Question about Plusnet FTTC exchange availability

can someone tell me if the following is correct?

Plusnet supply broadband through BT Wholesale...they have no LLu, so this should mean where BT have FTTC then Plusnet can supply it also?

someone Iam helping elsewhere says BT says he can have FTTC with them, but plusnet says they cant??

do Plusnet only get FTTC in certain exchanges?


thanks

Yes, Plusnet can get FTTC anywhere that BT FTTC (Infinity) is available.

To be precise, BT Infinity uses BT Wholesale just like Plusnet does. I know that's a subtle difference, but it's important. OfCom have made it so that the different internal parts of BT Group have to treat all ISPs the same, including BT Retail.

So somewhere there is a mixup about the person you are helping. If you put his telephone number into this checker that should give you the definitive answer.

If it doesn't recognise the phone number, tty the address option. Don't use the pure postcode option as for technical reasons it isn't reliable.

thanks for that RobertoS

here is the details from checker...to me it reads like FTTC is not available, using just the post code it has no fibre mentioned, using building number and postcode (address) it has FTTP but not FTTC

WBC FTTP Up to 330 Up to 30 -- Available
WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 3 -- 2.5 to 6.5 Available
ADSL Max Up to 3 -- 2 to 5.5 Available
WBC Fixed Rate 1 -- -- Available
Fixed Rate 1 -- -- Available
Other Offerings
Fibre Multicast -- -- -- Available

so no FTTC is available at that cab and the BT rep was incorrect?

cheers

It may be an Exchange Only line - no cabinet, no fibre to the cabinet...

The checker usually gives the cabinet number if there is one.

Ah - they're right: FTTC is NOT available. Even BT Retail can't give it to you.

But that is because it is really FTTP that is available.

Now, BT Retail are selling FTTP as a standard option (and are one of the few ISPs that are), still labelled under the "Infinity" banner, so when you ask them, they say "Yes". You get the same 2 package options (40/10 and 80/20) as FTTC and at the same prices IIRC, but you get a higher speed option too (160/20 ?).

However, FTTP is also available from Plusnet, but within one of their trials. You can't order it from them as a new customer - instead, you have to order plain ADSL from them, and then go through their "trials" page to ask to be included. The details you can see (as a customer) say:

We are currently running a trial of FTTP in certain areas of the country. More areas are being added all the time. Existing Plusnet customers are welcome to take part in the trial.

If you would like to take part, then please use the Availability Checker link below and search by your phone number to see if it is available in your area.

If it is available then please be aware that FTTP is a trial and that you may find a few teething troubles. If you do have problems, please note it may also take longer to resolve than normal because it's a trial and new technology.

FTTP is an engineer installed service. An engineer will come and visit on two different days to install the FTTP service for you. The first appointment will be to run the fibre to your property and install a box on your outside wall to connect the inside and outside. You do not need to be at home for this appointment but if you have any preferences as to where the box is installed or if the engineer will be unable to attend (e.g. needs access through security gates) then please provide any notes we can pass on.

The second appointment will be to install the equipment inside your property which you will need to be home for.

Appointment times are available Monday to Friday from 8am only. The average appointment time for the first appointment is around 5-7 hours and around 2-3 hours for the second appointment. Please note these times are average and the actual appointments can take longer.

There needs to be at least 7 working days between the first and second appointments. Please note it may take 1-2 weeks to reply to your ticket. It's therefore best to give dates starting around 2-3 weeks ahead for the first appointment and at least 7 working days later for the second appointment.

As part of the trial we'll supply you with a free router. Most ADSL routers are not compatible with FTTP. If you want to supply your own router then please let us know but be aware that the router you're using must support PPPoE over an Ethernet/WAN port.


The following products and options are available for the FTTP trial:

Plusnet Essentials Fibre up to 38Mbps - £16.49 per month

Setup charge - free
Speed - up to 38Mbps down, up to 9.5Mbps up
Contract - no change to your existing contract period
Usage - 40GB (between 8am and midnight), unlimited overnight (midnight to 8am)
Router - free 3 port wireless

This product is the same as our FTTC Essentails Fibre product only with FTTP.

Plusnet Unlimited Fibre up to 76Mbps - £19.99 per month

Setup charge - free
Speed - up to 76Mbps down, up to 19.5Mbps up
Contract - no change to your existing contract period
Usage - Unlimited
Router - free 3 port wireless

This product is the same as our FTTC Unlimited Fibre product only with FTTP.

Please provide the answers to the questions below and we will start the ordering process for you.


1. To take part please confirm below that you've read and accept the Terms and Conditions for the trial.

2. Whether you need to be present for the external work and if so what dates you are available (if you need to be present please note there must be at least 7 working days between the external and internal appointments).

3. What dates you will be available for the internal work (if you do not need to be present the external appointment will be booked for 7 working days before the internal appointment)? Appointments are available Monday to Friday from 8am only

4. Please provide us with a mobile or contact number we can pass on to the engineer in case they need to contact you on the day.

5. Which product you want? Essentials Fibre up to 38Mbps (£16.49 per month) or Unlimited Fibre up to 76Mbps (£19.99 per month). Please note there may be a pro-rata fee for the difference between your current subscription and new subscription taken when your fibre install completes.

I know of someone else who joined this way, and I'm pretty sure that they're not being selective at all, so you should be fine. Hopefully someone frmo PN can confirm this is still OK.

You can also look at Plusnet's own forum, but you need to be a customer to actually post there.

BTW - It isn't really a technical trial. PN consider it a trial more in the ordering because they haven't pushed the processes & training out to all the staff.

Edited by deleted (Wed 17-Apr-13 04:04:29)

Irrelevant property has FTTP available.

And fits precisely with what has been said too.

Areas with native FTTP dont have FTTC

Out of interest, which exchange is this from?

(I'm now FTTP conntected on the Plusnet trial)

GunSmoke

Hi All

the property is served by Cabinet 18 - so its not an exchange only property.

to me it reads that their cab is not yet upgraded for FTTC - but if you want FTTP run from the exchange (at a hefty cost I imagine) then you can, typical FTTP installations would be run from the FTTC cab, so the longer run to the exchange is already fitted, so in his case it would cost a fortune to get FTTP unless BT offer it as a trial or something? am i right?

edit: actually he lves in cornwall and superfast fibre is being rolled out there? so would it be that he can get FTTP from BT but not from Plusnet or Sky .?

cheers

Edited by paulb100 (Wed 17-Apr-13 17:00:47)

Paul can I suggest reading what has been posted.

FTTP is available at the location.
It is available at the wholesale level

BUT at this time only a handful of providers retail it, BT being one, and with Plusnet you can order it, but only via a trial order process.

At places where there is native FTTP you can order a 40, 80, 110, 220 or 330 Mbps service. The on demand product will launch only offering the 330 Mbps option.

FTTP is not run from cabinets. End of.

Native FTTP is supplied instead of FTTC in the few places it is available - like the one you are talking about.

FTTPoD which will be available soon in areas that already have an FTTC cabinet will still not be run from the cabinet, but that's the one that will cost a lot more than FTTC and standard FTTP.