Speed issues

My village has finally had Open Reach/contractors laying fibre optic lines to a new cabinet at the side of the existing BT cabinet, about 100yds from my house. Although it's still awaiting a power supply to be connected.

When it does go 'live', if I don't take up a 'high-speed' broadband contract with my ISP what are the chances I'll see a speed benefit anyhow? Or will my current 3Mb connection forever be routed through the old system? (for spite?)

YV

You are unlikely to see much difference without upgrading.

No spite involved at all, new service so you need to decide to elect to upgrade to the new service which can include higher pricing and new contracts.

Forcing people to upgrade would be a highly unpopular exercise, particularly as not all retailers sell the fibre based services yet.

You are unlikely to see much difference without upgrading.

Any difference surely ?

Theoretically changes in crosstalk characteristics in a bundle could slow or speed up the line. That is why I didn't want to make an explicit statement.

In reply to a post by YoungVanish:

Or will my current 3Mb connection forever be routed through the old system? (for spite?)

YV

What other system could it be routed through? You have a choice, upgrade and pay a little more which will go towards the cost of putting the new infrastructure in place or stay where you are. Nothing is free.

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by YoungVanish:

Or will my current 3Mb connection forever be routed through the old system? (for spite?)

YV

What other system could it be routed through? You have a choice, upgrade and pay a little more which will go towards the cost of putting the new infrastructure in place or stay where you are. Nothing is free.

I have no knowledge of telecoms distribution methods, but I'd assumed that fibre optic carried both telephone and broadband traffic, it just did so more efficiently and speedily.
Other utilities would not install a new pipeline, drainage or cables and keep the old one in place ~ it would surely become the new and preferred method of transporting all the particular service.
So do I understand that telecoms use copper and fibre optic in parallel and that the fibre is almost solely for broadband traffic?

YV

The fibre is used for the broadband only in the case of the FTTC roll-out, the voice continues to go over the copper element.

Unlike Gas and Water when they upgrade pipework they still charge the same for your service and spread the upgrade cost out amongst all their customers.

Telecoms tends to offer the upgrade and you choose to or not to upgrade, i.e. market led

For FTTC based service the copper is still used for both broadband and voice between you and the cabinet of course.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

For FTTC based service the copper is still used for both broadband and voice between you and the cabinet of course.

Thanks for that, I now understand.

In reply to a post by YoungVanish:

Other utilities would not install a new pipeline, drainage or cables and keep the old one in place ~ it would surely become the new and preferred method of transporting all the particular service.

Actually, they do.

One of my neighbours had a statutory noticed served on him a few years back informing him that a new sewer would run through his garden and then under his car port and out to the road. Was he connected to it? NO.