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Forced migration to FTTP?

swt1963

Casual Member
I currently have a 40/10 SOGEA (FTTC with no voice) connection from IDnet. I am close to the cabinet, the cable is ducted underground and is relatively modern. The VDSL sync to the cabinet is rock solid and typically stays connected for weeks to months at a time.

Although FTTP is available from both Openreach and Trooli, there is no real reason for me to migrate to it as that would incur an install charge, a new 12 month contract (I’m on a 30 day contract currently), plus unsightly external fibre cabling to drill through the wall and site the ONT where there is power plus further internal works to provision an ethernet cable from the ONT to my router.

In the last couple of days, Openreach have run a nylon draw rope from the house end of the duct out to the pavement chamber. Is this a prelude to the complete removal of copper, and a forced migration to FTTC? I know that the analogue voice service and probably exchange based ADSL is being shut down by the end of 2025, but was under the impression that FTTC/VDSL would remain for the foreseeable future.

I have seen no announcement of full migration outside the trial areas, but is Openreach really planning to start pulling out VDSL cabinets anytime soon? It seems unusually proactive of OR to start the rod and rope process where no FTTC has been ordered! Is there a published list of exchanges and timescales? My exchange is PADDOCK WOOD.

If I am forced to migrate, then will I be charged for that migration and will I need to sign a new contract with a longer minimum term?

If anyone has any inside knowledge that they can share I’d be grateful.
 
You are not currently on the stop sell list. Paddock Wood is not itself on the OR FTTP rollout plan although Matfield and Brenchley to the south are (starting next year).

If you do have OR FTTP available you are unlikely to be forced off FTTC for the next 2/3 years and you should get good notice.

The draw rope may be down to a team ensuring they are there for OR or TROOLI or simply an error. Hard to say.

Going forward most ISPs are unlikely to charge you for conversion as they will be keen to retain you. You will of course get a better deal on contract and you can decide between the available ISPs at the time.

If the current line comes in to an NTE presumably you then have a telephone cable running off to where your current router is. There is no reason why the Fibre cannot follow the same route (subject to bends) or better still to somewhere out of sight such as under the stairs etc. You are the customer and you just need to decide where you want the ONT and ensure power is made available. There are various solutions including Power Over Ethernet (PoE) depending on where the ONT and Router will be located. Feel free to private message me and I can share some ideas based on your layout.

You are right to plan ahead.
 
Thanks for confirming that there’s likely to be a few more years. Routing the fibre internally from the house entry point to my study where the copper NTU and the router is would be challenging/disruptive as it would involve lifting wooden flooring and cutting the large chipboard sheet floorboards. The existing wiring was installed as the house was built some 21 years ago.

Anyway, the house will hopefully be sold by the time action is needed and it will be up to the new owner to decide where they want things.
 
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Have any other neighbours properties been similarly roped by Openreach?

Given that they are roping the ducts, it may be something planned sooner than stated above - a matter of weeks or months (rather than years) if they are planning works.
 
My neighbour on one side already has OR fttp, which is a very recent install. It’s possible that we at least partially share a duct as I have the middle house in a row of three that share a drive with the pavement chamber at the road end. I can’t see anything on the other side so I will ask them if they’ve had any communication. I had a note from the contractors through the door the day before they did the work, which took about 10 minutes.

I suspect that it’s related to the install next door..
 
My neighbour on one side already has OR fttp, which is a very recent install. It’s possible that we at least partially share a duct as I have the middle house in a row of three that share a drive with the pavement chamber at the road end. I can’t see anything on the other side so I will ask them if they’ve had any communication. I had a note from the contractors through the door the day before they did the work, which took about 10 minutes.

I suspect that it’s related to the install next door..
If no other properties have been roped, then it may be related just to your neighbours new connection.
 
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