VM vs Openreach cables

Hello,
Apologies if this has already been answered elsewhere.

I'm currently with Sky FTTC on exchange NEWAS. I've been a customer for over 25 years. Recently there have been guys in our street marking out the pavements and pushing yellow sleeved cable (not sure what this is, DOCSIS or fibre cable?) through some existing ducts. I had a chat with one guy who said they are installing for VM. On checking the Openreach website they say they have a build planned for us by Dec 2026.

My question is: I'm not all that keen on VM, but would like faster speeds than the 55Mb I get now, so if I hold off on ordering from VM, will I get the chance to order Sky FTTP in due course via Openreach's (new)cables ?
Or is there any chance that I can order Sky FTTP using VM's cabling or is it different to Openreach's?

Thanks all.

VM's network is completely independent of any other ISP's so you'll need to wait for Openreach (or another alternative network) to provide FTTP in your street if you don't want to use VM.

You could sign up for VM when it becomes available I guess and see out the 18 month contract. Other options may be available at the end of that period?

Edited by ferretuk (Sat 17-May-25 18:25:51)

The yellow stuff was probably a cobra rod used to pull cable into ducts.

Virgin Media and Nexfibre's FTTP networks currently have no ISP options other than Virgin Media. If you want FTTP without having to take service from VM then you need to wait.

Magpie user ID living in Washington Tyne and Wear , shouldn’t your ID be Mackem ?

In reply to a post by magpie:

I had a chat with one guy who said they are installing for VM. On checking the Openreach website they say they have a build planned for us by Dec 2026.

I just tried https://bidb.uk/ using the house number 1 and postcode NE38 7RU as this is for a Sainsburys.

Looking at the map there is a lot of orange lines either side of Rickleton Way which is nexfibre for VM doing some works. Then Openreach blue lines are visible around Ayton road. Perhaps take a look here and then at https://one.network to determine who is actually building in your road.

Will give a bit of an idea what products are available.

That postcode even shows CityFibre as planned. If they come in then the OP can order Sky FTTP via CityFibre.

But indeed any work that VM is doing now is going to be Full Fibre and it will not be the old DOCSIS cable. They will be separate fibre optic cables.
VM currently is only being offered by Nexfibre. But giffgaff will be the next ISP that will join their network soon. We don't know, which other wholesale ISP will join Nexfibre. Only if Sky join them of-course, you will be able to order via Nexfibre.

But of-course there are wholesale networks that have exclusive ISPs that aren't on neither Openreach or CityFibre like those of OFNL, Freedom Fibre, Fibre Heroes, etc. They have ISPs that aren't on other networks. So, there's no guarantee that Sky will join Nexfibre.

It depends on the agreement and some agreements may never happen. E.g. I don't ever expect Virgin Media to join Openreach or BT to join VM Nexfibre, they are competitors!

Haha, there’s a mackem next door to me

Thanks that’s very useful. My street is in orange, so nexfibre.

Thanks for all replies so far.

Update: digging a trench and installing cables and Toby boxes has begun in my street.

How long on average might it take for VM to accept an order?

I currently have a landline via copper wire, will this be deactivated by a VM installation? I’d be quite happy if it did go and if I do order internet/TV in future via Sky (assuming Openreach also install their cables as planned) would not order VOIP.

Thanks in advance

Expect around 6 months. Could be more, could be a lot less.

It's easier to watch their progress if there's a nearby street where they're using Openreach poles so it's not all hidden underground.

In my area all these tasks were done at different times, probably using a few different teams:

Civils work
Installing grey cabinets
Pulling cables through ducts (large loop of cable attached to every pole)
Fitting CBTs to the cables (temporarily at head height on the poles)
Fitting brackets to the top of poles
Moving CBTs to the top of poles
Painting reference numbers on the grey cabinets

The longest gap was between the cables being installed and the CBTs being fitted, that was probably 2-3 months, and another 1-2 months before they moved them to the top of the poles. They went live not long after they moved the CBTs to the top of the poles and painted reference numbers on the cabinets.

VM reps were out knocking on doors and leaving postcards the same week they went live.

VM do not yet offer a telephone service in new fibre optic (nexfibre) areas so it's good that you don't want a landline. If you use the one touch switching service, your phone service should cease when your old broadband service does.