Moving from Virgin - help!

Hi all. Apols - I'm new here so if there are countless threads on this already, just point me to them .

We've decided to move from Virgin (broadband & TV) so need a new broadband provider fairly soon. I've done a bit of research but it's a bit confusing so may be that someone here can distil what I need into an answer. 3 questions/queries:

1) What speed do I need?
We've got M250 fibre from Virgin which I think is FTTP; inputting my address info to broadbandchecker. btwholesale.com suggests we certainly have this capability (though there’s no overhead wire attached to the house from the telegraph pole across the road, and there is to both neighbours’ houses). But we're likely not after high speed stuff - there are only 2 of us, using 3 devices max. The worst we currently do is stream Prime/Now TV into a laptop which Ookla says picks up c50mpbs, and I think we were fine when it did c25mbps. What's new though is that we'll be using the broadband for our TV (Freeview/Play/Freely); however, I read the recommended min for Freeview is 2/3mbps (and it'll be connected via Ethernet to a router sat right next to it), so I doubt we need much throughput. Any comment welcome. The current 20% we achieve via Wifi of what Virgin's pumping in (25/250, and previously as low as 10%: 25/250) should improve - as noted we'll bring the router into the lounge to drive the TV. the router's currently in an office extension and therefore through many, some external, walls.

Edited by Robroadband (Wed 09-Oct-24 18:23:25)

Second part as I wanted to break it up a bit

2) What router do I need?
For the last few years, we’ve just used the router provided by Virgin for simplicity, though I’ve bought TP-Link and Linksys routers in the past which have improved the signal. I’d imagine if I went for a relatively low mbps broadband package, the router provided by the ISP won’t exactly be blistering. But should I not worry about this and just buy one instead, using the ISP router as a modem? Do all ISPs allow this? Also, are the ISP routers likely to have some of the bells and whistles of an after-market router such as multiple Ethernet ports and USB capabilty?

3) Which ISP?
Don’t worry - I’m not asking how long a piece of string is, just specifically whether, if I went for a low mbps package to see what I could get away with (say 30-40mbps) and it wasn’t enough, will an ISP allow me to upgrade without charging me for 24 months of the existing contract / overcharging for the pleasure?. I guess I know enough from Virgin Media’s “practices” to know that upgrading your service tends to be simpler than downgrading, but any experience is welcomed.

You may find that for a few pennies more (and mean i about a £1) you could find you can get 150mbits compared to 80mbits for example - for instance EE will give me 40/10 and 80/20 at the same price (29.99).

For what you are doing, if you can get 80/20 budget pending, please do so over something like 40/10, as even if its only two of you having the extra headroom, sometimes comes in handy.

With fttp, you can choose, where the fibre cable enter your house, so you could have the ont and router in the lounge. For what you are doing the isp provided router should be fine for you.

do you need a new landline number or move a landline number?

Thanks @Taras - don't think we need a landline no, but haven't given it much thought. We certainly never use the one we have. Would you recommend one?

if you don't have one atm or use it, don't bother with it, as it will add at least £5pm

Are you able to get FTTP via Openreach? Use this link

If you can there are a number of suppliers such as Plusnet, EE, A&A from who can order a service. They will supply a router which will connect to the ONT installed by Openreach.

Alternatively you may be abble to get FTTC . Use this link If so
the same suppliers would likely send you a VDSL router.

Just for clarity Virgin deliver over their own cabling infrastructure, the cabling used for Virgin will not be the same as used for other ISPs. If you can get OpenReach based fibre then when you order from your preferred ISP OpenReach will come and install a new cable totally independent of the Virgin cable - that is likely what you can see going from the pole to your neighbours houses.

Virgin may be delivering to you over FTTP but it is probably a coax connection as until relatively recently that is how Virgin delivered TV and broadband into houses.

Thanks @Michael _Chare - appreciate your help . Yes, using the top link, looks like I can get both "Ultrafast Full Fibre to 1800mbps" and "Standard broadband to 24mbps". As I say, I'm slightly concenned that I can see wires from the telegraph pole over the road to both of my neighbours but not to me, which would suggest the installer might have to do more work than usual, but as @Ian72 - thanks Ian - says perhaps they/Openreach will be happy to do that.

What's an ONT? Is this another box an ISP/Openreach would install somewhere in the house? Does the level of throughput I buy (eg 40mbps contract v 80mbps) likely influence what the ISP's happy to send me / install? So much to learn

Edited by Robroadband (Thu 10-Oct-24 12:21:47)

The ONT is an Optical Network Terminator. It is connected to the incoming fibre and has an RJ45 ethernet socket to which a router can (must) be connected. You could discuss with the person who comes to do the install where it is located. It will need electrical power. The router can be sited anywhere that you can run an RJ45 ethernet cable to.

In reply to a post by Robroadband:

Thanks @Michael _Chare - appreciate your help . Yes, using the top link, looks like I can get both "Ultrafast Full Fibre to 1800mbps" and "Standard broadband to 24mbps". As I say, I'm slightly concenned that I can see wires from the telegraph pole over the road to both of my neighbours but not to me, which would suggest the installer might have to do more work than usual, but as @Ian72 - thanks Ian - says perhaps they/Openreach will be happy to do that.

Check your address at broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com (use the "address checker" tab). If it says "WBC FTTP available" and "1-stage install" then you're good to go - and it may give details about whether it's expected to be an underground or overhead install. If it says "KCI2 assure" then it means a survey may take place to determine the best way to connect you. If it says anything else, then ask here. But as you say, if Openreach has decided your property has FTTP available, it's up to them to do whatever installation work is required to connect you.

However, if it says "FTTP on demand" then it means you *don't* have FTTP available at all. (This is counter-intuitive, but "FTTP on demand" is a bespoke service to build the FTTP network to a location which doesn't have it available, and costs tens of thousands of pounds).

In reply to a post by Robroadband:

Does the level of throughput I buy (eg 40mbps contract v 80mbps) likely influence what the ISP's happy to send me / install? So much to learn

For speeds from 40M to 1G (sold as 900M) on FTTP the ISP is likely to send you exactly the same router. If you take a 1.2G (sold as 1G) or 1.8G (sold as 1.6G) they will probably send you something more expensive as it will require a 2.5G ethernet port.

if you don't know what you want, then I'd say a 150M or 300M service will be more than enough. For anything above 300M, wifi is typically the bottleneck anyway.