LLU and backhaul query

Hi. I’ve been on Sky Broadband and phone for about 10 years on the Moss Side exchange. I cannot get fibre at my address and so think I am getting ADSL2+ which is fine and I’ve had few problems really but am looking for a change.

I understand that Sky is an LLU supplier and so all of my traffic goes directly to Sky’s network from my exchange.

I’ve noticed when doing traceroutes that my traffic often goes through London (GTT) even when connecting to servers nearby. Not sure if this is because Sky’s backhaul network just operates like that?

Anyway, I am moving to CloudScape Connect which I understand is not an LLU supplier and so buys in wholesale backhaul capacity directly from BT and other LLU providers (such as Talk Talk). I may have this wrong.

Is there a view on whether my connection will be better or more efficient / lower latency as a result of this change? I’m aware there may be downtime in moving from MPF.

I understand that currently my connection is forced through Sky’s backhaul but that by going with this ISP my traffic will be routed from the exchange to whichever backhaul provider that ISP has an arrangement with (eg if CloudScape had a contract with TalkTalk, my traffic could leave the exchange through TalkTalk’s backhaul (in the same way a TalkTalk LLU customers would), then to the ISP?

I’m interested to understand how, when using smaller non-LLU ISP, traffic may be routed from the exchange to that ISP. Is it the case that, although the smaller ISP would be buying in a wholesale Openreach product for the connection, that the traffic from the exchange could go via someone other than Openreach, e.g. that TalkTalk or Vodafone (who have equipment at my exchange) can sell wholesale connection from my exchange to third party ISPs?

On latency - impossible to say one way or another and may be better for some sites and worse for others.

As for how, because the smaller ISP has a contract with a wholesale provider and can buy space on their backhaul from various exchanges. A lot depends on what level of capacity is being purchased and how busy others using the same provider are on an exchange and further down the chain of links to the Internet

Nearly all ISPs have their main data centres in London so a change of ISP may give you similar traceroute results. Ditto for latency if it’s routed in a similar way. As for Cloudscape, in the past there have been reports of congestion on TBB (do a search) so you may well end up getting a worse connection. Personally I would stick with Sky adsl2+ if you’re happy with their service, better the devil you know & all that