BT FTTC plus CityFibre FTTP

[Brian0]

CityFibre have now cabled (fibred?) our street and I wanted to sign up for a FTTP connection through them whilst retaining my BT broadband.

On signing up (with Vodafone) I received an email from BT saying they are sorry that I am leaving.  When I contacted BT help they were insistent that I could not have both services, despite the fact that the CityFibre network is separate from the BT network.  Their claim was that they use the same infrastructure, which CityFibre deny.

WHY can't I have both?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Brian0 

Moving to any other provider, will result in the cancellation of your existing contract with BT Retail, there is no way around that.

If you are still in a contract, then you will have to pay cancellation charges.

[Brian0]

But I didn't want to move, I wanted an additional (physically and commercially separate) service.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Vodaphone would have informed BT that they were taking over your service. Its also possible that Vodaphone will be offering FTTC first, as it can take quite a long time for FTTP networks to become active. That is probably why BT see it as the same copper connection.

When FTTP is eventually installed, its quite likely the copper routing will be ceased.

[Brian0]

Thanks, that hadn't occurred to me. I'll check with Vodafone to see what they think they are doing.

[licquorice]

You need to be insistent with Vodafone that you require a second line, regardless of how it is provided.

There is absolutely no reason why you can't have multiple lines from multiple providers.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Its not uncommon for providers to entice people onto fibre, while offering FTTC to start with, sometimes with very long delays before moving to fibre.

Just because there a fibre cable being laid, it does not mean that the rest of the network is ready, and that can take a very long time. The same applies to Openreach FTTP, delays can go on for many months.

[iniltous]

If its Vodafone you want to use , it’s can be a little more complicated, as they use both Openreach and other Alt Nets to deliver their services, so a lot depends on the competence of the individual VF customer service representatives, they need to pick the appropriate network operator for the service you want , if they select Openreach, you  will be alerted that the existing Openreach based service you already have with BT is being requested for migration , if they select the Alt Net you won’t , as there is no connection between the two networks.

Its VF that are not delivering what you want , and although you should contact BT , if you get the ‘sorry you are leaving’ communication, and you don’t want a migration to VF on OR , but other than that  your issues have  nothing to do with BT ,  if you do get the sorry to see you leave communication, that’s a consequence of a VF error selecting the wrong network provider.

TBH , if they cannot deal with this , I would be a little concerned about them managing the rest of the process as well.

[Brian0]

O.K. long conversations with both BT and Vodafone... The problem is the phone. If I order FTTP without a phone (or a new number) then I can keep both services. Otherwise it is classed as "taking over". Apparently it is impossible (their word) to do the phone and broadband separately.

[licquorice]

That's nonsense, which company is telling you that?

You simply want to retain whatever services you currently have with BT and a completely separate service from Vodafone. The two have no relationship whatsoever. You are not asking Vodafone to take over another service, it is a totally new standalone provide. Vodafone shouldn't even be talking to BT, they have caused the problem by doing so.