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[ccarmock]

Given ADSL 1 & 2/2+ is older technology now are BT starting to phase it out?   I ask since I took them up on a free offer of ADSL broadband, which I accepted as a free backup to my Virgin Media service.  I only get a max of 5 Mb/s often reducing to 3 Mb/s as I am about 4 km from the exchange.

In the past few months BT are constantly writing to me to encourage me to upgrade to FTTC at no extra cost.    The only reason I am holding off is they mention no extra cost for the first year then a price in excess of £40 a month.   

Recently I noticed when I check my line onthe Wholesale broadband checker it shows and open order on my line due to complete in 2020.   I haven't placed an order - so wonder if they will move to FTTC ayway?

[Black Sheep]

With PSTN switch off pencilled in for 2025/2026 .... the future of ADSL is bleak, IMHO.

Within Europe, Estonia are the leaders where C2F (Copper to Fibre) is concerned, with all ADSL services destined to be switched off by the end of this year.

The split is almost 50-50 with migration to FTTP/FTTC.

[Black Sheep]

https://www.ftthcouncil.eu/documents/Reports/2019/Copper_switch-off_analysis_12032019_short.pdf

[burakkucat]

. . . with all ADSL services destined to be switched off by the end of this year.

The specified year is 2020. So it will be the end of next year. 

[Black Sheep]

Whoops.

[aesmith]

Question for Black Sheep, do you believe the intention in the UK is to deploy fibre to all premises currently served by copper?  I've heard informally about a sort of pilot locally, I believe the exchange is Glenkindy, but I haven't been able to find out if the claimed full fibre coverage is truly full coverage or only coverage to premises previously on ADSL.  In the country a lot of people on really long lines don't bother with ADSL as the service is so slow once you're over around 5 or 6 km, and reliability is poor.

[Black Sheep]

Hi aesmith

To answer your question candidly .... it's not MY intention, but the combined intention of the Government and Openreach to  provide FTTP.

Of course, there's always going to be 'quick wins' and 'I told you so's' ...... but hey-ho, welcome to business and the bottom-line.

The game-changer for me (who was an ardent supporter of ADSL/VDSL), was the support that I see from my hierarchy. From what was lip-service a few years ago, to full on 'attack mode' ... it's more than obvious to 'us' that there's only one way forward.

There are no more 'Pilot's' as such that I know of ... not as far as FTTP is concerned .... it is an in-life product that is gathering pace daily.

On a personal note, I lived and breathed ADSL  .... I learned soooo much from this forum to aid me in my day-to-day job, I can't begin to thank the people involved ( they know who they are).
Challenging faults such as REIN will be things we whisper in corners about,  in the next decade. :-)

[Postal]

To answer your question candidly .... it's not MY intention, but the combined intention of the Government and Openreach to  provide FTTP.

Not sure that is fully aligned with the statements from the government.  It is (allegedly) the government's intention to provide "superfast" broadband to all customers.  That could equally well be through 4G/5G technology (or any other sort of community wireless programme) rather than FTTP.

[aesmith]

Thanks.  Referring to the previous post, "Superfast" broadband and copper switch-off are completely separate issues with "superfast" being a very short term goal.  For example in Scotland they define superfast as a nominal download speed of 30meg or more, with no other parameters.  Hence really crappy satellite counts, even though out performed in the real world by 3.5meg ADSL.

[Black Sheep]

Not sure that is fully aligned with the statements from the government.  It is (allegedly) the government's intention to provide "superfast" broadband to all customers.  That could equally well be through 4G/5G technology (or any other sort of community wireless programme) rather than FTTP.

Yes, there are other technologies out there to provide BB, but the questions being asked are regarding ADSL switch-off and FTTP deployment, of which the Government (and regulator) are totally behind.

The Government are pushing for a fully-fibre UK by 2033, so I would humbly suggest my comment about the Government fully backing FTTP roll-out, still stands.

[Postal]

Yes, there are other technologies out there to provide BB, but the questions being asked are regarding ADSL switch-off and FTTP deployment, of which the Government (and regulator) are totally behind.

The Government are pushing for a fully-fibre UK by 2033, so I would humbly suggest my comment about the Government fully backing FTTP roll-out, still stands.

Indeed so, but watch how "fully backing" gets diluted as the Treasury realises the costs involved to service the most difficult properties with FTTP particularly if other technological solutions are available.  Private industry is not going to fund that level of FTTP roll-out without subsidy.

[niemand]

BT Consumer don't want to sell ADSL if they can help it anymore. I check what's available on an address with slow ADSL and reasonable VDSL and they offer VDSL only.

If customers have VDSL compatible hubs present they have been offering people free upgrades from ADSL to VDSL.

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Fibre-broadband/FREE-upgrade-to-fibre-closing-copper/td-p/1973943

As an example. Please ignore the laughable suggestion that ADSL has a lower fault rate than VDSL from one of their 'distinguished sages'.

[Black Sheep]

As an example. Please ignore the laughable suggestion that ADSL has a lower fault rate than VDSL from one of their 'distinguished sages'.

Unless the results have been collectively published by all ISP's, I can't see how that comment can be factually made ??.

That said, the high-migration numbers that we see who are switching to VDSL, are mathematically going to increase the repair volumes exponentially.

It certainly doesn't mean ADSL is a better product, in terms of reliability. 

 

[niemand]

The idea that replacing a bunch of copper with fibre and decade old MSANs with newer DSLAMs is laughable.

The comments about power and connectivity from someone with no idea what they are talking about.

Hence the warning.

[kitz]

I notice from the report that Telia completed the PSTN switch off in Jul 2017.   It states that adsl connections will be switched off by the end of 2020... of which 50% will be moved to full fibre and that 40% will be FTTC/G.fast.
In my books, that is still a large proportion using DSL technology.

I also muse about Ben Verwayeens visions ~15yrs ago when he started the ball rolling towards PSTN switch off and plans in were put in place.     Progress was halted by OFCOM ~10 yrs ago when the LLU providers started being unhappy.   I quite sure the UK would be much further forward if it hadn't been for OFCOM poking their nose in.   Sadly LLU has caused restrictions on what BT/Openreach could do and that impact is being felt today.   Gov have no reason to moan either - going back further in time we could have been a leader in fibre networks if it wasn't for them sticking the oar in.