Long term future of FTTC

Can anyone tell me what the future holds for FTTC broadband after the analogue switch off in Dec '25? I have been told that the quality, speed and reliability of the broadband will gradually deteriorate as the copper wires are old tech and won't be maintained. Is this true or scaremongering? Thanks

That is scaremongering.

FTTC will be around a good long while yet, albeit as SOGEA with no associated exchange based dial tone. As this will continue to generate revenue for the network providers, then it will be maintained.

Edited by Zarjaz (Tue 09-Jan-24 13:14:16)

In reply to a post by whasiho:

Can anyone tell me what the future holds for FTTC broadband after the analogue switch off in Dec '25? I have been told that the quality, speed and reliability of the broadband will gradually deteriorate as the copper wires are old tech and won't be maintained. Is this true or scaremongering? Thanks

The analogue phone system is being switched off - NOT THE COPPER. Also as more and more people move to full fibre internet, fibre broadband internet in those areas, could see a slight increase of speeds with less crosstalk.

I am familiar with SOGEA. What do you mean by change based dial tone?

Apologies, it was a typo ‘exchange based dial tone’ PSTN

Also as more and more people move to full fibre internet, fibre broadband internet in those areas, could see a slight increase of speeds with less crosstalk.

Add to that a change in testing which ought to help. Exchange based test heads meant that PQ test (pair quality) would always include the E side portion of the line too. The longer the pair, the more ‘forgiving’ the test might be. Engineers can now carry a FED (far end device) effectively their own portable test head. So thorough tests can be made of the D side only..

I am thinking long term - 10 years time. What about then?
My situation is that FTTP is being installed where I live but not to our street. They are prepared to connect us but the process will be quite disruptive and requires all of us to agree. Will we regret it if we don't accept? We get good speeds on the current FTTC and we are all happy with what we have at the moment.

I would personally say, yes, go for it. A different technology, offering far more in the way for reliability and certainly more ‘future proof’

The copper serving most FTTC is significantly older than 10 years.
It's around 40-50 years old around here.

Any faults that occur will still be repaired the same. Any copper that needs replaced will still be replaced if no fibre alternative exists. Eventually the network operator won't pay huge sums to replace sections of copper if an alternative exists.

Nothing is changing with regards to the copper itself.
PSTN is closing (analogue calls/dial tone from the exchange).

For homes with FTTP already, at some point copper products will be withdrawn.
For those with no access to FTTP copper wool continue as normal, with the same service levels, support, repairs, etc.

Someone is trying to scare their customers in to upgrading to FTTP by the sounds of it.

I would take the disruption to get FTTP. You will need it eventually and the installation offer you have right now might not be around later. You may have to pay a small fortune down the line.
That doesn't mean you should be fed BS though.

Edited by j0hn83 (Tue 09-Jan-24 12:34:22)

Presumably it’s an Alt Net that is offering to provide FTTP but only if they get a high level or even 100% commitment to use their network from the residents , once it’s installed , Openreach when they provide FTTP do so without any requirement that residents have to sign up as a condition of providing it , but it seems this Alt Net may be available before OR .

Will you regret not taking their offer ? , impossible to tell , some would argue that the compulsory nature of the offer is reason enough not to consider it , others may argue that if they want or need speeds greater than what FTTC can provide they are prepared to sign up even with that restrictive condition.

As far as FTTC , it’s going to be around for a while , if it delivers what you require then presumably there is no need to enter into that type of arrangement where you are committed to taking services from a company that may or may not be any good , in fact OR have around a 30% take up when FTTP is available, it’s unclear if that’s 30% of the homes passed , or 30% of the existing Openreach based users swap to FTTP , either way a significant number presumably, even when FTTP is available are happy that the service they currently have ( which in most cases will be FTTC ) is perfectly adequate and see no need to change …Alt Nets take up is around 10%

Edited by Iniltous (Tue 09-Jan-24 12:39:43)

In reply to a post by whasiho:

I am thinking long term - 10 years time. What about then?
My situation is that FTTP is being installed where I live but not to our street. They are prepared to connect us but the process will be quite disruptive and requires all of us to agree. Will we regret it if we don't accept? We get good speeds on the current FTTC and we are all happy with what we have at the moment.

If the people on your street all make the decision to stick with FTTC when the rest of the country has gigabit+ fibre available then it's very likely that those houses will be hard to sell in five years time.

It's worth the disruption required to get FTTP into the area.

Edited by jpm (Tue 09-Jan-24 12:38:10)

there is no case to stay on fttc/adsl once fttp is available. Even if you only want 80/20 fibre can supply that and you will get 80/20 (ex overheads) excluding issues.

The average speeds that isps provide atm will then become about how much capacity they have installed and not the line itself.

In reply to a post by whasiho:

I am thinking long term - 10 years time. What about then?
My situation is that FTTP is being installed where I live but not to our street. They are prepared to connect us but the process will be quite disruptive and requires all of us to agree. Will we regret it if we don't accept? We get good speeds on the current FTTC and we are all happy with what we have at the moment.

Is it Openreach installing the FTTP or an altnet?

An altnet.

In reply to a post by whasiho:

An altnet.

When you say all the residents have to agree, do you mean agree to the works (a wayleave for example) or do you need to agree to take the service?

In reply to a post by whasiho:

An altnet.

Given what you say, I'd suggest it'd be fine to wait for Openreach's FTTP rollout to reach you, which I imagine it will eventually.

But is it just a case of wayleaves, or actually a requirement to sign up for the altnet's service?

We all have to agree on the works (it is a wayleave), a majority certainly on the service, possibly all of us

In reply to a post by whasiho:

I am thinking long term - 10 years time. What about then?
My situation is that FTTP is being installed where I live but not to our street. They are prepared to connect us but the process will be quite disruptive and requires all of us to agree. Will we regret it if we don't accept? We get good speeds on the current FTTC and we are all happy with what we have at the moment.

Which company ? We have heard of this recently from another poster

In reply to a post by whasiho:

We all have to agree on the works (it is a wayleave), a majority certainly on the service, possibly all of us

I wouldn't feel the need to be bounced into taking an altnet service just because they are making this offer.

I'd guess Openreach FTTP will reach you eventually.

a wayleave doesn't mean you are contracted into buying that service, it should just mean you are allowing them to provision equipment on your land. Like a private road.

Please can you double check the documents.

In reply to a post by Taras:

a wayleave doesn't mean you are contracted into buying that service, it should just mean you are allowing them to provision equipment on your land. Like a private road.

Please can you double check the documents.

That's unrelated to the wayleave.

Many Alt-Nets also want a commitment for a certain percentage (or even all) of some areas/streets or they won't make the financial investment to install.

They sometimes want that commitment in areas with no wayleave.

which is what i said..

a wayleave doesn't mean you are contracted into buying that service,

Thanks everyone for your contributions. I don't have a definitive answer to my original question but you've raised some interesting points to think about.

In reply to a post by whasiho:

Thanks everyone for your contributions. I don't have a definitive answer to my original question but you've raised some interesting points to think about.

To go back to your original question...

In reply to a post by whasiho:

Can anyone tell me what the future holds for FTTC broadband after the analogue switch off in Dec '25? I have been told that the quality, speed and reliability of the broadband will gradually deteriorate as the copper wires are old tech and won't be maintained. Is this true or scaremongering? Thanks

This is scaremongering. The Openreach copper wiring network that delivers FTTC is not going to just be abandoned to deteriorate and rot after Dec '25 if it is still in use.

If this is what the altnet who are offering to install FTTP have said, then they are indulging in scaremongering and are giving it the heavy sell. I'd be tempted to give them a wide berth.

Edited by binary (Tue 09-Jan-24 15:14:27)