How would you increase FTTP availability?

Just for fun, what methods are other countries using to increase fibre deployment? List any you can think of and feel free to suggest whether they should be implemented here.


First option that comes to mind is a "National Broadband Network" like Australia were going to have before the government changed and they switched to FTTC. Say a nationwide rollout over 10-15 years with a total cost of £25-30 billion, maybe the government could partner with the private sector and reduce the cost a bit. £2-3 billion a year isn't that much, the overseas aid budget alone is around £8 billion/year ...

Second rather different approach from the Netherlands. In 1998 they passed a law requiring all landowners to provide right of way for private networks to lay fibre. Also any company wishing to dig had to announce its intention and allow others to lay their own fibre and share the cost of construction.

I'd have to say, as it stands at the present, that lack of availability is due to lack of orders. Those involved in it's supply are not going to invest in anything until they can see that they will get a fairly quick return of investment.

For starters, let's see the other two main ISP's, Sky and TT, offer a product and push for it's sale. That should speed up it's implementation.

I'd have thought the best way to install and increase FTTP coverage is at the development/construction phase, so give developers incentives or mandate its installation on developments over a certain size/ number of dwellings. They can the partner with CPs to install FTTP at the outset.

as regards putting in fibre on land the UK already has similar powers - Communication Act 2003

Known as the code powers it basically gives the statutory utilities (and others granted so) rights to do whatever they want including rights over private land with due notice being given and being required to apply to the county court if the landowner kicks up a fuss.
(That said most utilities do approach private landowners instead seeking "a mutual agreement")

edit
I know of a FTTC cabinet proposed to be on private land (the PCP is on public land) where BT have simply issued a code power statutory notice of their intention.
So that is no consultation, no compensation, no wayleave discussion - just a notice that this is what is going to happen.....and that x square meters of the private land is going to be removed from the owners use plus the manhole joint box in front of the unit.

Edited by deleted (Tue 13-May-14 11:31:01)

I think the Dutch law was about giving private companies the same power as utilities(in their case typically KPN the national telephone company), to undermine the status quo.

Is there not a lump sum that openreach offer for each property connected up to copper that they offer? Something in the region of £150 per property.

I would have been under the impression that something would have existed the same for fibre, that openreach would have paid the developer to have installed all the ducting for them.

I live on a new build estate that has still got 2 years to go until completion and they are only installing copper here. Even though the local exchange has been fibre enabled for a few years, our cabinet is not.

There definitely needs to be greater incentives for developers.

*edit* I know that you could say to the developer that they can use fibre as a selling point so why should there be a cash incentive from openreach as well? The area we live in gets 5mbit, so the internet speed is fine for streaming HD on Netflix and everything else, but for a lot of new build areas, sometimes these are miles away from the exchange and suffer from far worse speeds.

Edited by deleted (Tue 13-May-14 11:54:45)

seems a weird reply.

FTTP is priced at a point that makes it clear openreach do not want orders. So to then blame lack of orders as a reason for lack of rollout is bizarre.

The best judge would seem to be the demand for FTTC, which I think is higher than BT ever expected, evident by the fact they are undersupplying cabinets, and extending the rollout.

Given BT are very tentative on spending money on the local loop, the only real answer to this is either wait, vectoring and g.fast to come first then maybe FTTP after that (as long as another copper enhancing tech doesnt come along first). Or state intervention such as a state funded/subsidised FTTP Rollout program, which as said is very affordable, but clearly no political willpower for it.

Edited by Chrysalis (Tue 13-May-14 12:03:08)

FTTP is priced at a point that makes it clear openreach do not want orders.

FTTPoD maybe, native FTTP is what I was talking about.

FTTP is priced the same as FTTC.

People complain about uptake, but I think you'll find that FTTP uptake is actually pretty good.

Andy

Zarjaz actually does the instals so should have a good idea of take up.

Is 10% good enough to drive FTTp rollout, I doubt it, is 20% i still doubt it, 305 would be more like it.

Developers do get paid for providing Fibre or copper ducting.

If more providers offer a full Voice and BB service over FTTP then more builders may provide it, however it appears at present that only BT Retail do both so there is no choice if you are an FTTP only site..