Upload Speeds compared to other providers

[LozzaES1]

Hi all I wonder if anyone else has spotted this and might have an explanation. We are receiving lots of mailings from BT competitors. I notice many of them are offering Upload speeds that are the same as the Download speed. I am currently looking at one provider saying they can offer a 1GB Upload and a 1GB download speed. The small print says a 1GB connection is actually a 900mb connection (which we already know) but they are still offering this as an upload speed matching the download speed. Is this possible? I assume everyone is using the same network of cables provided by Openreach so why would BT only offer a maximum upload speed of 110mb when other providers are offering upload and download speeds that match?

[Keith_Beddoe]

Its up to individual providers how much capacity they rent from Openreach.  Other fibre networks also have their own capacity limits.

Normally high upload speeds are aimed at business users, at a premium cost.

[imjolly]

The ISPs are probably using their own fibre network like virgin and newer kid on block Vodafone gigafast 

[licquorice]

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@Keith_Beddoe wrote:

Its up to individual providers how much capacity they rent from Openreach. 

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As far as I'm aware, the design of the Openreach PON is such that symmetrical operation is not supported. XGS-PON is required for symmetrical operation.

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@licquorice wrote:

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@Keith_Beddoe wrote:

Its up to individual providers how much capacity they rent from Openreach. 

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As far as I'm aware, the design of the Openreach PON is such that symmetrical operation is not supported. XGS-PON is required for symmetrical operation.

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I am probably thinking of the 1Gb short haul Ethernet links that I used to work on, they were 1Gb both ways.

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

If the providers you mention are only  using Openreach FTTP then they are wrong if they are offering symmetric speeds , other network operators may offer the same upload and download speeds …some confusion may arise where a provider like Talk Talk , who use multiple providers depending on location , in their adverts they could say upto 900Mb up and down , but in the small print ,  it’s only when you enquire they would quote the speed from the network provider they use in the particular area the potential customer is in.

[LozzaES1]

Thank you for your replies.  I guess I’ll need to wait until these new providers arrive in our areas to see what speeds they actually achieve.

As a layman I really can’t see how “Lit” who is the provider bombarding us with mailings could use anything other than Openreach as there doesn’t seem to be the capacity for someone else to lay cables.  We were one of the first to adopt FTTP in our area a year ago but walking the dog a year later it’s easy to spot the vast majority of homes have the new Openreach FTTP box on the outside of their property’s now. 

[jac_95]

If you are referring to litfibre they are a altnet and seem to be deploying their own fibre network which doesn't use Openreach bar maybe ducts and poles under Openreach's PIA product - https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/passive-products/physical-infrastructure-access(PIA)

[LozzaES1]

Thank you for that. It’s a really interesting read. Not sure how true it was but the Openreach engineer explained to me our area got FTTP ahead of everyone in our area because the network of ducts on our newish estate made a good training exercise for them. So I guess the same ducts would be perfect for this too.

Thank you again for the advice