This topic

Do I have to have Full Fibre?

Andrew28 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:45:10 GMT

I have Fibre with BT Halo 3. My 2-year contract ends next month. I would like to keep the same package. But BT are trying to make me go to Full Fibre which was recently installed in my street. But I don't want it. I'm happy with what I have now. BT can't offer me any deals to stay on it, only deals on Full Fibre. If I didn't renew, I assume I'd be on a rolling monthly contract. But would there be a price increase? Will I eventually have no alternative but to go Full Fibre? Thanks.

Re: Do I have to have Full Fibre?

gg30340 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:05:06 GMT

You will go onto a rolling 30 day contract and you will lose any discounts that you may have had for being in a Fixed Term Contract, so there will be a price increase.

At some point in the future you will need to move to a Full Fibre product but that could be a few years down the line or when you want to move onto a new contract for BT Broadband package.

Unless you absolutely have found that you need and use the Halo3 add ons you would be better dropping the Halo3 package and take out a Broadband package that does not have all the add ons that you do not use or need. It will cost you considerably less than you are paying just now.

Re: Do I have to have Full Fibre?

Kimberlin — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:05:41 GMT

You haven't explained why you are resistant to going full Fibre to the Premises? Why do you think it isn't going to be any better than what you have? I can assure you, it is superior to Fibre from the cabinet where you have copper going from the cabinet in the street wherever that is located, going to your home.

Halo is by all accounts, a very expensive add on. Do you actually need it. How much are you currently paying at the moment?

There are some excellent deals out there from both EE who are effectively BT anyway, and Plusnet, although if you have a landline telephone, Plusnet don't provide landlines any more.

You can switch without speaking to anyone by using One Touch Switching. The ISP you switch to, deals with everything. You do not have to speak to your existing ISP because that just complicates matters.

You can of course attempt to renegotiate over the phone with BT, but there's no guarantee you'll get a better deal. Often you actually have to start a switch before they'll come crawling to you with a deal. The onus therefore, is entirely on you.

Re: Do I have to have Full Fibre?

iniltous — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:28:02 GMT

When FTTP becomes available it becomes the default network and most providers will want to move you onto that network at renewal (as a condition of the renewal) or if you switch the new ISP will want to provide FTTP as a precondition of joining them so the only way realistically to remain on FTTC is to remain with the current provider, but on a rolling 30 day notice to quit (often inaccurately called being out of contract) , this usually will be more expensive than re-contracting, the email you get that advises you that your minimum term is close to expiry and offering renewal deals should also show the price if you simply allow the minimum term to expire or the confirmation you got 24 months ago should show the price after the minimum term (you need to add the two annual increase that would have taken place) .

In my case , I think it was a £5 increase , and as a guide to the renewal price , I was put back to roughly the price 24 months previously so the difference between the new deal and doing nothing was the equivalent of the two annual £3 increases (which is now £4) and the £5 out of contract ‘penalty’ so potentially £11 to £13 more than necessary if agreeing to renewal (and FTTP)

Given for the majority the change to FTTP will mean little disruption and be barely noticeable after it’s been done , why are you set against this ? , and as you seem to appreciate eventually you will no choice to take FTTP anyway (or have no service of any type) that’s apart from mobile broadband not arranging it when you have the most control and financially most beneficial seems daft .

Re: Do I have to have Full Fibre?

Andrew28 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:21:08 GMT

Thank you for your responses. I'm concerned that Openreach will have problems digging up my garden (3 tier concrete) to actually run the cable from the BT box on the footpath to my property, and the mess they will leave it in. I assume the cable has to be underground? This is my only real concern.

Re: Do I have to have Full Fibre?

iniltous — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:13:17 GMT

Is your current underground feed ducted or the copper cable is DIG (direct in ground ) if ducted then most likely no excavation will be needed , obviously if it’s DIG armoured cable then excavation is needed to get the new optical cable from the location of the CBT (in a footway jointbox ) to your house wall …if you don’t know which it is you can look at your survey information here

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

You need to be realistic as far as reinstatement, some surfaces can be restored with little evidence of the excavation, some surfaces will bare the scars , but for example a concrete driveway won’t be completely resurfaced just the excavated part is reinstated , if this is off putting don’t order you will simoky just be wasting your own time as well as Openreach’s if once this is pointed out you send them away , or worse , object afterwards and make some claim stating you were not prepared to have any evidence of an excavation showing afterwards.