ADSL/full fibre

[Fronwen]

.As far as I know my connection is Adsl (copper wire). I'm being offered an upgrade to 150Mbs for renewal but surely this speed is not attainable without fibre? Alternatives please.

[imjolly]

the free upgrade to 150mb connection will include change to full fibre connection - FTTP

[chrisjp]

"Alternatives please."

This is a customer to customer forum so none of us have the power to offer you any alternatives. You'll need to contact BT to discuss those.
Your existing connection may be ADSL (copper wire all the way from the exchange to your house) or more likely it'll be VDSL (fibre from exchange to street cabinet, and then copper from there to your house).
VDSL gives higher broadband speeds (up to around 80Mbps) than ADSL. Do you know your current broadband speed?

[Fronwen]

Through the BT site  my download is given as 47Mbs on a contract that provides for 50 so I assume it is more probably fibre from exchange and copper to house from  cabinet as full copper wouldn't give this speed. If so then the upgrade would improve to nearer 80 but not 150. Does that sound right?

[Fronwen]

Unsure how that could happen with no existing fibre connection to house.

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

If you are being offered an upgrade to 150Mb , that’s is a pretty standard BT offer to upgrade to FTTP from FTTC when FTTP becomes available.
If you don’t want FTTP installed and prefer to remain on FTTC , chances are you will need to stay with whoever you are currently with , but don’t renew , staying on an out of contract basis, so likely paying more than necessary.

Once FTTP becomes available it becomes the default network for new providers, so moving to another provider as a new customer (new to that ISP ) will almost certainly be with the obligation to take FTTP , so it’s the same as renewal with your current ISP .

There  may be some exceptions to the obligation to take FTTP , like picking a ISP that doesn’t force FTTP for new customers (but as Openreach incentivises ISP to use FTTP once it’s available you may struggle to find one ) but in general, if you don’t want FTTP for some reason , just stay as you are but on an out of contract basis  , expecting the best  price but not taking FTTP is unrealistic.

[WSH]

You are almost certainly on VDSL/FTTC.  FTTC is Fibre To The (street) Cabinet.  The max on ADSL was only 24Mb/s.

As has been mentioned, from this point on FTTC prices will gradually climb.  (They need some way to get people moving and they obviously don't want to be heavy handed and just shut down FTTC...although that time will come in the 2030's).

I'd go for the Full Fibre 150 upgrade, (known as FTTP - Fibre To The Premises).  It's way better than FTTC in terms of speed and stability.  Fore example, every time you reset your router it just comes back up at the max speed again.  None of this variation with line conditions.

The only thing to keep in mind is that the new box provided, called an ONT - Optical Network Terminal, will need power and so must be within 1.5m of a power point or an extension lead.  It does not have to be next to the old phone socket so,  within reason, (as they have certain rules to follow),  they will site it where you like.

[Fronwen]

Many thanks, much clearer now.