In reply to a post by Grimers:

You would think so, but FTTP is way more reliable and has fewer faults than FTTC.

I have been on FTTC for around 12 months i have lost connection once in that time and that was not for long so i wouldn't class it as unreliable.

In reply to a post by pluralist:

Yes, I don't see how all the Alt Nets will survive if BT decide to over-build once they've got the main coverage done. Punters thinking of moving into restricted availability areas could well be deterred once they find they can't stay with their existing supplier. Forcing the house prices down.

Depends if customers realise the only thing separating most ISPs from each other is the email address. If you switch to a provider neutral (e.g. webmail) service then all you need is IP connectivity. Perceived 'quality' concerns go away when you're offered 900 Mbps or higher.

The Alt Nets will survive as they are offering symmetric, whereas OR are only offering asymmetric connectivity. The explosion in home working has made many realise the advantages of faster upload (one of cable's problems today).

They will need to merge like, or possibly join, Virgin Media (aka NTL).

VM isn't just NTL, its NTL & Telewest that as a joined company (NTL:Telewest Ltd) decided to buy Virgin Mobile from Richard Branson, and that enabled them to use the Virgin name (they still have to licence it from Virgin Enterprises as every other Virgin company).

NTL & Telewest both individually went on a buying/merging spree across the UK, and it was the merger of the two big companies that started to provide economies of scale.

The question will be the percentage "take up rate" in streets with "homes passed" as this is the only measure of interest.

Since I retired and began doing some voluntary work, I've found remarkable few people using any email service but BT, Hotmail or gmail. A few Sky and a few Zen. Plus of course ntlworld, with even small businesses on VM using that.

Own domains are usually people with or having had a business.

BT used fibre for new estates in the 1990s for voice as tt got over the distance limitation of using copper, and removed the need for new exchange buildings in some places.

When OFTEL mandated LLU they had to go back and provide the copper giving sub 0.5Mb BB due to the distances involved and got lots of complaints.

They have now been going back and providing FTTP as evidenced by Andrews monthly roundup of FTTP by area type..

I remember it well. When BT was mandated to provide LLU at any property BT had over 300000 premises only served by Fibre and had to stop rolling it out and retro fit Copper. ( Camborne near Cambridge was all TPON when the build started )

Local planners had been using TPON to serve all new estates over around 80 premises as it was cheaper to do than pull in new copper, especially those distant from the local exchange. It was also used on remote Islands, (I think Caldy off West Wales was one plus some Scottish Islands)

In reply to a post by pluralist:

Since I retired and began doing some voluntary work, I've found remarkable few people using any email service but BT, Hotmail or gmail. A few Sky and a few Zen. Plus of course ntlworld, with even small businesses on VM using that. Own domains are usually people with or having had a business.

yes, the ISP mailboxes are common, but perhaps its a generation gap, the majority of younger people are using Gmail or Outlook.com (which is hotmail renamed) or Yahoo, as they access the email on their mobile device, using a computer or laptop is seen as "old skool".

It is of course a lock in attempt by the ISP to stop you moving to the competition!

The adults paying the bill for the broadband connection are more likely to be using the mailboxes the ISP provide. I get 10 virginmedia.com mailboxes with my connection, I haven't even configured one as I have lost track of domains and webmail accounts I've had!

Edited by jchamier (Sun 19-Sep-21 14:46:03)

You can't determine the typical reliability of FTTC by looking at a single line for a year !

Yes, I admit I'm a bit biased. We've had so many faults, particularly on ADSL...

That's in your experience. Lots of people are posting their own experience, and not looking at the big picture. FTTP has a lot less faults than FTTC.

Exactly! At least someone gets what I'm trying to describe!