Openreach Trialling PCP-Only FTTC Install

Just for the bored I noted that Openreach will shortly be trialling FTTC installs where the engineer attends the cabinet only, leaving the ISP to take care of sending out a modem and the customer installing it.

FTTC goes wires only!

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Just for the bored I noted that Openreach will shortly be trialling FTTC installs where the engineer attends the cabinet only, leaving the ISP to take care of sending out a modem and the customer installing it.

FTTC goes wires only!

Thing is they would also presumably also have to send out a vdsl faceplate too,It probably won't save the customer any money though, so for most would be pointless may as well have Openreach come to the house and fit the vdsl faceplate and test the line for sync ect , than possibly end up for days /weeks without service whilst you wait for an engineer

In reply to a post by tommy45:

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Just for the bored I noted that Openreach will shortly be trialling FTTC installs where the engineer attends the cabinet only, leaving the ISP to take care of sending out a modem and the customer installing it.

FTTC goes wires only!

Thing is they would also presumably also have to send out a vdsl faceplate too,It probably won't save the customer any money though, so for most would be pointless may as well have Openreach come to the house and fit the vdsl faceplate and test the line for sync ect , than possibly end up for days /weeks without service whilst you wait for an engineer

Yathink?

Not likely. It'll just go to awful dangly microfilters and dodgy end user phone wiring.

When ADSL first hit in 1999/2000 it was an engineer-only installation and BT (no Openreach then!) wouldn't provision ADSL without an engineer attending and upgrading the customer to an NTE5 master socket with filtered faceplate and optional data extension.

When they switched to wires-only the faults reported increased exponentially.

Same thing will happen to FTTC / VDSL. BT Group have had the publicity they wanted / needed to get everyone on board, now it's just a matter of cutting costs and milking the cash cow and to hell with the reliability and attainable throughput of the service.

Edited by izools (Sun 30-Dec-12 07:53:14)

I assume switching to wires only installs will mean that installation lead times will come down substantially.

While I am sure that the engineer/managed install option will remain available, 'Wires only' will also have a lower installation charge for ISPs - and thus potentially lower charges for end customers (or some ISPs moving from 18-->12 month contracts)

More interesting in many ways is the second part of the trial where Openreach "[will..] allow CPs to begin to take over responsibility of the VDSL modem component by introducing their VDSL capable devices to replace the Openreach modem."

Regards
Sunil

Edited by gt94sss2 (Sun 30-Dec-12 08:14:17)

In reply to a post by gt94sss2:

I assume switching to wires only installs will mean that installation lead times will come down substantially.

While I am sure that the engineer/managed install option will remain available, 'Wires only' will also have a lower installation charge for ISPs - and thus potentially lower charges for end customers (or some ISPs moving from 18-->12 month contracts)

More interesting in many ways is the second part of the trial where Openreach "[will..] allow CPs to begin to take over responsibility of the VDSL modem component by introducing their VDSL capable devices to replace the Openreach modem."

Regards
Sunil

Absolutely, it should bring down lead times considerably and will be a welcome change for those of us who are technically minded.

Unfortunately just like wires-only ADSL, this will introduce a wealth of problems with those amongst us who aren't so technically minded, not understanding the effect of RFI or poor quality microfilters on the line, and of course VDSL2 is much more sensitive to such things than ADSL.

It would be good to see what VDSL hardware ISPs will start to introduce but TBH I prefer the option of being able to choose my own Ethernet router without having to ensure it has a VDSL modem built in

In reply to a post by izools:

In reply to a post by tommy45:

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Just for the bored I noted that Openreach will shortly be trialling FTTC installs where the engineer attends the cabinet only, leaving the ISP to take care of sending out a modem and the customer installing it.

FTTC goes wires only!

Thing is they would also presumably also have to send out a vdsl faceplate too,It probably won't save the customer any money though, so for most would be pointless may as well have Openreach come to the house and fit the vdsl faceplate and test the line for sync ect , than possibly end up for days /weeks without service whilst you wait for an engineer

Yathink?

Not likely. It'll just go to awful dangly micro filters and dodgy end user phone wiring.

When ADSL first hit in 1999/2000 it was an engineer-only installation and BT (no Openreach then!) wouldn't provision ADSL without an engineer attending and upgrading the customer to an NTE5 master socket with filtered faceplate and optional data extension.

When they switched to wires-only the faults reported increased exponentially.

Same thing will happen to FTTC / VDSL. BT Group have had the publicity they wanted / needed to get everyone on board, now it's just a matter of cutting costs and milking the cash cow and to hell with the reliability and attainable throughput of the service.

Agree. Some time ago on this site there was information that Openreach were trailing installs using BT micro filters (in Glasgow I think) so its clear which way the wind is blowing

News item 5213. 8 May 2012.

Edited by systemx (Sun 30-Dec-12 09:50:42)

what is there sold in the uk apart from the fritzbox?

It doesn't have to be a combined modem and router.

Have a Google for "vdsl modem", plenty of them around.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

what is there sold in the uk apart from the fritzbox?

There appear to be a few now:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=shop&q=vds...

What will the end user gain?

It will not change lead times by very much.

The actual total install time will fall by maybe 5 or 10 minutes from an hour or 90 minutes. Add up: travel to the customer/cabinet location, change jumpers in cabinets &c, return to base. Also include a possible 1 in 10 return visit because there is an error - it might be the Tech's fault but there is still a cost to BT which was not there before.

There will be a small change in installation charges - but not much.

Faults will increase enormously as will reports of low speed attributable to the end user.