New Build FTTP Questions

Hello,

I have a few general questions that I am hoping someone may be able to answer and re-assure me on!

We are moving into a new build property this week (Friday) and as the title states, the house will be connected via FTTP.

I have been told that the house is connected fine, Openreach came out and did their bit to make sure the house was up and running last Tuesday, I only have the developers word for this... so I have to hope that is true.

The concerns I have are:

1 - Today I have just got an email from Royal Mail saying my address is now on the PAF and should be 'searchable' within 2 days. So im hoping that will sync up with BT so I can place an order once live? Or is there an additional delay for BT to recognise that address as well?

2 - We were on the site on Saturday ( i should have gone in the house but didnt) as we were there to pay off a balance for floor installation. At that time, I saw that the white cable that I believe is the fibre line is still tied up outside the house... shouldnt that have been put into the house to confirm its connected? Or is that something an engineer deals with once we place an order?

3 - Once everything is live and I am in a position to order via BT, how long until FTTP becomes active? Is it a quick service, do I need a BT router etc still, or is the point in the wall my router?

I think thats all I need to know, would love to hear of other experiences positive (to get me through my night shift) negative.. im assuming there are plenty.

Final note from me, 60 quid for 300mb! Its hearbreaking going from a house that has Virginmedia with a full TV package and 250mb cable for 68 quid a month, to a house that will cost me 60 quid just for Fibre!

All help appreciated.

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

my address is now on the PAF and should be 'searchable' within 2 days. So im hoping that will sync up with BT so I can place an order once live? Or is there an additional delay for BT to recognise that address as well?

Keep searching for your new address at https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.address

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

At that time, I saw that the white cable that I believe is the fibre line is still tied up outside the house...

Any writing on the cable? Otherwise a photo might help confirm what it is.

My fibre cable is black, but that's not to say that a white variant doesn't exist.

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

3 - Once everything is live and I am in a position to order via BT, how long until FTTP becomes active? Is it a quick service, do I need a BT router etc still, or is the point in the wall my router?

From ordering to installation should only be a week or two.

You'll need a router - but if you're buying from BT, they generally provide you with one. You plug a CAT5 cable between your router's WAN port and the Optical Network Termination (ONT) box which sits on the wall and terminates the fibre.

There currently aren't many other choices for FTTP than BT - Zen is the main one today - although Sky are supposed to be launching FTTP soon.

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

Final note from me, 60 quid for 300mb! Its hearbreaking going from a house that has Virginmedia with a full TV package and 250mb cable for 68 quid a month, to a house that will cost me 60 quid just for Fibre!

Current online deal is £46 per month (or £40 for 145M), plus £10 setup less £100 cashback, on an 18-month contract.
https://www.bt.com/campaign/ultrafast3

You'll get much faster upload speeds on FTTP, and you can subscribe to NowTV / Netflix etc.

Fibre end cable is usually black when outdoors, this does strip back to a white for internal use (black is UV proof but installers have cutters to remove it, so you have a less obvious white cable inside property.

The point in the wall is a bit of an odd description (if you have seen in the property), since FTTP will terminate the fibre into a small box with an Openreach logo and this will be plugged into the mains and you will know the fibre is live based on the lights.

As with the outside cable a photo will help.

The BT Smart Hub which is posted to you when you order plugs into an Ethernet port on the ONT. Time to live if the fibre and ONT are all in place and running should be just a few days, but not sure from description that this is the case.

Developers are notoriously bad for understanding FTTP, i.e. their view on connected may that the cable is hanging around outside and waiting on your to order and then it will be brought inside and lit

On the price there are slower speed packages for less money, its a balancing act between price and how much you use it. If you got the full TV for £68 off Virgin thats pretty good as the everything TV package is over £100 these days.

Thanks for that. Im not on that link but nor are other addresses on the development who have a different postcode... yet i believe they do have broadband, so im confused there.

Ill keep checking and probably call BT at somepoint as well, but my gut feeling isnt great with it all tbh

The white cable might not be a Fibre cable but its outside all the houses for some reason. I did see the inside connection point so that is installed but cant recall lights on there either.

Probably at this stage it would probably (if you can) go and check inside the house. And take pics that way you will know alot more than you do right now.

In reply to a post by Taras:

Probably at this stage it would probably (if you can) go and check inside the house. And take pics that way you will know alot more than you do right now.

So pics of that box the fibre is connected too?

Im looking for a green light?

Sadly the plot is shut until Thursday now! So thats just one day before we move in anyway!

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

Sadly the plot is shut until Thursday now! So thats just one day before we move in anyway!

Ahh you might as well wait then. Hopefully your new shiny postcode will be on the databases by then!

In reply to a post by Taras:

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

Sadly the plot is shut until Thursday now! So thats just one day before we move in anyway!

Ahh you might as well wait then. Hopefully your new shiny postcode will be on the databases by then!

Hopefully! Cant believe it tbh, probably more stressed about that than the move!

Not sure how i can sell the kids no wifi for x amount of werks... probably going to get an unlimitdx sim to tick us by somehow

If the ONT has a steady PON light on it, you should be able to order service ...

In reply to a post by bestbrother:

Thanks for that. Im not on that link but nor are other addresses on the development who have a different postcode... yet i believe they do have broadband, so im confused there.

If you know their (or your) UPRN, you could try searching for that.