CityFibre - implications?

I would be grateful for comments about whether I understand this matter correctly, or at all!

I live in a city which already has Virgin Media Docsis 3.0 and Openreach VDSL2 infrastructure. Today through the door came a letter from CityFibre, telling me that their contractor Kier will soon be digging up the pavements of my road to lay “Fibre Past the Front Gate” (my terminology).

I understand that this means that, once the service is available, one or more ISPs (presumably NOT including Virgin Media?) will provide gigabit (and greater) broadband / TV / ‘landline’ and so on services using CityFibre FTTH rather than (or in addition to) the lower-speed Openreach infrastructure.

Is there any indication (perhaps from other CityFibre-installed cities) which ISPs might begin to use this infrastructure? Is it likely that Virgin Media will do anything to match their - presumably lower - pricing structure?

Here's an article discussing ISPs.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2020/12/four-n...


Which city are you in?

In reply to a post by John_Gray:

Is it likely that Virgin Media will do anything to match their - presumably lower - pricing structure?

No.

Thank you - I'm in Gloucester...

I understand that Zen are well regarded - so it mght be worth keeping an eye on the availability check for CityFibre and then ordering from Zen when available.

I'm in Gloucester too and for some reason my address doesn't show in their availability checker. They've cabled pass my street and I've been waiting to escape from Virgin for a while, bit worried they won't come to my street. Does anyone have any insight?

Edited by joshe (Thu 01-Apr-21 16:47:35)

I'm in south Leeds and Cityfibre cabled in our area late last year but it didn't show availability until February and they have only just started to mailshot residents. Just getting the externals done doesn't mean there is any kit ready at the other end...

We currently only have Vodafone available from them at present but they appear to have hiked their prices considerably since I checked in February. (I'm in contract with Sky until May).

In reply to a post by John_Gray:

I would be grateful for comments about whether I understand this matter correctly, or at all!

I live in a city which already has Virgin Media Docsis 3.0 and Openreach VDSL2 infrastructure. Today through the door came a letter from CityFibre, telling me that their contractor Kier will soon be digging up the pavements of my road to lay “Fibre Past the Front Gate” (my terminology).

I understand that this means that, once the service is available, one or more ISPs (presumably NOT including Virgin Media?) will provide gigabit (and greater) broadband / TV / ‘landline’ and so on services using CityFibre FTTH rather than (or in addition to) the lower-speed Openreach infrastructure.

Is there any indication (perhaps from other CityFibre-installed cities) which ISPs might begin to use this infrastructure? Is it likely that Virgin Media will do anything to match their - presumably lower - pricing structure?

CF are building a pretty large network over a good chunk of the UK now. They will operate like BT Openreach and sell services to ISPs who will then sell it to you. Zen's pricing of £40/m for Gigabit *up and down* which compares very favourably to Openreach based FTTP (which is only 110 up) and Virgin Media Gig1 (which is only 55 up, and over £60/m), is indicative of other providers on the CF network.

Not all CF resellers are coming to all cities, I believe CF are doing a per city handover, so the ISP needs connectivity in that city to provide services. Vermin Media will not be using CF, they are their own vertically integrated provider. They don't even provide services on BT's network anymore.

You will, once the network is complete, find that probably only one or two isps initially offer service on it, but this should grow over time. It's likely to be cheaper than equivalent products from BT or Vermin, and, in my opinion, with 55mbit up on Gig1, Vermin do not have an equivalent product.

Vermin Media have not lowered prices in cities that have alternative networks, no matter if this is Cityfibre or anyone else. Having a national pricing structure is too important for them, after all, if you could get Gig1 for £40 because CF were at your address, but 5 miles down the road Gig1 cost £63, someone living 5 miles down the road would probably begrudge paying more.

I'm in Ipswich, we're having CF rollout at the moment and it's live in some areas. Zen is initially the only ISP on it, but honestly, Vermin set such a low bar for customer services, that unless Zen are actively trying to be awful, they probably deliver a better experience.

Edited by nemeth782 (Fri 02-Apr-21 18:18:32)

Vermin Media have not lowered prices in cities that have alternative networks, no matter if this is Cityfibre or anyone else. Having a national pricing structure is too important for them, after all, if you could get Gig1 for £40 because CF were at your address, but 5 miles down the road Gig1 cost £63, someone living 5 miles down the road would probably begrudge paying more.

There nothing stoping you from phone Virgin Media up at end min contract and tell disconections(Customer Retentions) about price difference. They might say things like it not posiable etc 1G upload, the think everything is Openreach. If they don't give an offer that you like then leave.