FTTP Service Providers in Wales

According to the Welsh Government website, only the following ISPs currently offer an FTTP service in Wales:

4Com Ltd; Andrews and Arnold; BT Retail; Entanet; & Zen Internet.

Several people in my superfast broadband roll out awareness group currently use TalkTalk as their ISP for ADSL/ADSL2 broadband connections. With an anticipation of being able to access superfast broadband via FTTP anytime between now & December 2017, they are now finding out that TalkTalk does not currently offer it. Those that are still within the minimum contract period now face the choice of either staying with TalkTalk until that term expires, or incur a penalty and leave earlier to go to an ISP that does provide an FTTP service. Some hope that a price increase may provide them with an opportunity to leave earlier without incurring a penalty. However, this is highly unlikely giving that TalkTalk has just reduced its fibre broadband prices.

Unless more ISPs start offering an FTTP service, I guess the situation described above will be an ongoing problem? Does anyone know whether the number of FTTP providers in England is more than it is in Wales?

Finally, for FTTP provided under the BDUK program - Given that FTTP speeds are aligned to those available under BT Infinity packages (unless you want to pay more for higher speeds), why are more ISPs not offering an FTTP service? Is it something to do with pricing aspects or maybe a technical issue?

Sky and TalkTalk won't participate for the followinrg reasons;

They don't want to buy the extra cable links from the Openreach L2S to their network kit in the exchange.

They don't think there's enough customers to warrant the expenditure of training their advisors and updating their systems to support FTTP.

They want to sweat their ADSL kit in the exchange for every penny it's worth.

Despite all of the above they whinge to no end that Openreach don't invest in enough FTTP, even though the vast majority of those on FTTP take the lower 40/10 and 55/10 services.

In reply to a post by lee111s:

They don't think there's enough customers to warrant the expenditure of training their advisors and updating their systems to support FTTP.

TBH that's a good enough reason for the likes of TalkTalk and Sky not to offer FTTP. Perhaps if Openreach based FTTP had a bigger footprint/reach, then yes it would be worth their while spending money on extra resources req'd to sell FTTP. But in its current guise, selling FTTP is not worth it based on the very few potential customers.

Perhaps.

They don't tell that to their potential customers though. They often just blame Openreach.

I suspect that FTTP at FTTC type prices is not widely available, and that is why there are few retailers.

FTTP on demand is more widely available but I would think most people are discouraged by the very high price.

In England there are suppliers like Gigaclear, B4RN and Hyperoptic who specialize in particular markets.

Where GEA-FTTP is available (1.6% UK premises) then pricing at wholesale level is identical to GEA-FTTC, install fee is higher at £92+VAT due to engineer attendance.

So as a reason why so few retailing GEA-FTTP it is a non starter

FTTP on demand whilst being more widely available has even fewer suppliers - because very few people would buy it and so it is aimed at businesses with 1 or 2 suppliers willing to offer it.

Does anyone know whether the number of FTTP providers in England is more than it is in Wales?

Don't think this part was answered - yes, same providers in England as in Wales. Others have given reasons for why.

PlusNet also do FTTP but it is in a trial phase, I think you have to sign up to their ADSL/VDSL service then ask to go on the FTTP trial.

Many thanks to every one who has posted on my thread.
The info provided was very useful and much appreciated.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Where GEA-FTTP is available (1.6% UK premises) then pricing at wholesale level is identical to GEA-FTTC, install fee is higher at £92+VAT due to engineer attendance.

So as a reason why so few retailing GEA-FTTP it is a non starter

There was a phase a couple of years ago where BT installation seemed to be trying to add ECC's (excess construction charges) onto some FTTP installations, even when the manifold was nearby, but not immediately adjacent. Such as across the road, even though the house already had a phone line. The excess charges were being passed onto the end user.

Then this shifted, and looked like Openreach still made the excess charge, but BT Retail was willing to eat the charge; the end-user saw nothing beyond the £92.

Under these circumstances, I can see why other retail ISPs might not be willing to hide this.

Is this likely still happening?

Hi there, thank you for thinking about us.

For the services we provide, we offer competitive prices, which can be viewed here -> http://ow.ly/K16i30cxRnT.

We are significantly increasing our roll-out over the next few years -> http://ow.ly/YQhG30erI6X .

If you have any questions, feel free to send us a private message.

Dragana