CityFibre - How long until ISPs are ready?

At the risk of asking a "how long is a piece of string?" question, is there a normal amount of time that needs to pass between CityFibre changing their availability checker over to "GREAT NEWS! FULL FIBRE BROADBAND IS AVAILABLE" and ISPs actually being ready for service? I look after a site based in Loughborough which is a new CityFibre area and the checker status changed this week. I am having trouble finding any ISP that will offer the service, and also having trouble finding a business one that will respond to an email enquiry. It's possible that I am being a bit too keen and just need to wait a few weeks, but I have no experience with CityFibre so thought I'd ask.

I did phone Zen who said they don't provide business services on the CityFibre network and said TalkTalk or Vodafone sometimes have exclusivity arrangements, but talking to either of those two providers was about as productive as you might expect, they both ignored my "CityFibre say the service is available" point and went with what their internal tools said, which gave the same result as their website checker.

A&A have provided the most information so far, but also can't serve business premises over CityFibre which is a distinction I was not familiar with as I've only ever dealt with Openreach before.

At a guess we're in a position where the cables are in the ground and things are connected back to the FEX, but ISPs haven't signed up to use it yet.

7 months and counting here, some people dont get this stage at all, others it seems it can last a while.

I also queried AAISP about it, they checked if they could order yet and answer was no.

In my case its consumer though so when, if CF ever get their act together AAISP would serve me.

In reply to a post by jpm:

At a guess we're in a position where the cables are in the ground and things are connected back to the FEX, but ISPs haven't signed up to use it yet.

Or its still within the exclusive period to an ISP, often Vodafone?

Apparently there isn't an exclusivity period, since CityFibre have been sending enquiries as a lead to a partner ISP who then can't place the order. According to the guy I spoke to these leads only go over if CityFibre are sure the premises can be served so who know what is going on with that company.

Strange then!
If Swindon this might explain:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/12/cityfi...

CF build completed summer 22, still not available here in Leicester.

They built a new exchange up the road, we would see teams with chambers open obviously splicing fibres, but that stopped a few months ago.

Strangely the CF website says I cant get service, but if I put my address in the octaplus website it says I can order.

Recontracted with Virgin in the summer so they have until March 2025 to get it sorted! Unless CF is part of Virgin by then!

Feels like we waiting for the council or VM to buy/bail them out.

Also yeah octaplus says I can order also. Thats interesting. CF own website says waiting for ISPs, coming "soon".

For me VM recontract is April 2024, when I signed up to this contract I remember CF telling me 5-6 months, and now the 18 month mark is approaching lol.

Edited by Chrysalis (Mon 04-Dec-23 22:16:27)

Ever thought of contacting CF directly, and asking them if they know of any ISPs in your area providing Business Services?

They might not know, but most ISPs I've seen on CF are purely after the consumer market.

Wonder if that'll change in the future as I know businesses are more likely to cover the actual real costs of ISP bandwidth etc.

In reply to a post by Philce:

but if I put my address in the octaplus website it says I can order.

Octoplus show availability on Openreach fibre area when I just checked.

I am with 'No one' https://noone.co.uk/ business and I think they can use city fibre and BTOR.
Very good support.