Persimmon Homes UK ISP FibreNest Trials 900Mbps Broadband
Network builder and broadband ISP FibreNest, which is the Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) operator for new build UK housing sites by Persimmon Homes, has confirmed to ISPreview that they’ve begun to trial a new 900Mbps speed package for homes on “selected sites” (previously their fastest package was only 500Mbps).
The development, which was initially spotted by one of our readers earlier in the week (credits to Mike), has since been confirmed by the ISP. At present, the fastest broadband package available on their full fibre network is a 500Mbps (80Mbps upload) plan that costs £47 per month on a 12-month minimum contract term with free installation (note: price increases to £49pm from 01/04/2025), which puts them a little behind the modern gigabit trend.
However, FibreNest are understood to have been conducting internal trials of a new 900Mbps (110Mbps upload) service for a while, which a spokesperson told us had now been opened up and extended to “selected sites whilst we continue to monitor performance.”
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The non-promotional price for this service is currently said to be£54 per month on a 12-month minimum term (although Mike has been asked to pay £55), but they’ve yet to confirm an official launch date for full availability. The new package will also bundle a WiFi 6 router with the Plume HomePass™ (mesh) app and those who want a static IP address can add one for an additional £5 fee.
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.
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For what it’s worth, I’m in a Persimmon Home and we have full access to all OFNL Operators (inc. 1Gbps up and down). The newer estates don’t seem to be locked into Fibre Nest.
Some developments will have been established with a GTC / BUUK / OFNL arrangement before FibreNest. So the real question is, can you access packages from both FibreNest and OFNL on that same site, or only one or the other? If it’s both, then can you drop me an email, as I want to have a closer look at the development.
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/contact.shtml
I think fibrenest is only on 100% persimmon estates, if its shared with another developer then others may be providing services.
I live on a 50/50 Taylor Wimpey & Persimmon estate of what will be 1100 homes, and we are OFNL only.
@Mark @GDS I’m 99% sure we are OFNL only. I’m pretty sure GTC put in the utilities as they’re marked on our gas/electric meters. I’m unable to find a product availability checker for fibrenest. This is a Persimmon only estate. It was started about 7 years ago but they’re still building now.
Ah, then it actually pre-dates FibreNest, so they’ll be stuck with OFNL under the original terms.
Are none of the roads on Persimmon estates adopted? If they are owned by the local council, how can they lock out permitted development from AltNets overbuilding? Isn’t locking out an anticompetitive practice, which is disallowed everywhere else in broadbandland?
Roads wont be adopted until the development is finished, and by that time all of the houses will be subscribed to the initial provider, so is a AltNet going to win enough customers over to make it viable?
Up until recently, developers tried as quickly as they could to get the estate roads adopted by the LA as it took the cost away from the developer, who would accountable for up to 10 years. The LA would make it as hard as they could not to take it on…they end up meeting in the middle.
However, what we have seen in recent years, is the likes of Persimmon are now holding onto the developments as they have years of revenue stream from the likes of selling other services, such as Fibrenest. Therefore until the 10 years has passed, the LA won’t adopt roads and therefore other networks, including Openreach, struggle to get access.
GDS – I would think so especially when the incumbent is so expensive. Same as any other ‘overbuild’ they just have to wait for people to roll off their contracts.
In the case of my estate it has 2 phases both of which had been completed in 2022. The local authority has not adopted the roads and as such no access for 3rd party internet providers. Annoyingly Brsk (and its much cheaper 2Gbps package) are installing fibre within the next year on the “old” parts of the estate stopping at the boundary of the new builds.
Also no OFNL on this estate. It’s difficult when Fibrenest first came out the guarantee of fast fibre internet seemed great however due to lack of faster packages with symmetrical speeds they are now being left behind.
Councils seem to try and avoid adopting them for as long as possible, my dad moved into his new build estate in 2006 and the roads still haven’t been adopted as they keep finding reasons to avoid doing it.
Never knew this was a thing. What controls do they have on them so they don’t pump up prices and leave you with no other options. Wouldn’t put anything past developers based on recent form. Do you get BT as well or is it them or nothing?
Fibrenest or nothing well 5/4g but that goes without saying and nothing stops them they just maintain a pricing structure similar to bt when bt aren’t running offers
I’d hate to move into a new build estate. One of the many reasons is the monopoly some providers place on utility access. Need broadband? You’re stuck with one provider, or am I missing something here?
Then there’s the annual service charges for painting the roads, in addition to the full rate of council tax.
Do any of the bigger developers offer open access to all providers in the same way as a regular public road does?
Some developments are better than others regards connectivity. The last I looked at already had openreach, Virgin media and hyperoptic pre installed.
I signed up to the 900Mbps package last week and the speeds have been very inconsistent with frequent drops to under 100Mbps. Was previously on the 500Mbps package which seemed much more stable.
Currently in talks with support about it but am getting the usual excuses that it’s because I’m not using their supplied router (which they wanted another £25 for when upgrading). Mine is a TP-Link Omada ER605 so more than capable
They are making me wait until the end of the month (my next billing date) hoping it will be consistent as I use my own router connected to the ont (Tp link Xe75Pro)
Just checking I was told the static up was an extra £5 is that still the case for your connection
They initially set mine to go live on the next billing date as well but I asked if it could be moved sooner and they did it same day and applied a pro rata charge.
The speeds haven’t been any more consistent, I’m hitting 900Mbps about 20% of the time if I’m lucky but have hit a wall with support. They are telling me that there is no way for them to monitor the speeds unless I am using their new router (which they want £25 for). I still have the old Linksys one from when I moved in but apparently even that one can’t be used either as it’s not “optimised” for the 900Mbps packages.
When I signed up (December 2021) the 500Mbps package came with a free static IP address. Don’t think that’s the case anymore though.