Just wanna share our excitement that BT Openreach is starting to install FTTP at our street. They expect to finalise it by Christmas 2017.
Background:
For one or two years, the county Hertsfordshire have a program that were in process of upgrading cabinets to FTTC (http://www.connectedcounties.org). Our cabinet went live around Jan 2016. We only had to find out that we were not eligible for FTTC due to the distance, at the time we had no idea that (our long) distance was a factor. We live around 1.5 miles away, and our ADSL is sub 2 Mpbs. After researching many options, it seems that the Community Fibre Partnership (CFP) was the only viable way. Our street is has around 22 houses, and it was rather ‘easy’ to get them together and discuss and agree to commit as a community.
I am just sharing here a little time line, perhaps useful for others that are planning to undertake CFP.
So:
2016
June
- signed up at https://communityfibre.openreach.co.uk, received email with providing details of how many are interested
- dropped letter with our neighbours, and within 10 days most of them replied
- Send the form back to CFP. They will now do some kind of desk study and estimate the cost. In our situation we discussed either FTTC or FTTP. Due to the small number of houses (20 were interested), it was more cost-effective to opt for FTTP
September
- received a estimate of £43k.
October
- convened the community. Those who commit, will need to take part of paying a final cost estimate of £2.500. But to do that, we needed to setup a community interest company, CIC. 20 out of 22 committed financially. Also appointed 3 neighbours to be directors of the CIC.
November/December
- CIC ‘finally’ established. This takes paper work and time!!!! Not the same as what they said on the website
- Opened a bank account for CIC
- Asked for invoice to pay £2.500. Then there was an issue. Previously agreed that there will be NO VAT on this, but now we had to. So this needed to be sorted out.
2017
Jan
- Finally agreed to get a surveyor to actually survey our premises and street for the final costing
February
- Surveyor spend almost a week to uncover all the BT boxes form the cabinet to our street. Often under overgrown grass/vegetation.
March
- Final cost £34K. This was rather a pleasant surprise. We had to create scenarios if cost go up how to inform the other communities.
- Then things went fast. We are obliged to pay 50% up front and sign contract.
- found out that the £350 subsidy that is now available for CFP projects, will expire around Feb 2018.
- BT Openreach will not commit to a deadline (on paper). But have the intention to finish within 9 - 12 months.
Now, it is just waiting.
September
- BT Openreach surveyors appeared in our street. Apparently we had to tell them all over again where things needed to be installed etc. But these were the guys that are responsible for installation. Apparently the CFP projects were pushed to be finished before Christmas.
- Within a week, more surveyors were spotted. Part of the fibre cable has been wired up on our poles. The remaining bits required them to find contractors. Let’ see.
Background:
For one or two years, the county Hertsfordshire have a program that were in process of upgrading cabinets to FTTC (http://www.connectedcounties.org). Our cabinet went live around Jan 2016. We only had to find out that we were not eligible for FTTC due to the distance, at the time we had no idea that (our long) distance was a factor. We live around 1.5 miles away, and our ADSL is sub 2 Mpbs. After researching many options, it seems that the Community Fibre Partnership (CFP) was the only viable way. Our street is has around 22 houses, and it was rather ‘easy’ to get them together and discuss and agree to commit as a community.
I am just sharing here a little time line, perhaps useful for others that are planning to undertake CFP.
So:
2016
June
- signed up at https://communityfibre.openreach.co.uk, received email with providing details of how many are interested
- dropped letter with our neighbours, and within 10 days most of them replied
- Send the form back to CFP. They will now do some kind of desk study and estimate the cost. In our situation we discussed either FTTC or FTTP. Due to the small number of houses (20 were interested), it was more cost-effective to opt for FTTP
September
- received a estimate of £43k.
October
- convened the community. Those who commit, will need to take part of paying a final cost estimate of £2.500. But to do that, we needed to setup a community interest company, CIC. 20 out of 22 committed financially. Also appointed 3 neighbours to be directors of the CIC.
November/December
- CIC ‘finally’ established. This takes paper work and time!!!! Not the same as what they said on the website
- Opened a bank account for CIC
- Asked for invoice to pay £2.500. Then there was an issue. Previously agreed that there will be NO VAT on this, but now we had to. So this needed to be sorted out.
2017
Jan
- Finally agreed to get a surveyor to actually survey our premises and street for the final costing
February
- Surveyor spend almost a week to uncover all the BT boxes form the cabinet to our street. Often under overgrown grass/vegetation.
March
- Final cost £34K. This was rather a pleasant surprise. We had to create scenarios if cost go up how to inform the other communities.
- Then things went fast. We are obliged to pay 50% up front and sign contract.
- found out that the £350 subsidy that is now available for CFP projects, will expire around Feb 2018.
- BT Openreach will not commit to a deadline (on paper). But have the intention to finish within 9 - 12 months.
Now, it is just waiting.
September
- BT Openreach surveyors appeared in our street. Apparently we had to tell them all over again where things needed to be installed etc. But these were the guys that are responsible for installation. Apparently the CFP projects were pushed to be finished before Christmas.
- Within a week, more surveyors were spotted. Part of the fibre cable has been wired up on our poles. The remaining bits required them to find contractors. Let’ see.