BT Full Fibre order query

Just been able to make a new order for BT Full Fibre 900Mbps from BTs website. I was unable to do this last week when I checked, which I put down to COVID, but it seems like they now are actually taking orders (it only allowed me to select an installation date from 1/6 onward, but I won't move in until June so this is not an issue).

The monthly amount is 59.99.

A few questions

a) I got a phone line as well (I dont remember the order process giving me an option, but I want a phone line anyway). The property already has a phone line in it from previous occupants. Will I will be connecting my phone to the existing copper master socket or to the ONT?
b) I selected the 900Mbps speed but the email says the speed will be 910Mbps, but with a 'stay fast guarantee' or 455Mbps (which is a huge difference). Why is the guarantee so much lower?
c) I noted that the phone number given has a slightly different prefix than the ones for this area (at this exchange the first 3 digits are always 799 and have been for years, including last year at my current property which is very close by). Is this because the phone numbers for FTTP orders are different?

I note that during the order process it did have a warning about engineers coming into the property and making them aware of any conditions and making sure it's clean, etc. so I think that means that they are letting engineers in but managing the risks.

Thx.

1st June has been restart date for installs for sometime. Of course all subject to change, since no one can guarantee things

a) Preference likely to be for it to be digital voice i.e. from the BT Smart Hub (note ONT based voice has stopped). See (c)
b) Actually a Gigabit speed, 900 or 910 Mbps is the average speed time speed based on some sampling BT has done. The 455 Mbps guarantee refers to if you are getting slow throughput and its below that level using the BT testing conditions you can claim the £20. Its so much lower because you are not paying business grade prices that would guarantee higher speeds, but that runs to £100's a month.
c) Number ranges can run out, so maybe allocating from a different block and this might be more likely with digital voice

Re (a) - I was connected to FTTP at the end of Jan, and also was not given a choice about a voice line. (We stopped using landlines several years ago.) They in fact reconnected the copper, and even (because they stuffed up the reconnection) paid me some compensation for doing it late.

Note that the default package I was given did not include any call plan, so actually calling out on my copper line is ruinously expensive.

a) As Mr S says, you may have been given their new Digital Voice service - having been allocated a slightly different number prefix suggests you have

b) Bandwidth on consumer grade broadband services is always shared with others. No way on earth will BT (or any ISP) guarantee that you get 900 Mbps day and night, 365 days a year on their 1 Gig service. Better to have minimum guaranteed speeds than none at all. 455 Mbps is pretty good for a 1 Gig service, you only have to look at Hyperoptic who do NOT offer any minimum speeds on their Gigabit service. Then their users end up complaining why they're only getting 200-300 Mbps at peak time, having wrongly assumed they would be getting ~ 900 Mbps day & night in the absence of any minimum speed guarantee.

c) See a)

Just to add: on FTTP, up to 32 users are sharing a single fibre providing 2.4Gbps down and 1.2Gbps up. Hence even to guarantee 455Mbps, they are counting on no more than 5 users caning the link simultaneously. (In practice, average usage is far less than this)

MrSaffron and OP

The VOIP service will always come from a different 'call server' to a PSTN service until PSTN lines are migrated in full for that area, so will always have a different prefix to the existing PSTN lines, ( not the NNG ie 0SABC) that is the first 2/3 digits of the final 6/7 numbers.( but the DEF digits).

They are likely to be the same prefix for all the new VOIP lines in that number area, (NNG) until those are used up as OFCOM charge for each Number range. Then a new range will be allocated, or if a PSTN range has been completely migrated allocated from that range.

Ordered fiber 900 today. First person I spoke to said I could only order fibre 250. Rang up another team and they ordered fibre 900, provisionally booked for install June 2nd.

I ordered today but was given the 8th June....would have loved the 2nd June like you!!

I had this issue and still do which team/number did you speak to? Also what did BT.com say? As that says fibre 250 only for me too..

Just glad to get an order in, hopefully they won’t push it back. But I’m happy as I was so close to paying the roughly 10K for fttpod, but they did my street anyway!
Hope yours goes okay, says outside work will be done this Thursday on my order.

Lady who couldn’t do it was based in hull, I spoke to a nice chap from Doncaster I believe, number 08005874787.
When put details in as new customer said fiber 900, when logged in only fibre 250.

Edited by deleted (Mon 18-May-20 15:39:56)

Ok thanks.. I've phoned that number too and they couldn't do it either. might give it another go later.

Did they say why it was any different?

Thanks

Not sure, the checkers all day up to 1000mbps, so was sure I could order the higher speed, and the first woman I spoke to didn’t have a clue, I asked for the fiber teams number as would see if they could help, but I think the number I rang went through to sales again.

In reply to a post by bomber456:

Lady who couldn’t do it was based in hull, I spoke to a nice chap from Doncaster I believe, number 08005874787.
When put details in as new customer said fiber 900, when logged in only fibre 250.

That will probably just go to a "random available home worker" automated switching service.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

That will probably just go to a "random available home worker" automated switching service.

Yeah, one or two of the calls I have made over the last month sounded that they might be working from home due to I could hear their children in the background, and one time I was put on hold when it became a bit noisy there, so its possible.

I think some might of been at the office though, but not many.

Paul

In reply to a post by wakey:

Ok thanks.. I've phoned that number too and they couldn't do it either. might give it another go later.

Did they say why it was any different?

Thanks

I phoned again this evening and was told the reason I can’t get fibre 900 was because I don’t have an existing ONT for them to install the service on and Openreach aren’t doing installs at the moment. I’m going to keep checking the online checker and ring every couple of days to see it the system will finally allow. I did check the Cerberus checker and they can offer 1gig so definitely a glitch in BT’s system methinks

Wakey

Thx for the replies, this all makes sense.

I get the keys (contracts exchanged/purchase completes) on Mon 8th June.

The installation date is set for Friday 12th June.,

The router is being delivered Wednesday 10th June, so this is all fine.

I am a bit concerned that the first visit (presumably to install the CSP) will happen before the 8th, therefore before I legally own the property, and although it is unoccupioed, I obviously won't be there and I've no idea where they'll put the CSP, I do not really want it installed at the back of the property where the pole is.

If there is no access to the rear of the house, the step one might not get done, or at least it’ll just be a check for light at the CBT, and a check for line of sight from the pole......

Make sure your contact mobile is on and available on the date of the step one, you may then be able to give your vocal assent for them to access the rear, and maybe politely suggest a different location for the CSP

They have not given me a date for the first stage. The confirmation e-mail just said they would be visiting but no date is given and said they do not need anyone to be there for the first stage.

I don't understand how they could install the CSP without someone being there though?

In any case, the telegraph pole is around the back of the property, positioned in the shared access alleyway which runs behind the terraces.

In the image below, taken from the rear garden looking back to the property, you can clearly see two overhead wires coming in from the pole, one for next door, running down and entering the property from to the left of the french windows...this must be the existing copper phone line

I am not sure if they will remove the existing copper overhead wire or not. I presume they will run the fibre as an additional wire alongside the existing copper? And normally they would want to install the CSP in the same location as current copper enters the property?

(p.s. I am not certain what the two little blue boxes are that the current copper line seems to run through, or even whether they are connected to it.. ?)

However, due to the french windows, it does not look like there is room to install a CSP in this location, and it would be an inconvenient location for the ONT on the inside, as its in the backroom, whereas the TV etc will be on the front room.

https://imgur.com/a/QRD6MEL

I think I would prefer the CSP/ONT to be on the front side of the property but this would involve running the fibre over the roof.

To complicate matters I am having a complete re-roof done not long after the installation so hope this does not mess things up.

Thanks.

I would suggest it is extremely unlikely that they will run the fibre up and over the roof. At a technical level , it cannot be fixed, also pulling it fight over the apex will provide a dog leg, and produce loss into the service.

It is quite likely they will replace the current span with a span of combined fibre and a copper pair.

In reply to a post by Exharris:

b) I selected the 900Mbps speed but the email says the speed will be 910Mbps, but with a 'stay fast guarantee' or 455Mbps (which is a huge difference). Why is the guarantee so much lower?

Had the 900 service for about a week. Over the last seven days, testing has gone from 650 to about 850Mbps, BUT very sensitive to the tester you use and on Ookla, sensitive to the server you choose.

In reply to a post by Exharris:

... but this would involve running the fibre over the roof.

As Zarjaz says, extremely unlikely.

But what might be possible would be to run some flexible conduit through the loft with the ends exiting through the eaves at the front and back of the house so that the cable enters the conduit at the back of the house, exits at the front, and can then be run down the front wall.
Or even exits inside the house which is what I did several years ago for my install.

I used (flexible) metallic conduit to comply with fire regs, and made sure I had pre-installed a pull-rope.

Edited by Rastus (Mon 25-May-20 10:06:43)

Thx for this. I suppose I am mercy of what the OR engineer is able to do.
If they can only put the ONT in the back (dining) room, then it is a problem because I do not intend having any devices there, so would have to have my router there and rely on WiFI, or run ethernet cable all the way around to the front room somehow (probably involving trunking and drilling through walls).

You would need to install the conduit in advance of the appointment, no chance of keeping the installer waiting on the day whilst you do it!
Basically make their job as easy as possible and with a bit of luck they'll be happy to go with your plan.

In my case it wasn't BT who did the first part of my 2-stage install, but Quinns.