BT Full Fibre 100 and Smart Hub 2

[yorkspark]

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@crimsomwrote:

The BT Broadband Availability Checker Featured Product says my line will have Openreach WBC Fibre Broadband.  Evidently this is the modern combination of Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC).  This is the match to our full fibre cable and the advertised WBC Fibre Broadband. 

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WBC FTTP is not a combination of FTTP and FTTC, how can it be, its 2 different technologies

You are getting FTTP, via a shotgun dropwire, which is been made obsolete, which encompasses a fibre which connects to the cbt which then runs direct to the exchange and a copper pair which connects to the local dp to allow the analogue phone to work. Also you can order FTTP without the copper side.

If you had fttc, ie broadband and phone over copper, then the broadband side will be disconnected when fttp goes live, also the copper pair will become redundant when you get moved to digital voice.

[crimsom]

Another day and a copper wire fault finding Openreach engineer visits our local FTT distribution point. Had an amicable chat thinking they were checking the slow speed fault on my FTTC line. Turns out that Openreach diagnostic monitoring of the housing estate is showing many faults, due to the recent rain downpour, etc. The manhole cover was removed and I could see a deep pool of water inside. 

This Openreach engineer advocated that my FTTC (part of full fibre cable) will be present for more than 20 years - good news.  But the slow speed fault on my FTTC line was not on their list of activities for this day. My FTTC line is good for 47 Mbps maximum download, but my 36 Mbps package is only providing 20 Mbps and this slow speed fault has not been fixed despite, many attempts. Moving to full fibre 100 should move away from this copper wire fault, and retain my copper wire phone line. 

I have been getting BT letters about moving to digital voice. BT has ensured that my copper wire phone remains active, especially so that my unlimited fibre broadband continues to be provided, until day after unlimited full fibre 100 goes live later this month. Its too early to instigate a move to digital voice, because full fibre may introduce different faults. Will wait and see if full fibre is good to go, on this 1950's housing estate. 

[jac_95]

Just a note on Digital Voice, there's a ramp up to migrate to it as Openreach close down the analogue PSTN network so be prepared to move onto it sooner rather than later 🙂

[crimsom]

Hi @jac_95  thank you for sharing. We have digital phones at work and they are maintained to be fault free. All digital phone discussions are stored on servers, and are part of the company's declared monitoring policy. 

When chatting to the Openreach engineer, I discussed thinking of getting a digital phone. But being connected to emergency services during mains power interruption is a priority. The news media's doom and gloom articles are currently full of energy to the house disruptions.  Will wait and see if full fibre delivers customer's expectations. 

[imjolly]

If you are switching to FTTP then you may not get a choice as openreach are closing down PTSN and moving everyone to digital voice

[pippincp]

The PSTN (copper phone service) shutdown is being rolled out as areas become FTTP exclusive. It will finally end in 2025.

[crimsom]

Hi @pippincp thank you for sharing.  This is a BT discussion forum, we all have different skills and knowledge.

[imjolly]

It will be interesting when you post after your FTTP is installed to see how it was done - as you suggest or as @pippincp 

Aslo interested if you got to keep your copper line for phone or as expected you were migrated to digital voice

[crimsom]

Hi @imjolly thank you for sharing. I could not complete my online order and was instructed to make a phone call.

BT Sales responded and I explained unable to complete online order (because Openreach says the housing estate did not have full fibre). I was transferred to BT Technical Support, who had the same Openreach information. I explained that Openreach broadband engineer had installed full fibre to a neighbour today (on 04 October 2021).  They then completed order transaction over the internet for me.

I declined to have Digital Voice.  As an existing BT Customer, extra discounts were applied and my FTTC was retained.  The subsequent BT Journey document says I will have FTTP and FTTC. So I am very pleased to have order completed over the internet and thereby optimistic that the BT full fibre order will provide both fibre optic and copper wire.  I was also told that if for some reason the full fibre installation is unable to comply with order, I have the option to revert back to the FTTC account status - good news.  

[imjolly]

As I said will be interesting to see what you actually get installed by openeeach so look forward to your update