (coming up to 3 years now) around bringing some pre-acquisition FibreNation connections in line with the rest of the CityFibre network, which CityFibre have been very tight-lipped about.
The last hint at movement (at least from TalkTalk) was that “something” would happen in November, so far nothing. So these “admin” difficulties don’t seem like a new thing, but un-resolved difficulties coming to a head.
Whatever the problem was it was short-lived. The CityFibre packages are back on the IDNet website.