FTTP ISP

So with Sky and TalkTalk still debating pricing and terms with Openreach, BT Wholesale still lost as to what to charge for higher FTTP speeds and many ISPs not interested in offering the product right now what're people's thoughts for an FTTP ISP?

Perhaps I've missed a few options here and there but they seem to remain mightily limited.

I was kinda hoping that I'd be able to take two separate services in time but Openreach have nixed that one - their provisioning of capacity to new builds is asinine - so with the massive contract lengths enforced it's pretty much tying down for 18 months as a minimum with the bigger players and the odd 12 month contract.

I've seen BT, Zen, and a few niche players but the paucity of options is quite surprising.

So much for Generic Ethernet Access.

Are you looking for 300M+, or 160M and down?

Aquiss and AAISP are options worth considering for 80-160M - the former for its keen pricing (including discounts for the first few months - and 12 month contract term), the latter for its high reputation for technical know-how and problem-solving.

At 300M the options are more limited. Cerberus will let you take a 12 month contract, albeit with an activation fee.

See also https://www.thinkbroadband.com/packages/fttp-broadband

I was kinda hoping that I'd be able to take two separate services in time but Openreach have nixed that one

Not sure what you mean by that. You can take order two FTTP services at the same address: there are several ways Openreach can provision them.

Edited by candlerb (Mon 03-Feb-20 18:56:05)

He can't.
They are installing the exact required capacity for his new build at 30 homes per splitter.
Although the splitter can do 32 homes apparently 2 are always kept as backup.
4 port ONT's are no longer provided. That leaves him with a single feed from a single provider.

AAISP don't do anything over 160Mb/s either.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

He can't.

He *can* order another FTTP service - unless he has already tried and the order was rejected?

Firstly, you don't know that all 30 homes are connected to the same splitter - they might be connected to two different splitters. Secondly, the pod which houses a splitter can house multiple splitters - they are in their own trays. There's always spare backhaul capacity from the splitter to the fibre aggregation node.

So when the order comes through, if Openreach are out of capacity, they will install another CBT and connected it back to a splitter, probably in the same physical location.

Alternatively - at their option - they could install one of the four port ONTs.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

AAISP don't do anything over 160Mb/s either.

That's what I had tried to say: if you don't want faster than 160M, consider Aquiss and AAISP.

He's clearly looked in to this already. He has a dedicated thread elsewhere on the subject.

No new ONT may be ordered was mentioned, which means no free ports or the PON is at capacity.

The 4 port ONT's are no longer provided.
Perhaps stock of these varies across the country but I've seen 3 or 4 recent requests for these denied, with a 2nd service requiring a 2nd ONT.

He *can* order another FTTP service - unless he has already tried and the order was rejected?

He *should be able to*. Doesn't mean he *can*.

Edited by j0hn83 (Tue 04-Feb-20 12:33:18)

As you�ve mentioned, we don�t supply the 4+2 ONT�s anymore. So once you�ve placed and order with your chosen Service Provider we�d need to install a second ONT at your property.

Our ability to install a second line into your property will be based on available spare capacity to feed the second ONT.

If we don�t have the capacity, your chosen Service Provider can ask us to look into a reactive build to provide further capacity to deliver a second line. There is a process in place for Service Providers that�s use our network to ask us to do this.

ONT exists with no active service. A spare port is available. Network is at capacity so a new ONT cannot be ordered.

I should make clear reactive build is not free. There would be costs payable by the CP which would, in turn, fall on me.

I have no overwhelming desire to fund Openreach network build under these circumstances. It is likely to be expensive as, unless planning guidelines were waived, a new OLT port would be necessary alongside associated fibre run - a PON split.

In reply to a post by CarlTSpeak:

I should make clear reactive build is not free. There would be costs payable by the CP which would, in turn, fall on me.

Have you tried placing an order? You're not committing yourself to any additional costs, unless they come back to say otherwise (at which point you could cancel)

In reply to a post by candlerb:

In reply to a post by CarlTSpeak:

I should make clear reactive build is not free. There would be costs payable by the CP which would, in turn, fall on me.

Have you tried placing an order? You're not committing yourself to any additional costs, unless they come back to say otherwise (at which point you could cancel)

I've been told by Openreach that the CP triggering the reactive order process means Openreach need paying.

It's not impossible that I can find a CP dumb enough to suck up those costs some email I'm not going to share suggests it won't be cheap.

The development is 93 units if that helps. 30 per split, 1 extra at discretion of management to avoid adding an extra OLT port. The solution I was presented from the plans was a PON split I get to fund.

I have looked into this with rather more depth than just placing an offer as tax reasons, resiliency and other factors are involved.

No doubt you have looked into this in detail. All I'm saying is, if you want the service, then the way to find out for sure whether it's possible or not is simply to order it and see what happens.

One thing I know for sure: there will be a *ton* of extra capacity from the splitter to the aggregation node. For my FTTPoD, they installed the splitter in a chamber near the end of a cul-de-sac containing 25 homes: they should never need more than one fibre. But they installed a massive fibre cable as thick as a sausage - I'm not sure if it was 96, 144 or more, but the cable from the splitter to the 4-port CBT outside my house is far thinner.

They even blew it in one length, inside a sub-duct from the fibre aggregation node, so it's not as if they will ever be able to break out from it. It's just a policy of always having plenty of spare fibre.

So almost certainly there's a ton of spare capacity in the trunk, and it's up to Openreach if they want to use it and how much to charge - although I'd say the fault was theirs for miserly provisioning in the first place. As you say, they may or may not have to light up another OLT port for you - although if you're taking a 1G service that's not unreasonable anyway.

In practice, I suspect they'll just use one of the spare fibres. That's what spares are for - unexpected demand. It's not as if a single fibre in a cable ever breaks by itself; if there's damage, the whole cable is damaged. (I suppose a single port could break off a CBT). If spares can never be used, there's no point in having spares in the first place!

But it's all speculation, until you place an order.