Specialist team to order FTTP

[mfallard]

My current broadband deal expires soon and the personalised offers were showing FTTP now as an option. I checked a few times and the price seemed to fluctuate by a couple of pounds a month each time, so I was waiting to see if the price came down again when the FTTP upgrade options disappeared.

I contacted BT on twitter and they told me to check https://t.co/K79D6UEyjW which does say that Ultrafast Full Fibre is available at my address, but the option to order it through MyBT has disappeared.

BT then advised that it might be a capacity issue, but when they checked they said that FTTP could still be ordered, but I would have to call up because only a specialist team could place an order for FTTP for my premises.

Does anyone why I can't now order it online but a specialist team can? What does this 'specialist team' do?

[imjolly]

You need to phone the FTTP TEAM 08005874787 Who will be able to help you order whichever package suits you

[JamesBand5]

Does the Openreach Wholesale checker show "FTTP available" when you type in your property?

Also, if you went to the BT Broadband website without being logged in and input your address, do the FTTP products show?

It might just be a system glitch.

[mfallard]

Yes, WBC FTTP is showing as available with a downstream rate of up to 1000Mbps

It does appear to be a system glitch. An FTTP install here wouldn't be straightforward as there's not any sockets near the external wall where the cable would come in. As our existing deal was about to end and the price was about to go up, I signed up for the same package we're currently on. Once the order had gone through, it now gives me the FTTP packages as upgrade options. 

The other slightly odd thing is the wholesale checker shows a clean VDSL range of 67-80Mbps with a handback of 60Mbps, and an impacted VDSL range of 61.8-80 with a handback of 54.5Mbps, but the order went through with a suggested speed of only 45-50Mbps and a stay fast speed of 41MBps. We had been getting around 60+Mbps here, but in the last few months it has been in the 40s - seeming to coincide with a lot of work in the area for FTTP by both Openreach and other companies. 

[iniltous]

If you want FTTP , then the VDSL clean/impacted ranges and minimum speed guarantee etc. are irrelevant, you wouldn’t be on VDSL , if you don’t want FTTP and are happy with VDSL , then the external work to provide the FTTP infrastructure has no baring on what VDSL will provide….what you currently get from your VDSL will be what you will continue to receive if you renew ( irrespective of what the estimates say )

I’m sure some people  think if they get a particular broadband speed but the estimate speed range and minimum speed guarantee are less than this ,  they will be limited to the lower speeds , it doesn’t work like that.
If a specialist team is needed to raise an FTTP order it’s got nothing to do with where your power sockets are in relation to where the existing copper pair service enters the property, the FTTP ‘ONT’ doesn’t have to be sited near the copper service NTE unless you want it to be, so if the ONT needs to be somewhere different to the NTE , then the installer will ( within reason ) put the ONT where you want it .

On the DSL checker , there is also information about what type of install is required ( one or two stage , no anticipated issues , or potential problems, ) although that shouldn’t stop you ordering without assistance 

[JamesBand5]

So it sounds like you can order FTTP then. Though I would recommend ideally not signing up for another FTTC package (i.e. contracting into a long contract) versus negotiating for a new contract based on FTTP in order to get the best possible price (rather than being in a contract and upgrading). I think BT itself for instance does special offers at this time of year too. It might be best to wait till the address constantly shows up on the main BT Broadband website address checker with the FTTP packages showing fully. That would be an indication that the database is fully updated.

As far as where Openreach install the new ONT (which effectively replaces the old Master-socket), there is some flexibility in that as to where they can drill in. It doesn't necessarily have to be fitted exactly where the old Master-socket was.