FTTP pricing (transition product or non transition product)

Hi

I am located in an FTTP only area and have finally managed to get Openreach to in-fill a multi-occupany office building that was missed intially.

I am looking at pricing and trying to understand how the pricing from Openreach works in terms of what does and doesn't qualify for the transition product.

We have 3 PSTN lines at the moment, each providing an ADSL. Is the FTTP transition pricing associated to a specific copper line or is it just that there is a PSTN at the same premises. I am looking at ceasing surplas lines and the pricing I have been quoted is currently not transition product but I am not convinced the ISP is correct considering we have 3 PSTN lines and are going to keep at least one. Can one PSTN lines qualify two FTTP services at transition pricing?

Next questions is can a transition product qualifying PSTN line have a ADSL on it; looking at a BTw FTTP and possibly keeping a LLU wholesale (TTB) to give backhaul redundency.

The account manager at the provider (not exactly a small one but not BT!) told me they had apparently only sold 2 FTTP in the whole of the UK to date although I struggle to believe it and was pretty much trying to suggest not being a guinea pig! Anyway he wasn't 100% sure on the whole questions above not suprisingly but there pricing was £14/pm more than I was expecting being based due the the difference Openreach levy for not having a PSTN line.

Any ideas?

Chris

Not 100% sure, but pretty sure that Openreach will want it to be a 1 copper line paired to 1 FTTP line to get the transition pricing.
Technically believe there can be ADSL still on this line, but its down to whether Openreach or retail provider will allow it.

In terms of business, keeping 1 copper pair is a good backup, as voice will work during power cuts even if long.

Yeah I agree in terms of I don't plan to cease all lines but 1 pair should be enough rather than the 3 we currently have just as bearers for 3mbit ADSL!!!

The provider has come back to me saying:-

"My issue with transition pricing is the �this can be withdrawn at any time� part. I�m personally not a big fan of providers changing pricing if they feel like it."

I have to say I agree that is a pretty vague and open-ended statement and though I can't see BT doing it but I can certainly see there point of view the ISP is taking that it could leave them exposed!

Just done the maths on an 80/20 for the final mile Openreach costs

WLR3+FTTC = £215
WLR3+FTTP transition = £215
FTTP Non-transition = £220
FTTP+FVA = £223

So I can't see them pulling the non-transition product any time soon and sticking FTTP areas to £220+£96... or at least not until the decide to push everyone onto FVA and recycle the copper but I get the impression they aren't comfortable enough yet with voice over FTTP as they still are pushing the copper/FTTP combo.

Usual Ofcom rules require a notice period of around three years before product withdrawal if I recall, but they could of course also just increase pricing to force people to move to the product they would prefer.

NOTE: Above is from memory so don't take it as gospel.

Fibre Voice Access is a rare beast, seen one user post questions. Personally I'd prefer to keep the copper for backup, and use whatever VoIP provider(s) I like.

Or of you read the Openreach website... "BT reserves the right to withdraw the �transition product� at any time on not less than 28 days notice"

I suspect that they would argue they weren't withdrawing a product, a customers FTTP would be uninterupted, no different to if they rejigged voice pricing, but rather just withdrawing a pricing option and if they had an issue with the precise semantic of the change they could no doubt just with draw it from same and equalise the price and continue then to sell the transtion product but at the same cost as the non transition price!

I am tempted to try and order FVA as a laugh, Bradwell Abbey was listed for Early Market Deployment so I should be able to.

Looking at ISPreview migjht just found a catch with the FTTP transition product that it might need the same CP for both WLR and FTTP which we don't have.