FTTPoD changes including near network commercial trial

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/11/openre...

FTTPoD no longer requires a line be connected to an FTTC enabled cabinet.
This was never a technological requirement but simply an easy/crude way to only allow orders from those within reach of an existing Aggregation Node.

The near network commercial trial seems much more interesting. It gives a fixed price for those very close to an existing FTTP deployment.

For eligible orders, the FOD build charge under the trial will now be set as follows:

£1,625 where a splitter exists, but a connectorised block terminal (CBT) needs to be built (the CBT usually goes on top of a telegraph pole or in an underground chamber near-ish to your home/office)

£2,650 where a new splitter build is required, as well as the CBT build

Previously FTTPoD quotes tended to come in at the full build cost even if the network was very very close.
It's a large reduction for those cases but still (imo) expensive to build a splitter and/or CBT.

There are some specific requirements and exclusions from the near network trial.

Head end capacity and spine capacity exists.

Distance from either the planned NGA aggregation node or an existing FTTP splitter to the target FOD end customer premises is 500m or less.

Exclusions:

Multi-Dwelling Unit, Multi-Occupancy Unit and FOD ‘cluster’ orders.

Orders requiring civils work or presenting DIG (direct in ground) infrastructure.

Orders requiring significant internal work as part of the ONT installation (e.g. greater than 30m reach internal wiring) will not qualify for the trial.

Edited by j0hn83 (Mon 01-Nov-21 21:50:36)

Note that the trial doesn't start until December 1st 2021, and runs for 6 months.

It will be interesting to see, for requests submitted after that date, any desktop survey and/or final quote which reflects these fixed values.

It says on the article that the desktop survey will remain the same and it is only once the one the ground survey is conducted will eligibility be determined. So some people will have a nice surprise post paying the survey cost.

Have Wholesale announced they’re taking part in the trial yet? Might be too early doors.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Note that the trial doesn't start until December 1st 2021, and runs for 6 months.

It will be interesting to see, for requests submitted after that date, any desktop survey and/or final quote which reflects these fixed values.

There’s an update this morning over at ISPreview…

“We’ve got a few extra details back from Openreach. Firstly, the coverage expansion for FoD will take effect from 19th March 2022, so it’s not immediate.“

I lost interest in FoD when the prices went up. I'm interested again at £1600 ish so remind me...

Do you need to cough up the £500 survey first or is there a 'free' estimate?

or

If free and it comes in at 'probably' £1600, then I need to pay the £500 to confirm?

And in any case the £500 is part of the total fee. £500 now for survey, another £1100 on acceptance?

I can't tell from the OR price list as I don't know the usual wholesale prices so is there a different - more expensive! - monthly rental? What's the Gigabit rental per month for the end punter?

And how am I going to find out which CPs will be taking part in the trial?

As it’s only just been announced by OR, I don’t think the dust has quite settled yet.

I’m not aware that BTW are offering this (yet ) - so the usual CPs like Cerberus that use BTW for FoD won’t be offering it immediately.

I guess watch the press etc for updates in the coming weeks/months.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Note that the trial doesn't start until December 1st 2021, and runs for 6 months.

It will be interesting to see, for requests submitted after that date, any desktop survey and/or final quote which reflects these fixed values.

There’s an update this morning over at ISPreview…

“We’ve got a few extra details back from Openreach. Firstly, the coverage expansion for FoD will take effect from 19th March 2022, so it’s not immediate.“

That's the *coverage* expansion (i.e. FoD becoming available at properties which are not currently within FTTC footprint).

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I lost interest in FoD when the prices went up. I'm interested again at £1600 ish so remind me...

Do you need to cough up the £500 survey first or is there a 'free' estimate?

There is a free estimate - which is almost always completely wrong. You have to pay a non-refundable £250+VAT=£300 to progress the order to the point of survey and confirmed price.

(I don't know where you got the £500 figure from, it has never been that).

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

or

If free and it comes in at 'probably' £1600, then I need to pay the £500 to confirm?

And in any case the £500 is part of the total fee. £500 now for survey, another £1100 on acceptance?

Technically the £250+VAT is not a survey fee - you place the order for FoD, and if you decide to drop out of the order when you see the confirmed pricing, this is what you pay to cancel the order.

In practice you'll almost certainly have to pay the £250+VAT up-front, but then it is deducted from the final price.

From the time of the final price being provided, you have 30 days to accept it and pay the remaining balance. Otherwise the order lapses and you lose the £250+VAT.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I can't tell from the OR price list as I don't know the usual wholesale prices so is there a different - more expensive! - monthly rental? What's the Gigabit rental per month for the end punter?

The monthly rental is whatever your CP charges. The main provider of FoD is Cerberus and you can find their pricing here: https://www.cerberusnetworks.co.uk/connectivity-broa...

For gigabit it's a rather expensive £120+VAT = £150 per month, but that's for 12 months only. After that you can either recontract with Cerberus for £60+VAT per month, or you can cease and take regular FTTP service from any CP.

Personally I'd suggest taking a slower 300/50 (but still fast enough for almost household) at £80+VAT for the first year, and then regrade at the end.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

And how am I going to find out which CPs will be taking part in the trial?

That's the hard part. Hardly any CPs provide Fibre on Demand, and Cerberus don't deal directly with Openreach, they go via BT Wholesale. Hopefully this will become clearer in December.

There is a small list of FoD CPs here: https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fttp-provi...

But I know that Amvia is just a reseller of Cerberus, and some of the others do not have national coverage.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

I lost interest in FoD when the prices went up. I'm interested again at £1600 ish so remind me...

Do you need to cough up the £500 survey first or is there a 'free' estimate?

or

If free and it comes in at 'probably' £1600, then I need to pay the £500 to confirm?

The was a later update to the article answering that.

Openreach also confirmed that the “desktop quotations will not provide confirmation that a site is eligible for the fixed charge, this will only be determined by a full site survey.”

As above it's £250+vat for the survey which is only payable of you don't proceed with the order.

The FTTPoD Near Network Trial starts on 01/12/21 for 6 months and ends 31/05/22.

The FTTPoD availability expansion starts on 19/03/22

Any orders on the fixed price/near network trial don't qualify for the usual exception per PON/premises passed discounts.

Edited by j0hn83 (Tue 02-Nov-21 16:29:03)