This topic

Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:01:20 GMT

I moved into my new home a few years ago and realised there was no fibre available for my property. Virgin would not do the work so I’m currently using Sky which works ok but waiting for BT to roll out fibre.

I saw work being done at the start of the estate last week and yesterday they did my street. I quickly went over and asked if he was from BT, which he said yes.

I explained my situation (being the corner house at the end and unable to get fibre) and he said all houses will have the cabling underneath and all he needs to do is link the cables for all houses. He must have been there less than an hour and was gone before you know it!

Does anyone know how long it usually takes from this stage to fibre being available?

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

imjolly — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 08:48:51 GMT

there is no set time it could be a couple week or months. Person was not from BT it was openreach who would install fibre and they supply SKY, BT and many other providers. SKY will have access to fibre connection at same time as BT

you can enter address and keep checking until you see fibre available

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

WSH — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:01:32 GMT

Sky are far slower to update their database.

When OR switched on fibre round here, BT had it on their database a week later. Sky was 6 weeks later. Sky's user forum suggests this is typical.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

36ULW — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 16:30:32 GMT

It’s usually because BT Consumer/EE use BT Wholesale, who will pay for a Hydra Link to the new Optical Head End Immediately.

Other ISP’s who use their own LLU Backhaul like Sky, Vodafone, TALKTALK, etc will sometimes delay it because they want to see what the take up is before committing to the Installation Costs of connecting to the new Optical Head Ends.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:44:42 GMT

Yes you’re right and my mistake, he was a subcontractor from Openreach I believe. From what he told me, the cabling/wiring was already in place when the houses were built and just needed to configure this to each house which didn’t take him long.

Here is what it shows me:

It says FTTP on Demand as available - can someone clarify what this means and what I need to be looking for? Thanks

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

imjolly — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:09:32 GMT

FTTP on Demand is an expensive business product and not available to you

can you post the notes that were underneath checker results

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:14:48 GMT

FTTP is not available.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL availability: If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules. CPs should order FTTP or SOGEA. Copper products are only available by exception.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

iniltous — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:35:26 GMT

If your property was built early to mid 1990’s or later then it’s probably a ducted feed , so the copper cables are in a duct , that makes upgrading to FTTP relatively easy , no excavation is needed unless ducts are blocked …..that’s probably what the engineer you spoke to was in effect saying ….you currently cannot order FTTP, even when the work is done , it needs to be commissioned , you are not at that point yet .

As far as timescales, all you can do is keep checking , it may be days , it may be weeks , it may be longer , when the checker shows WBC FTTP as available then you can order , as far as FTTPod (on demand) is concerned, as stated , that’s something different where you pay to get the network installed and can be expensive, plus if ‘native’ FTTP is in the process of being fitted then any order for ‘on demand’ would be rejected.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:35:05 GMT

It is a fairly new estate so what you’re saying is most likely right!

Guess I’ll just playing the waiting game and go on the checker every few weeks to see if things change. Thanks

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

NigelB72 — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:42:08 GMT

@WSH not always the case. BT quoted availability for us as 6 months, Sky had it installed within 2 weeks on the newly installed Openreach network.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

WSH — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:36:14 GMT

That’s fair enough. I can obviously only quote from my own experience.

I think 36ULW is probably the real explanation.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 08:09:28 GMT

Saw an Openreach van and people working at the start of the village - as mentioned last week, someone was doing some work near my house which makes me think things are moving which is positive.

I’m still in contract with Sky until Jan 2026, hopefully this will be done by then so I can switch over.

I know it’s hard to say but apart from the broadband checker, is there any other way to know when fibre will be available for me?

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

licquorice — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 08:21:49 GMT

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

NigelB72 — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 09:10:09 GMT

@Dsingh1991 Sky also offer full fibre via Openreach and their prices are pretty competitive so you won't necessarily need to jump ship...

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:07:55 GMT

I’d love to know how long others waited from seeing the openreach vans/engineers to having fibre available?

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

imjolly — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:12:33 GMT

That won't help you as each situation is different. It could days or weeks or months or indefinite you just need to keep checking the dslchecker until you see available

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

licquorice — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:13:18 GMT

How would that help? Every case is unique, you could be waiting days, weeks or months.

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:17:19 GMT

Thanks guys!

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

Dsingh1991 — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:06:12 GMT

It’s been a few months since the work was done from outside but the checker is still showing the following:

Guess I’ve still got to play the waiting game which is fine as my Sky broadband doesn’t finish until Jan 2026 but curious to know how long it takes for openreach to give the go ahead?

Re: Fibre almost ready? I hope so!

36ULW — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:06:59 GMT

How long is a piece of string?

What work they have left to do and how long it’ll take is anyone’s guess, which is all you’re going to get on here.