Broadband ISP ZYBRE Shift UK CityFibre Customers to Octaplus

Customers of troubled broadband ISP ZYBRE (Air Broadband), specifically those served by CityFibre’s UK full fibre (FTTP) network, have this week been informed that the provider has reached an agreement with rival internet provider Octaplus Networks to “support migrating of our existing broadband subscribers“.

Just to recap. ZYBRE seems to have suffered from a variety of problems over the past couple of months – following its acquisition of Air Broadband (summaries here and here), which has resulted in disputes with several of its network partners, such as CityFibre, OFNL, LilaConnect (VX FIBER) and FullFibre Limited. This has caused a great deal of uncertainty and problems with support, with some customers opting to leave.

On top of that, the provider’s records at Companies House were recently updated to report that the provider has now received a “First Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off” (here), which puts ZYBRE Limited at risk of being struck off from the official register of companies. But they still have a couple of months to try and resolve that (NOTE: In October 2022 another company called ZYBRE Group was also incorporated by the same Directors).

The latest development in this ongoing saga is that broadband ISP and pay TV provider Octaplus (Octaplus Supercharged), which also sells services to consumers over full fibre (FTTP) networks from MS3, CityFibre and FullFibre Limited, appears to have reached an agreement with ZYBRE to take on their base of CityFibre customers. A copy of the related email can be found below (credits to Tom and James).

ZYBRE’s Email to Customers on CityFibre

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX,

We understand that you may have experienced some frustration with our service and as a result our customer experience over the past few months, we would like to offer our sincerest apologies for this. In order to address and resolve these issues, ZYBRE has reached an agreement with Octaplus Networks, and CityFibre will support migrating of our existing broadband subscribers.

What does this mean for you?

You can rest assured that your internet broadband speed will remain the same, and there will be no change to your existing contract terms. Octaplus Networks will ensure a high degree of service to support all customers joining their platform.

What about my payments?

It is important that your payments with ZYBRE, EdenOak (Digital Home) or Air Broadband are up-to-date, so please ensure any outstanding payments are made, once paid you should cancel any direct debit you may have with ZYBRE, EdenOak (Digital Home), or Air Broadband. You can make payments via our payment hotline on 02393003713.

What are the next steps?

Your existing broadband service will be migrated to Octaplus Networks starting from Friday 12th May 2023 onwards, between 00:01hrs and 08:00hrs, and you will be provided with free internet access until 31st May 2023, giving time to set up new direct debits with Octaplus Networks.

Do I need to do anything else?

The day before migration, please ensure the CityFibre network termination box and the WiFi Router are connected to a power source and remain switched on. On the day of migration, wait until 08:30AM to test your internet connection. If it’s not working, simply switch off the power to both the CityFibre termination box and router, wait for 1 minute and then restore the power.

If you are still unable to connect to the internet, please contact the Customer Service team at Octaplus Networks by phone on 03333355385 or email switchover@octaplus.co.uk and they will assist.

Octaplus Networks will send an email to confirm your migration has been completed successfully.

What if I don’t want to migrate to Octaplus Networks?

Octaplus Networks is an Internet Service Provider and Network Operator based in the UK, established in 2022 to offer a better standard of broadband nationwide.

They are committed to offering the best possible support, at industry-leading prices, giving outstanding value for money.

If you choose not to migrate to Octaplus Networks, your service will still be migrated, and you will be offered free internet until 31st May 2023, giving you ample time to do your research and migrate to another CityFibre ISP, with no penalty.

If you have any further questions or would simply like to talk to someone about the migration, please contact the Customer Service team at Octaplus Networks by phone on 03333355385 or email switchover@octaplus.co.uk and they will be happy to help.

FAQ Page: www.octaplus.co.uk/zybreoctaplus

Thank you for your custom and understanding.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Robinson
CEO, ZYBRE

The migration itself is expected to take place in phases, and Octaplus said they will inform customers about the date and time allocated for their migration (note: the FAQ page linked above also includes a Direct Debit form). The hope is that this may finally bring to an end the uncertainty and problems that ZYBRE’s customers have recently had to endure.