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Trying to get FTTP to a place that hasn't been bequeathed with it yet

limegorilla

Casual Member
First post - so if I am in the wrong place, or this has been answered before, I do apologise. I have done a search, but if I have missed something please point me in the right direction. Also, Hello!

Okay, so I am currently living in a place where I am lucky enough to get Virgin Media's M300 package, and currently enjoy 330/35Mb speeds. I'm not totally happy with them, but they are my only available option as far as I know.
However, I’m going to be moving down to Bognor Regis in West Sussex, and there is no Virgin Media coverage there, leaving me with 60~Mb as my only option. While that is ‘enough’ - I don’t want to have to take slower speeds lying down, so to speak, and want to know my options.

As far as I can tell, my only viable option is to get FTTPoD from Openreach. (which I don’t actually get from Openreach, I get it via a third party, who then goes via Openreach - which does not make sense at all) This, at my new address, would get me the same 330/35 connection I have now. From what I can tell, installation is quite expensive, and can get up to £10,000 or higher. My nearest cabinet is about three streets away, around 500m or so. There are no grants for this at all, and I would essentially be benefiting my new neighbours as they would be able to buy into this without the massive upfront cost that I will be footing. Following the install, whomever I get to do my install I will have to stay with for a minimum period of 12 months. If a faster connection comes along, I will have to - again - foot the bill to get me connected, unless it’s part of Openreach’s expansion already.

Other options include getting an actual fibre run from the nearest exchange - which I know to be way to expensive given that it is on the other side of town. I could wait for Starlink - which looks promising if it can deliver on Elon Musk’s claims, which is not a given at all, and while the implementation is new, satellite internet does not have a good reputation. Plus this is very much untested. Or I could just use the current FTTC connections that are available and twiddle my thumbs for better internet speeds to become available.

So firstly - am I missing anything? Have I got anything wrong? Can I apply for grants with this being just a consumer connection? Does anyone know how much (on average) these FTTPoD installs cost?

They really do not make this easy, do they. Thanks for any advice.
 
First post - so if I am in the wrong place, or this has been answered before, I do apologise. I have done a search, but if I have missed something please point me in the right direction. Also, Hello!

Okay, so I am currently living in a place where I am lucky enough to get Virgin Media's M300 package, and currently enjoy 330/35Mb speeds. I'm not totally happy with them, but they are my only available option as far as I know.
However, I’m going to be moving down to Bognor Regis in West Sussex, and there is no Virgin Media coverage there, leaving me with 60~Mb as my only option. While that is ‘enough’ - I don’t want to have to take slower speeds lying down, so to speak, and want to know my options.

As far as I can tell, my only viable option is to get FTTPoD from Openreach. (which I don’t actually get from Openreach, I get it via a third party, who then goes via Openreach - which does not make sense at all) This, at my new address, would get me the same 330/35 connection I have now. From what I can tell, installation is quite expensive, and can get up to £10,000 or higher. My nearest cabinet is about three streets away, around 500m or so. There are no grants for this at all, and I would essentially be benefiting my new neighbours as they would be able to buy into this without the massive upfront cost that I will be footing. Following the install, whomever I get to do my install I will have to stay with for a minimum period of 12 months. If a faster connection comes along, I will have to - again - foot the bill to get me connected, unless it’s part of Openreach’s expansion already.

Other options include getting an actual fibre run from the nearest exchange - which I know to be way to expensive given that it is on the other side of town. I could wait for Starlink - which looks promising if it can deliver on Elon Musk’s claims, which is not a given at all, and while the implementation is new, satellite internet does not have a good reputation. Plus this is very much untested. Or I could just use the current FTTC connections that are available and twiddle my thumbs for better internet speeds to become available.

So firstly - am I missing anything? Have I got anything wrong? Can I apply for grants with this being just a consumer connection? Does anyone know how much (on average) these FTTPoD installs cost?

They really do not make this easy, do they. Thanks for any advice.
If VDSL is available then it’s unlikely anyone is going to want to buy in to higher speeds if 50mbps is available already. It’s not really worth the cost as it’s over and above most people’s reasonable internet needs.
Considering you live fairly close you’ll be in the pipeline for G.Fast eventually (similar to VM speeds) or FTTP it’s just a case of when but only OR will know if it’s in their plans for any time soon.
 
If VDSL is available then it’s unlikely anyone is going to want to buy in to higher speeds if 50mbps is available already. It’s not really worth the cost as it’s over and above most people’s reasonable internet needs.
Considering you live fairly close you’ll be in the pipeline for G.Fast eventually (similar to VM speeds) or FTTP it’s just a case of when but only OR will know if it’s in their plans for any time soon.

G.Fast - what is that exactly? And is there a public ally available roadmap or do they just announce this in press releases or something?
 
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I would say best bet is to just go with the 50Mbps FTTC (which is actually quite fast for it) and wait and see if OR eventually upgrade it as part of commercial plans. (more than likely before end of the decade)
 
As far as I can tell, my only viable option is to get FTTPoD from Openreach. (which I don’t actually get from Openreach, I get it via a third party, who then goes via Openreach - which does not make sense at all).

Openreach are a wholesale provider, they sell the service to ISPs but ISPs have to add all the network and capacity stuff before creating a retail product for consumers. This is normal as Openreach are not an ISP, just the supplier.

As for your options. Hmm I don't think it would hurt to at least try engaging with your neighbours and seeing if they might be interested in giving Openreach's Community Fibre Partnership (CFP) approach a try to help split the costs (some have used crowdfunding portals to help raise money for such things).

You could also try asking Cityfibre if they might be able to quote, although they don't currently have the same sort of CFP style facility. I say that because they're currently building a Dark Fibre network in your area and have in the past used that later to extend via FTTH into homes.

 
Firstly - thank you all for the information!

You could also try asking Cityfibre if they might be able to quote, although they don't currently have the same sort of CFP style facility. I say that because they're currently building a Dark Fibre network in your area and have in the past used that later to extend via FTTH into homes.
From what I can tell this could be my best bet, as apparently I am not far from the network. Does anyone know how much CityFibre are to install? Also what kind of speeds am I able to get - or does that all depend on ISP capacity?
 
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In Milton Keynes, the FTTP service I get is branded as Vodafone Gigafast but the underlying network is Cityfibre. They currently offer packages from 100Mbps up to 900Mbps. These are symmetrical up and down and the top tier package costs £55 per month.

I'm afraid I can't help with bespoke installation costs as they just put fibre in the entire street and don't charge an installation fee to connect up your house at the moment.
 
From what I can tell I register my interest with CityFibre and then Vodafone take it from there. I think I'll end up doing that and getting a quote - I'll post back here when I get one. I currently don't own the property, or I would be doing it now lol.
In Milton Keynes, the FTTP service I get is branded as Vodafone Gigafast but the underlying network is Cityfibre. They currently offer packages from 100Mbps up to 900Mbps. These are symmetrical up and down and the top tier package costs £55 per month.

I'm afraid I can't help with bespoke installation costs as they just put fibre in the entire street and don't charge an installation fee to connect up your house at the moment.
Completely out of curiosity - how have you found Vodafone? Can the router they give you handle the speeds?
 
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