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[Black Sheep]

Maybe a certain Mr Cat might be interested in this lower bandwidth product ?? 


Following the recently enhanced superfast 55/10 product, we’re introducing a new 18/2 FTTC product on a trial basis. It’ll initially be available at around 3,000 PCPs and will help CPs transition their customers from copper to fibre. The new 18/2 product won’t change the way you serve our customers and - under the terms of the trial - multiple self-install jobs will be organised at the same PCP for you and allocated normally.

You should always check the expected speed during an 18/2 order install. A result of 18Mbit/s during the VDSL close-out tests may now be valid and isn’t necessarily a slow speed fault. We’re expecting our first 18/2 orders from CPs this week.

[burakkucat]

It is interesting to know about . . . but nothing that I would consider using. 

The PCP and its fibre twin are approximately 391 metres distant (measured by my Tester 301C) and so either the 40/10 or 55/10 Openreach products would be perfectly usable. The product that would really interest me is one that could provides symmetric DS/US synchronisation speeds, either 5/5 or 10/10.

I think I'll wait for FTTDp . . . 

[mlmclaren]

Sky is supposed to be moving a number of its ADSL customers over to the new FTTC service sometime between now and Autumn I believe...

Not sure if its in aid of bringing some of its customers out of the below USO or if it will be something they'll look to provide all customers on... however they have said pricing will be the same as its current ADSL based service.

I can't see them being able to move all their customers onto it, I don't think there's enough capacity at DSLAM's for it.

probably part of a products re-brand for the customers though or just giving them an excuse to add fibre to another load of advertising.

I assume BT will be looking to move its customer that are taking advantage of the lower priced 40/10 package (due to long lengths from DSLAM) in a bid to cut wholesale costs.

[gt94sss2]

I assume BT will be looking to move its customer that are taking advantage of the lower priced 40/10 package (due to long lengths from DSLAM) in a bid to cut wholesale costs.

BT Wholesale have said they are not participating in the trial.

[mlmclaren]

I'm sure they're not but they may well make use of it once released.

[WWWombat]

Not sure if its in aid of bringing some of its customers out of the below USO or if it will be something they'll look to provide all customers on... however they have said pricing will be the same as its current ADSL based service.

I don't think this will alter the USO thinking at all. If a property can achieve 10Mbps through fibre, the government won't care whether the owner opts for an 18Mbps service or a 40Mbps. They won't care if the owner opts to stick to ADSL at 1Mbps either, because the property still meets the UFO qualification - which is all about availability, not about actual speed.

I can't see them being able to move all their customers onto it, I don't think there's enough capacity at DSLAM's for it.

IIRC, to qualify for the 18/2 package, the subscriber must start with an ADSL package below 3Mbps, although that might have changed to 2Mbps. Therefore Sky won't be able to put all their customers onto this product.

[ejs]

BT Wholesale have said they are not participating in the trial.

I think that changed, you can even get the list of cabinets enabled for 18Mb FTTC from the BTWholesale website now (Network Information, under 21C Broadband Service Availability & Network Inventory, no login required).

[forceware]

Bt retail have done a 15/2 product for the last two years at least, it's called fasterbroadband. It's for people to far from the cabinet to get any where near the 40/10 speeds. I've been on it.

[ejs]

I thought BT Faster Broadband was actually using the Openreach 40/10 speed, it was just sold under a different name for people with estimated speeds less than 15Mb downstream.

[William Grimsley]

It's not 15/2 it's 20/2.

[ejs]

This trial, not BT Faster Broadband, is referred to as 18M FTTC, so it's 18/2.

[William Grimsley]

Sorry?! You were talking about BT Faster Broadband not the new trial! Whoops!

[mlmclaren]

Bt retail have done a 15/2 product for the last two years at least, it's called fasterbroadband. It's for people to far from the cabinet to get any where near the 40/10 speeds. I've been on it.

But still runs on a 40/10 wholesale product costing the same as a customer on Infinity 1.

[renluop]

I think that changed, you can even get the list of cabinets enabled for 18Mb FTTC from the BTWholesale website now (Network Information, under 21C Broadband Service Availability & Network Inventory, no login required).

FWLIW My exchange has 37 PCPs. That list shows 3 for the new service; 1 Exchange, and 2 covering areas of the town that lie 3.5+ km from the exchange. In those areas the properties are well spread out with large house and bungalows, so I'd expect some to be quite distant from the relevant PCP.

[Dray]

But still runs on a 40/10 wholesale product costing the same as a customer on Infinity 1.

Faster broadband is only 2 Mbps upstream on BT