In reply to a post by candlerb:

Not for the purposes of the expanded coverage trial though.

The coverage expansion wasn't a trial but a permanent change.

My understanding is that the coverage changes that were due to be implemented on 19th March were to be cancelled, though that may not actually be the case.
I was told that back in late January/early February so may well have changed. They are now consulting on dropping FoD completely so who knows.

Has anyone any indication if they want ahead with the coverage expansion?

Edited by j0hn83 (Sun 24-Apr-22 12:29:31)

No it doesn't show on the Broadband Availability Checker as available but other numbers which are connected to the cabinet at the same exchange do show as available.

I hadn't realised that the advertised change from 22 March had been delayed or binned.

Things seem to be changing all the time but if we want fibre in the next 5 years I suspect that USO is the only way to go. We could bring down the quote still further by including another house down the road which i am pretty sure is on the same cluster as us but its speed is supposedly just over 10mbs. I actually doubt this very much but the occupant is elderly and has a phone line only and no broadband so it is difficult to check.

I now have a Universal service Obligation quotation for around £4300 which I am going ahead with.

My house is rural and 150m from the road.The fibre, according to the USO team will be laid to the boundary of my property and the ISP I choose is responsible for the onward connection to the house.

Questions if anyone can please help

1. Is this right? If so is this what actually happens in practice? Currently the copper cable finishes at a box immediately outside my house ie 150m from the road/lane and is in ducting from there. The copper then goes on to service other houses and will I assume have to remain in place for those who do not order fibre

2. If the fibre to my premises cannot use the ducting used for the current copper line I will need a 150m trench if Openreach really does stop at the lane. Can the ISP charge for this and any there any who don't or who have a fixed charge irrespective of what is involved.

Many thanks

Just as a wild-card - do you have line of sight to any properties in the village which have good FTTC available?
If so have you considered a point-to-point wireless link from there?
I have used point-to-point wireless link in the past, and while it has higher latency than FTTP, it is somewhat cheaper to install!
Of course you'd need to come to some arrangement with someone in the village to have FTTC installed there, but some of your £10k saving might help with that.

In reply to a post by Munrobagger:

I now have a Universal service Obligation quotation for around £4300 which I am going ahead with.

My house is rural and 150m from the road. The fibre, according to the USO team will be laid to the boundary of my property and the ISP I choose is responsible for the onward connection to the house.

Think of it another way, if they was to go the extra 150m then the quote would be higher than the £4300. Once the hard bit is done and you have it to your boundary you can speak with an ISP and if they want to add extra charges for extra ducting then you can consider doing or arranging the ducting yourself if the ISP costs are too high.

Edited by deleted (Tue 14-Jun-22 12:02:47)

How sure are you that your existing copper is in a duct? If it's direct buried then either you or a contractor will be digging a long trench unless you fancy paying ECCs on the final installation.

Many thanks, yes have that at present relay to point to poin micro broadband ISP but it relies on the goodwill of others and I cannot rely on it being there forever plus it is more expensive monthly and not as fast

Sure, point taken, but I was wondering if that is what happens in practice. The current copper connection is in a box immediately outside my house ie 100m from road and it runs on from there to 3 other properties. The service is advertised as fibre to the premises not fibre to site and the detailed USO service conditions "Premises" is defined as a Customer's residence or place of business.

Yes pretty sure is ducted. I pursuaded BT to put it there having dug the trench. This was around 20 years ago. I am hoping to avoid doing that again! and as i say in another post / reply "Premises" is defined as a customer's residence or place of business in the USO Service Conditons and directions.

Munrobagger

OR will provide it to the 'Kerbside CBT' (pole if overhead) when you order it from an ISP they will provide the final 'drop' to the house. If this is ducted they will use that, if not the ISP may have to agree ECCs which may be passed onto you.

If you are sure there is an existing (BT) duct it shouldn't cost you anything more. If it is direct buried you may like to obtain some duct and provide it yourself, plus a draw rope..

You should be able to find both the location of the CBT and what OR are calling the Property boundary from the USO team. The fibre from the CBT should be under 450m at max. ( not straight line distance)

My understanding is that the USO cost includes the drop to the premises but there haven't been many provided yet and the team planning them in your locality may not be used to thinking about the last drop yet. as that is only thought about for ordinary FTTP provides when an order is taken.