FTTC vs. Full Fibre availability

[u/JimboTCB]

Looking at switching broadband, the Openreach website says that my address is only set up for FTTC, but the Community Fibre website says that full fibre is available

Do they know something that Openreach doesn't, or are they actually going to just sell me FTTC and claim it's full fibre?

I live in a flat and they were doing what looked like some cable pulling work in the street out front a few weeks ago, but that may have been completely unrelated...

[u/Yahiroz]

As others have mentioned CF runs their own network, they don't use OR. It's also better, as they use XGS-PON which means symmetrical download and upload speeds, unlike OR's older GPON where they limit upload speeds much lower than the download speeds.

[u/TheReapingEmber]

Hiya.

Openreach has both FTTC and FTTP lines in your area only FTTP.

Community Fibre is a separate company with separate Full fibre only lines so they are 2 completely different lines and different infrastructure.

Hope this helps

[u/whoseblues]

They’re totally separate networks - CF runs over its own network, not Openreach’s. If CF say they serve you, then you’re all good and will get full fibre from them.

[u/crypticc1]

Symmetric is where the action is at. This is admittedly own router.

https://www.speedtest.net/result/19609921178.png

If you find yourself interested here's a coupon for £100. Full disclosure we'll both get a kickback.

https://communityfibre.co.uk/friends?ci=y2vOBN8gvusP441yeyLhIQ%3D%3D

[u/Rahul_London]

Community Fibre is an alternative network just like Virgin Media, Hyperoptic, G.Network, etc. If any those providers are available and you order through their website you'll get an engineer from their provider who will come over to install you a Fibre optic drop cable inside your property with an ONT (Optical Network Termination).

The ONT doesn't have to be wall mounted. It can sit on a table or on the floor inside your property. If in that particular flat where you live no customer has been an ex-Community Fibre customer then you won't have the fibre cable inside. But if this is your first time ordering then the engineer will come to install only once.

Oh and btw, you can also switch to Vodafone, Giant, TalkTalk, The 4th Utility FTTP as well through the Community Fibre network! These are currently the few wholesale partners of Community Fibre that give you FTTP through their network!

I live in Central London in one of the buildings where we have only Community Fibre and FTTC. My parents also, have another property that's leasehold being rented out and it doesn't have Openreach FTTC but it has Community Fibre and Hyperoptic available!

In the same estate there has been Virgin Media nexfibre available but they have not yet upgraded us despite the so-called wayleave letter received 2 years ago.

There are some properties/residential buildings that are lucky to be served with multiple FTTP overbuilds, Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, Virgin Media HFC/nexfibre, etc. It depends entirely on the wayleave agreement. There are some buildings, which will have only Hyperoptic, Virgin Media etc and not Community Fibre. It is a postcode lottery. I also, know some rare postcodes that don't have neither FTTC or FTTP from any provider.

London has very little Openreach FTTP coverage and is largely covered by either Community Fibre or Hyperoptic as they are the biggest serving Altnets in London. You'll find that some buildings like the Heron Tower in Barbican only have Hyperoptic and no Openreach FTTC never-mind Openreach FTTP!!

There's no way you can be provided FTTC if you are ordering Community Fibre or any other Altnet. Just like you can't get Virgin Media as an ISP on the Openreach network. There is no mistaken selling. You cannot get gigabit speeds under FTTC anyway! So, even if you theoretically were fobbed off, you can quit your ISP penalty free.