FTTP Gigabit upgrade questions

[Rockmoor]

We signed up to the community fibre scheme back in 2020 and are hopeful the infrastructure upgrade will complete this month.  Finding difficult to get clarity of next steps, hope you can advise?

- Fibre has been installed to poles in the community, the final connection to each house is done by the broadband provider rather than Openreach I believe, is that right?

- I understand this needs a new box on the wall (does it need a power supply?), does the router also need replacement?

- I'm on a BT Fibre 1 package currently (at 5mb/s!), am being told if I upgrade to Fibre 2 this will include an automatic upgrade to FTTP at 100mb/s, does that sound correct?

- Do I need to upgrade my analogue phone or is this a later option?

Any guidance much appreciated

[licquorice]

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@Rockmoor wrote:

We signed up to the community fibre scheme back in 2020 and are hopeful the infrastructure upgrade will complete this month.  Finding difficult to get clarity of next steps, hope you can advise?

- Fibre has been installed to poles in the community, the final connection to each house is done by the broadband provider rather than Openreach I believe, is that right?

No, broadband providers don't carry out any work in the field, it is all done by Openreach at the request of the provider when an order is placed.

- I understand this needs a new box on the wall (does it need a power supply?), does the router also need replacement?

It will require an unpowered CSP box on the external wall where the external and internal fibres are joined. It will also require an ONT (optical modem) which needs a power supply on the internal wall. Router replacement will depend on what you have already and whether or not you will be moving to Digital Voice. It is almost certain you will move to DV and that requires a BT Smart Hub2 which will be supplied as part of your package. If you don't wish to have a voice service, any PPPoE capable router with a WAN port will suffice.

- I'm on a BT Fibre 1 package currently (at 5mb/s!), am being told if I upgrade to Fibre 2 this will include an automatic upgrade to FTTP at 100mb/s, does that sound correct?

I believe so

- Do I need to upgrade my analogue phone or is this a later option?

If you move to DV, you will be offered either 2 basic or 1 advanced handset as part of the package.

Any guidance much appreciated

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[Rockmoor]

Thanks licquorice

[iniltous]

AFAIK, with a Community Funded Project/Partnership  ( CFP ) , if in part funded by DMCS vouchers or just community contributions   , there has to be a level of commitment to take the service once it’s available, by pledging the voucher or stumping up a percentage of the build costs , we’re you one of the ‘pledges’ , or one of the community that didn’t join the CFP , but are within the catchment of the CFP ?,

If you were one of those agreeing to fund ( well part  fund , CFP’s generally still get a significant contribution from OR towards the build costs ) then the CFP organisation should be aware of the procedure to turn the commitment to take the service , into actually fulfilling the commitment,  but ultimately the physical process is the same as someone who ‘upgrades’ to FTTP in an area where OR provided the FTTP network as part of its commercial rollout.

As far as DV , no doubt at order entry you would be advised if DV was a compulsory part of the upgrade , but given the fast approaching PSTN switch off , I would be surprised if you kept your legacy phone service and the copper pair associated with it.

[Rockmoor]

Thanks iniltous. I am the community coordinator for the scheme which is fully funded by DCMS vouchers. The network should be ready in October and I want to be clear of the process coz I'll get an avalanche of questions on the big day! DV is not a compulsory part of the upgrade but as you say PSTN is being phased out so I expect this question to come up

[iniltous]

I suppose the other thing ( given that you have posted on the BT Consumer forum ) is that the CFP is with OR directly, not BT , there is no compulsion for anyone covered by this CFP to use BT as the provider , and given that DV is BT’s proprietary voice offering on FTTP , anyone not contemplating using BT wouldn’t have to worry about DV , but their chosen providers telephony offering ( some don’t offer a phone service at all ) ….my guess would be that when the network is ready for service , then they order with whoever they  chose in the normal way , if the commitments made regarding take up or voucher redemption are not delivered, presumably OR would be in touch.

[licquorice]

I'm not sure of your use of the term compulsory, that implies the customer has a choice.

There won't be a choice, it will Digital Voice or analogue that will be offered, almost certainly DV

[iniltous]

Not sure I follow your logic , compulsion implies no choice….if a customer chooses to use BT in this CFP area , and wants a telephone service , I suggested that it’s entirely possible that the consumer would have no choice , but be compelled to take DV ( as opposed to having a choice to keep the PSTN phone service over the copper pair )

[licquorice]

No it doesn't. The OP suggested that DV isn't compulsory, ergo there is a choice whether to take it or not, which isn't the case.

[iniltous]

Oh, you were replying to the OP , I assumed it was in reply to myself