Fibre ready

Hello.

I've just had word that my line can now get fibre, not as fast as I hoped but a lot faster than I'm getting now. Link below with speeds possible. Well, now that I've got fibre I just don't know where to start, who to choose as an isp and what package I should go for. I want to keep my phone separate from my broadband (with Idnet for my phone). I obviously want the best isp and I've seen a number of you talking about Andrews and Arnold who seem to offer excellent packages but at a slightly higher price than most. Don't mind what I pay just want something that'll give me a good speed and reliability. Before I make my decision I would appreciate if you folk on here would give me best advice you can on who and what I should choose. I was hoping to keep on with Xilo, as they've been really decent to me but I don't want to sign up to a 12 month contract if I can help it. Is the fibre speed quoted (38.3) the actual speed I will get or will it lose some of this rate before it gets to me? Sorry I don't know too much about speeds etc.

Caley.

Fibre Speeds

The speeds are an estimated range. Hopefully in the range shown but no guarantees it will be.

On 12 month contract, since Openreach has a 12 month minimum hard to find a shorter contract for new fttc connections

Thanks for responding.
I did notice that A & A are offering

Only a 6 month term, then rolling monthly contract, no catches

Was looking at that but I'm still unsure. One month contract would be great. Would I need to buy a new modem/router?

Caley.

My phone has always been with BT, though I am considering much cheaper alternatives.

As MrSaffron says, you are very unlikely to find less than a 12-month contract.

I used to have O2 LLU ADSL2+ but jumped from there as soon as I could get FTTC. As I was a bit worried about the cost and contract length (I'd always been on monthly on ADSLx), I went to IDNet for the FTTC on their 40/10 product. That was February 2011.

Although I paid the year up front, which meant I only paid for 11 months, at the end of that I felt much happier but felt I was paying through the nose for something that should work just as well somewhere cheaper.

So in Feb 2012 I moved to Plusnet on what was then their only FTTC product, 40/2 on an 18-month contract. IIRC about £85pa cheaper. As hoped, no noticeable difference except the slower upstream.

Late that year I went onto their 80/20 trial, and when they brought out their main release of 80/20 I upgraded officially to that, rather than revert to the 40/10 that replaced the original 40/2 at the same time. That meant restarting my 18 month term when I only had seven to go, but I didn't think twice.

I'm now out of that contract and on straight monthly, and have no reason whatsoever to look around.

My recommendation is upgrade with Xilo or jump to Plusnet. Bear in mind that if you don't take Plusnet phone then you don't get the big discount deals, and there will be a setup charge.

If you are looking at AAISP Home::1 then that includes a router. Your existing one won't work unless it has a WAN input socket or a built-in VDSL modem.

Plusnet supply a usable (not brilliant) router free (£5.99 P&P), and Openreach supply a free modem when they do the install.

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 17-Sep-14 22:25:44)

In reply to a post by caley:

Thanks for responding.
I did notice that A & A are offering

Only a 6 month term, then rolling monthly contract, no catches

Was looking at that but I'm still unsure. One month contract would be great. Would I need to buy a new modem/router?

Caley.

Hi Caley,

I'm pretty sure that A & A is 12 months for fibre (I upgraded from the ADSL version of the Home::1 version to fibre still on the Home::1 package and I'm sure it mentioned 12months and then rolling contract.)
TBH I wouldn't worry about it anyway, I've been with them 1 1/2 years and any problems I've had they've sorted (getting openreach out to fix fault at cabinet a few times after connection came loose, and getting onto talktalk when on ADSL when I had constant 20% packet loss at the exchange).
I was with Xilo before and both give amazing support, I'd give the edge to A & A because you can contact them on the phone easy, Xilo I struggled to get through (although Matt replied super fast to raised tickets).

With A & A you get sent a router and the engineer who comes on the day will bring a modem, So you wouldn't need to buy anything extra (depending on router you have you maybe able to use that one for fibre so with other ISP's you may not need a new router either)

Key features on Home::1 has:-

- Only a 6 month term, then rolling monthly contract, no catches
- Block of IPv6 addresses statically assigned (/48 per customer), and single static IPv4 address.
- Includes preconfigured WiFi router (ADSL or FTTC), or PPPoE DSL bridging router (ADSL lines) and filter or modem lead.

and

- Only a 6 month term, then rolling monthly contract, no catches
- BT & TalkTalk lines only (BT 20CN ADSL, BT 21CN ADSL2+, BT FTTC, BT FTTP, TalkTalk)

Simply an extra £10pm for FTTC 40/10.

Pulse 8 offer no contract monthly payment Fibre starting at £38 a month for 40/10 and 100Gb.

"Proper Fast.
Prices include line rental & no contracts"

Hi RobertoS.

I'd be hard put to in changing my phone from Idnet. I've got such a good deal from them, £30 every 3 months, that includes line rental, and free calls to a large number of destinations in the world as well as 5 hours free UK anytime calls. I have never gone over the limit as I don't use the landline all that much except to phone Australia mostly.
Today as per your recommendation, I'll have a look at Plusnet and see what I think of their packages. I'll be so sorry if I have to leave Xilo but I'll chase a 1 month contract, if I can get one and if I can't I will stay with them.

Caley.

Thanks for the response IranianGiraffe.

I looked all over A&A site to find where I saw a 1 month contract mentioned and found it (link below).
Have a look at it please but I sure I didn't misread it. Your saying what I've read since joining TBB forum, A&A are a very good isp, great customer service just like Xilo. I appreciate your recommendation.

Thanks.

Caley.


A & A Home1 Info