Disappointing Broadband ( in the UK? )

Just a moan really.

You know I have been living at my current address for ten years. In that time, my PC has massively increased in power, as has my monitor and everything else attached. My TV's are now internet savvy and I even have security cameras and other stuff that all accesses the internet. And yet in that time, my internet service is still exactly the same as it was ten years ago. FOR HEAVENS SAKE openreach, get a damn move on. Why are you so darn slow at upgrading peoples service? ( rhetorical question ).

Moan over. Lol.

In reply to a post by D11187:

Just a moan really.

You know I have been living at my current address for ten years. In that time, my PC has massively increased in power, as has my monitor and everything else attached. My TV's are now internet savvy and I even have security cameras and other stuff that all accesses the internet. And yet in that time, my internet service is still exactly the same as it was ten years ago. FOR HEAVENS SAKE openreach, get a damn move on. Why are you so darn slow at upgrading peoples service? ( rhetorical question ).

Moan over. Lol.

I understand your frustration but Openreach are rolling out full fibre but not everyone can be first. There are also other Altnets who are also rolling out fastest broadband so you may want to look into them in your area as well as looking at 4G maybe.

PS - You don't say what speed you're currently getting.

I think it was around 2001 I jumped onto broadband with 256Kb connection.

Through the years I have moved to 512Kb, 2Mb, 8Mb, 20Mb, 40Mb, 60Mb, back to 40Mb, 150Mb, 300Mb and now 1Gb. So in 20 years I have had a 4000 times increase in speed.

I would say the BT rollouts are running at a reasonable pace considering the size of the country and the complexities involved. But some will always wait much longer than others. Building consumer electronics is relatively easy - design once and just repeat. Building infrastructure has many more complexities and requires specific planning for each build (although there are patterns that set in general how each build type would go).

Openreach are rolling out full fibre but not everyone can be first

I think the problem is that there is a perception that the areas getting FTTP are those that already have FTTC, and the ADSL only corners of the country are being left until last (as usual, and for the usual reasons).

In my area things have improved in the last decade - we got an upgrade from ADSL Max to ADSL2+ three years ago. OR do have plans for FTTP for neighbouring areas that already have FTTC, but nothing for nearby areas without superfast broadband.

In reply to a post by D11187:

Why are you so darn slow at upgrading peoples service? ( rhetorical question ).

Assuming you are checking for alternative options? Guessing you are on FTTC/VDSL and have had service since 2011, which would be one of the earliest areas built. My town only went live with FTTC/VDSL starting in 2012 and much of the town wasn't able to order until 2013. Outside of Openreach, do you have any virgin cable in your area, and any 4G or 5G services? Friends of mine whom only had 20 mbps from openreach, now have 1Gig fibre from one of the small AltNets. (I am very jealous).

In reply to a post by sheephouse:

I think the problem is that there is a perception that the areas getting FTTP are those that already have FTTC, and the ADSL only corners of the country are being left until last (as usual, and for the usual reasons).

I think the perception is not far off the truth, Openreach commercial rollouts are done based on if they are financially viable as they are a private company, so even in Fibre First areas not all will get full fibre. If people have FTTC then they do have the option for full fibre if they want to pay although we all know its not cheap.

In reply to a post by dect:

In reply to a post by sheephouse:

I think the problem is that there is a perception that the areas getting FTTP are those that already have FTTC, and the ADSL only corners of the country are being left until last (as usual, and for the usual reasons).

I think the perception is not far off the truth, Openreach commercial rollouts are done based on if they are financially viable as they are a private company, so even in Fibre First areas not all will get full fibre. If people have FTTC then they do have the option for full fibre if they want to pay although we all know its not cheap.

I would slightly disagree, based on what we are seeing, that many ADSL only areas have become focus areas for FTTP.

In the past 2 years, we have seen more of our current customerbase being able to move directly from ADSL -> FTTP, than current customers moving from FTTC to FTTP.

Depends on where you live I suppose. 2010-11, in HCMC, Vietnam, I had 20mb/s and cable TV. Back in the UK in 2011 I couldn't even get a phone line installed! Using BT Fon I was lucky to get 0.25mb/s from the neighbours connection. From 2012 to 2015 I had a very fast 1.2Mb/s line. Heady speeds indeed. Then FTTC came along and that shot up to 80/20mb/s. But FTTP. A pipe dream if it had been left to the likes of OR. According to the checker, they had no plans at all.

Fortunately an Altnet came along. And it didn't take them long to network the entire 2 halves of the village and the surrounding, isolated houses. Speeds of up to 1Gb, up and down, on offer. Their 120/120 service is fairly cheap too, only £19 a month - fixed for 2 yrs.

The OP needs to check out whether other suppliers are getting their act together. With OR you might have to wait some.

And while OR might well be a private company, so are all the rest that supply broadband.

In the past 2 years, we have seen more of our current customerbase being able to move directly from ADSL -> FTTP, than current customers moving from FTTC to FTTP.

But is that simply because those on FTTC don't see the need to upgrade?
Since FTTC is no longer being built the only upgrade path for ADSL is to FTTP (whether OR or AltNet),
And even the AltNets are increasingly prioritising areas with FTTC rather than ADSL only areas (which are often more expensive to build to) - for example Gigaclear are now building in Lydney covering FTTC areas - and now OR have announced they will cover the same area with FTTP - while both ignore the ADSL only areas (which Gigaclear has a BDUK contract to build - originally due to complete by the end of 2018).

Exactly, that's why I count myself lucky that I've already been able to order FTTP. There are a lot of places, even very close to me, that still don't have it that IMO should've been prioritised over our village. But, I guess it's just the way it is!