Can get FTTP but not FTTC?

Bit of a strange one, but I live in an area of Milton Keynes which has FTTP (was offered to join the trial a while back).

I am currently with Sky and want to get fibre (FTTC) with them, but they tell me it's not available in my area. The BT broadband checker says:

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a WBC Fibre To The Premises technology with an estimated Broadband downstream line speed of up to 330Mbps and upstream line speed of up to 30Mbps.

I know my exchange (Bradwell Abbey) is Sky FTTC enabled, so can I only order FTTP and not FTTC? It seems with Zen/Plus Net that they also tell me FTTC is not compatible on my line.

I am not quite sure why I can also order both FTTP/FTTC with BT, but other ISPs can't seem to offer me FTTC. Any thoughts?

why do you say you can order FTTC from BT ?

In reply to a post by yarwell:

why do you say you can order FTTC from BT ?

I have phoned them to place an order for BT Infinity - up to 100mb/s, unless this is a detuned FTTP service.

Up to 100 must be FTTP based.

In reply to a post by ionic:

Up to 100 must be FTTP based.

On the Infinity site I can order 16/38/76 and 100 - surely the first three would be FTTC?

Also, I thought FTTP/FTTC technologies were the same up to the street cabinets from the exchanges. Are they different?

Edited by MoneyBagger (Wed 03-Oct-12 22:26:36)

correct

If you can get FTTP, you really don't want FTTC!

Just in case your not aware FTTP is fibre all the way to your house, so your order 80 meg (or whatever speed) FTTP that's what you get, with FTTC it drops depending on how long your line is back to the cabinet.

There's not much FTTP about so I don't think you find it advertised on most ISP's website's - best to phone them, even then you may get someone who doesn't have a clue.

Plus Net are trialing it, so it would be worth contacting them, of course BT will also be able to supply it, as will some other ISP's, in theory Sky should be able to supply it too.

Edit

FTTP = fibre to the Property
FTTC = fibre to the Cabinet

Edited by R0NSKI (Wed 03-Oct-12 22:34:00)

Thanks

Yeah I am aware about FTTP. Given that installation is free for the trials, I guess it would be unwise not to take part given the estimated costs for an install once rolled out. The frustrating thing is Sky don't seem clued up or are not trialling it in my area. What I don't want to do is sign up with another ISP and find out in a few months Sky start trialling it in my area. Another problem is I need a contact at Sky who can tell me about their FTTP trials (South Harrow I last read).

I think you may be confusing FTTP with FTTP on demand, FTTP doesn't use street cabinets, and should have installation charges in line with FTTC from what I understand. BT basically covers the area with fibre, this is what you have available.

FTTP on demand, will when available incur quite high installation costs, and will only be available to areas that have existing FTTC cabinets, basically they run a fibre from existing fibre spines (supplies to the FTTC cabinets) to your property, and the customer has to pay for this. FTTP on demand is currently being trialled as well, and yes the lucky volunteers are getting free installs.

Edited by R0NSKI (Thu 04-Oct-12 08:16:21)

I think at the moment FTTP on the Bradwell Abbey exchange (where FTTP is being rolled out in MK and is the same exchange as I'm on) is only being offered to ISPs that currently provide services via BT Openreach's kit, Sky have their own kit in this exchange so won't currently be able to provide you with fbire until I expect Openreach declare the trial complete and start offering it to all providers.

Inifinity can be delivered over fibre to the premises and the speed simply throttled at the switch in the cabinet.

BT won't provide FTTC where FTTP is available