Self install FTTC coming to Zen?

BT Wholesale launched FTTC self install from the 31st December 2013.

This means provisioning can be done without an engineer needing to visit customer premises.

Does anybody know whether Zen will be offering this any time soon, if at all?

Hi,

This is something we are looking at offering in the future, however we are just trialling it with some staff orders at the moment and if successful we will be launching it to our customers.

In reply to a post by mickbzen:

Hi,

This is something we are looking at offering in the future, however we are just trialling it with some staff orders at the moment and if successful we will be launching it to our customers.

Yep, I could have done a self install myself but SO glad I had an engineer visit as the line had a fault that would have dragged the speed down. Fresh good pairs found after several hours had passed. master socket attended to and modem screwed up on the wall. IMHO the financial saving by a self install is false economy.

In my case I know the pairs are good up to the cabinet as I used to have leased lines on them

I'd be interested in the self install option.

If it's offered by Zen in the future, which modem/router would the customer be supplied with?

In reply to a post by ka71:

I'd be interested in the self install option.

If it's offered by Zen in the future, which modem/router would the customer be supplied with?

As will I provided they offer the option for both self install with CPE hardware - I don't want/need any more devices.

If Zen don't offer the self install with no requirement for a BT/ISP provided router I will be taking my home line to another provider who does as a test - my customer sites will then follow.

I don't need any more devices either. As soon as Zen offers self install without supplying a BT Openreach modem I'll order FTTC from Zen for home use.

I manage four other Zen FTTC connections and not one uses the Openreach modem. There haven't been any problems. Two of these services have been running for more than a year.

At home I have a Mk2 service specific faceplate and a Cisco 887VA already configured and tested to work on Zen FTTC services.

Any progress on staff tests, Zen?

Hi,

We are currently still in the testing phase, however i will post on here as soon as i have any more information.

Can I recommend adding an option to post out a VDSL faceplate with a sheet of instructions.

That seems an eminently sensible idea

Is self install likely to reduce the minimum contract length down to a rolling month?

It's child's play to fit the VDSL faceplate, and you could have an option of sending a VDSL router (and/or modem), or allowing the customer to provide.

What testing is needed? Is it the BT provisioning process?

Cheers,
AP

In reply to a post by AndyPandy:

Is self install likely to reduce the minimum contract length down to a rolling month?

No. BT Openreach's minimum term (who supply the last mile in all FTTC connections) is 12 months. Until they reduce their minimum term, you are unlikely to see any ISP offer a term shorter than that.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Can I recommend adding an option to post out a VDSL faceplate with a sheet of instructions.

Seconded - AND a plastic/disposable IDC tool.

However please ensure you can package them to fit through a standard letter box...

Is that likely to change with self install though? As there's no engineer visit, so less money to recoup.

IDC shouldn't be necessary with the V2 faceplate, it has a slot to allow you to fit it without disconnecting extension wiring.

Indeed. I recently swapped a Mk1 for a Mk2 faceplate on an existing FTTC service to see if it made a difference and in this instance it didn't. It took no time at all and the only tool required was a small screwdriver to undo the two screws holding the lower section on.

Engineer still needed to visit the cabinet. reflected in the wholesale pricing

~£50 for self-install FTTC
~£90 for engineer to visit

But give it another year or so and regulatory pressure may produce shorter contracts from Openreach.

The £90 has either being charged or absorbed by the retail providers largely, hence why some have 18 month contracts on FTTC, and sometimes 24.

Surely the same is true for new ADSL provisioning - engineer to the exchange, though not the cabinet.

Strange behaviour from Openreach as many will be wary of signing up for a 12 month contract.

Cheers,
AP

And many exchanges have a resident engineer to do the job. Which avoids a truck roll which costs.

In reply to a post by Geordish:

In reply to a post by AndyPandy:

Is self install likely to reduce the minimum contract length down to a rolling month?

No. BT Openreach's minimum term (who supply the last mile in all FTTC connections) is 12 months. Until they reduce their minimum term, you are unlikely to see any ISP offer a term shorter than that.

Ofcom are supposedbly going to enforce monthly wholesale contracts, but its not happening as of yet, I am guessing BT are fighting this one very agressively as they are addicted to long contracts. when it does get announced then expect a leniant grace period before they have to comply. (probably 18 to 24 months) and of course it wont affect any existing contracts.

Edited by Chrysalis (Wed 12-Feb-14 12:47:15)

A lot of people I believe have misinterpreted that Ofcom communication.

It was about removing the 12 month minimum contract that people suffer after a migration, rather than a 12 month term from the initial installation.

In reply to a post by AndyPandy:

Is that likely to change with self install though? As there's no engineer visit, so less money to recoup.

The money they need to recoup is on at a minimum:
The green cab
The DSLAM installed in the green cab
The fibre to connect up the green cab
The kit in the exchange the fibre connects back to
The engineering for all of this to be put in

This is not cheap. The engineer visit is a minute part of it which the ISP already pays or passes down to the customer.

Yes you told me before, but still no signs of it appearing is there?

I am guessing someone is appealing it so its been delayed.

there seems to be assumptions (false in my view) that anyone ordering fiber is going to cancel in under 12 months unless they forced to stay via high min term.

Yes we would see lots more movement between retail isp's (if they reduced their contracts also) but I expect most would stay on fttc.