Changing from a FTTC provider to different FTTP provider

hi

Can anyone explain what happens when changing from an Openreach FTTC ISP to a Different Openreach FTTP ISP, where Openreach discover an unexpected problem (eg. blocked duct, pole, or other issue)?

Is the FTTC ISP obliged to continue to provide their services until Openreach resolve the FTTP activation problems, which could be several weeks or months, or do they terminate services on original switching date?

A relative is looking to switch from Sky FTTC to BT FTTP and porting their number to Digital Voice. (A number of neighbours have experienced delays to FTTP activation but as they remained with their current ISP, there was no loss of services)

Thanks in advance

Edited by bill888 (Sun 24-Sep-23 10:03:36)

I’d say order the FTTP, wait for it to be in and working, then cease the FTTC. A tad more expensive with the ‘overlap’ but then no pitfalls

I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago, except that the new FTTP provider is not via Openreach. I had a copper PSTN phone line and FTTC was delivered over the copper dropwire which is connected from a telegraph pole to my property.

I ordered FTTP after it became available to my address and the new fibre dropwire (from the same telegraph pole as the copper dropwire) was connected to my property and the service was live within around one hour of the installation team arriving.

My previous PSTN phone line and FTTC connection continued as before - this and the new FTTP service were totally separate. I then ordered a VoIP service including a port of my PSTN landline number. When this number was transferred to VoIP, the previous services over the copper line ceased. The FTTP provider does have its own digital voice services but I wanted to keep it separate from the internet connection so that there is no issue in future if I need to change either provider.

I should think that the process with an Openreach FTTP connection would be similar. The current FTTC provider might have terms and conditions around termination of services, especially if there is any minimum contract period so it may be worth checking with the provider. However, I think the copper services continue until action is taken to cease them (such as requesting the provider to cease them or initiating a landline number port to VoIP).

The copper dropwire is still connected to my property and, when I last had a telephone connected to the Openreach master socket (after the copper services were ceased), I could still hear a dial tone.

Edited by teshy (Sun 24-Sep-23 12:53:41)

Thank you for all the replies.

I had a quick webchat with BT (sales). The agent said provided there is no 'cease' order on the line, the existing FTTC services should continue if Openreach FTTP activation is delayed.

However, I guess it really depends on how BT handles the tel no. transfer. If they were to start to port the old number across before FTTP is successfully activated, then the FTTC services would be terminated....

Edited by bill888 (Sun 24-Sep-23 13:54:36)

The cease should only happen when openreach report back to the ISP that the new install is live then the progress the FTTC Termination