Hopefully the OP's current router will be suitable, if not something inexpensive should be fine until he is able to get "full fibre" and reassess the voice/broadband situation.

In the interim call charges shouldn't be too bad unless up to one hour calls are frequently made.

In reply to a post by ss_4:

Do Sky support all own routers now?

If its FTTC (or later on FTTP when that becomes available) - get a box that supports DHCP option 61 on its WAN interface.

Thanks for the pulse 8 recommendation - not seen it on the comparison sites, my router should be fine, I have an old openreach VDSL modem to pair with it.

Is there any way of finding out when community fibre may be available? The letter through the door in January was 11 months back and it said 'coming soon', which is what the website still says.

I wouldn't mind a 12 month contract, its the 18/24 month contracts that look to be the norm now that seem too long.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by ss_4:

Do Sky support all own routers now?

If its FTTC (or later on FTTP when that becomes available) - get a box that supports DHCP option 61 on its WAN interface.

I looked at Sky/Now a few years back and checked that my router doesn't support DHCP option 61, so still can't use them without a new box it seems.

Comparison sites (not just broadband ones) only compare providers that pay them for users clicking through to their website. Pulse8broadband is a quite small provider but has been around for many years. (Not to be confused with other companies starting with "Pulse8").

Fair point so always wise to check more than one of the comparison sites in case there are any providers who have fallen out with one particular portal. Still leaves the gap for those providers who feel that the comparison sites are parasites on the back of commercial processes and don't want to pay the surcharge for the chance to get a new customer.

From the other side of the table any potential customer has to balance the time spent on research against the potential cost saving which is why it is all so very difficult.

In reply to a post by pluralist:

There is always the well-regarded on these forums pulse8broadband. Monthly rolling contract so not held in at all really.

I nearly suggested it earlier, which is why I asked about the price area you were in.

If over 50Mbps isn't essential you could even go for the cheapest one.

It runs on TalkTalk Business Wholesale, which is a totally different kettle of fish from the TT Retail service.

Possibly not relevant, but perhaps for future PSTN reference, I have just noticed that some providers change a costly transfer from a TalkTalk line rental account to a another provider's WLR (BT based) line rental account, e.g. considered a new install costing £72 according to a well respected small provider

That's true. However the OP's target is Community Fibre. They claim "Free setup". My initial impression just now is that a phone service costs an extra £10 and is VOIP.

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Possibly not relevant, but perhaps for future PSTN reference, I have just noticed that some providers change a costly transfer from a TalkTalk line rental account to a another provider's WLR (BT based) line rental account, e.g. considered a new install costing £72 according to a well respected small provider

Probably the cost the network provider (e.g. Openreach) charges them to pick up a TT service and bring it across to OR so that any ISP using BTwholesale can interface. (I would have thought similar bringing over a Sky line).

In reply to a post by pluralist:

My initial impression just now is that a phone service costs an extra £10 and is VOIP.

I suspect most alternate networks (like CF) assume not many people will order a VoIP phone. They have to offer it, and doubt they will provide stats, but my feeling is for people 55 and under, the "landline" or "fake landline" is dead.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Probably the cost the network provider (e.g. Openreach) charges them to pick up a TT service and bring it across to OR so that any ISP using BTwholesale can interface. (I would have thought similar bringing over a Sky line).

Yes, from the Aquiss web site: "Free telephone line transfers only apply to BT based phone lines. Transferring from TalkTalk, Sky, Virgin Media (using non BT Lines) will be considered a New Install, at the prices shown above." i.e. £72 (inc. VAT)