80/20 FTTC to launch April 10th

.Griff. · Mar 12, 2012, 15:31:22

Following on from the trials it would appears that the commercial launch of the 80/20 product will take place on 10th April.

http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/updates/briefings/super-fastfibreaccessbriefings/super-fastfibreaccessbriefingsarticles/nga00612.do

Steve · Mar 12, 2012, 16:11:42

There's also some pricing available, the yearly rental goes up to the ISP by some £40 from 40/10 if I've read it correctly.

Bill · Mar 12, 2012, 16:22:57

Quote from: Steve on Mar 12, 2012, 16:11:42
There's also some pricing available

Here:

http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=yzq%2FQaGYa3hVgsB2ZYfjHxzfISuq3px%2FWFtgATP2kPRZ6rNZujnCs99NbIKJZPD9hXYmiijxH6wr%0ACQm97GZMyQ%3D%3D

psp83 · Mar 12, 2012, 17:39:39

Hopefully IDnet will give pricing out soon.

But to be honest, if the price increase is a lot then I will go back to 40 / 10 as my line hasn't been that stable on 80/20 for some reason and I'm only 400m away from the cab.

Bill · Mar 12, 2012, 19:10:10

It looks like a minimum of 3 quid or so over the 40/10 product, I'm in two minds about whether I'll upgrade to it.

My connection has been nice and stable (so far

) with a 70Mbps profile and good speeds^*, but I'm likely to be using a lot more of the TV catch-up services in future and might feel the pinch on the monthly allowance.

Definitely wait and see time...

^* I'm about 450 metres from the cab, fwiw.

psp83 · Mar 12, 2012, 21:49:54

Quote from: Bill on Mar 12, 2012, 19:10:10
It looks like a minimum of 3 quid or so over the 40/10 product, I'm in two minds about whether I'll upgrade to it.

My connection has been nice and stable (so far ) with a 70Mbps profile and good speeds^*, but I'm likely to be using a lot more of the TV catch-up services in future and might feel the pinch on the monthly allowance.

Definitely wait and see time...

^* I'm about 450 metres from the cab, fwiw.

Your 450m away and getting 70Mbps, I'm 400m away and started off with 73Mbps profile, then 63Mbps, now 56Mbps.

Its getting slower and slower.

pixel · Mar 22, 2012, 11:54:10

Good news. I recevied an email yesterday confirming there will be no extra cost for the 80/20 service for business customers

Steve · Mar 22, 2012, 12:03:38

Good news.

Simon · Mar 22, 2012, 12:04:08

Sagnad · Apr 03, 2012, 12:22:25

Hi all,

Any more information relating to the roll out of 80/20? I am currently in the trial which I guess will be ending very soon (not had any official communication to say this yet).

Cheers,
Rich.

Rik · Apr 03, 2012, 13:48:55

You'd need to ask IDNet for definitive information.

Ardua · Apr 12, 2012, 14:50:43

What are BT playing at? By giving new FTTC customers 80/20 for the same price as 40/10 they may well be targeting the likes of Virgin, Sky, and TalkTalk but what about the viability of smaller ISPs in the longer term. You can see from this site and that of other ISPs that customers are hoping to see some form of narrowing of the gap to negate the need to jump ship. At what point, if at all, will OFCOM or The Competition Commission cry foul? I have got a feeling that I shouldn't hold my breath.

Bill · Apr 12, 2012, 15:07:47

It's BT Retail that are offering the free upgrade, afaik they are absorbing the increased charge that BTw impose on all of their customers.

THBS, I wouldn't argue with the general thrust of your post.

Technical Ben · Apr 12, 2012, 15:22:54

Well, I've no problem with a business offering a cheaper service. Or taking a hit to their profits. But if BT are using unfair advantages...

.Griff. · Apr 12, 2012, 15:33:35

BT Retails offer of a "free" upgrade from 40/10 to 80/20 is providing you agree to a new 12/18 month contract as it's the monthly line rental you pay that helps them absorb the costs.

The same can be said for Sky, Virgin and Talk Talk who all subsidize their broadband products to some degree or another. I wouldn't say they are doing anything unfair exactly.

Technical Ben · Apr 12, 2012, 17:20:27

Oh. I was under the impression they were offering a cheaper service to customers while having higher prices through their resellers.

If it's not that, then I guess it's ok.

Ardua · Apr 12, 2012, 18:01:51

Quote from: Technical Ben on Apr 12, 2012, 17:20:27
Oh. I was under the impression they were offering a cheaper service to customers while having higher prices through their resellers.
If it's not that, then I guess it's ok.

If it is a level playing field, then discounting is fine. However, there is a real danger here is that we end up with a market of 3 or 4 major players who squeeze out all others. Supermarkets and energy companies come to mind.

andrue · Apr 18, 2012, 08:13:00

Quote from: Ardua on Apr 12, 2012, 18:01:51
If it is a level playing field, then discounting is fine. However, there is a real danger here is that we end up with a market of 3 or 4 major players who squeeze out all others. Supermarkets and energy companies come to mind.

Personally I think that a more serious danger here is margins being squeezed so thin that investment in the product becomes impossible. It's all very well us customers wanting cheap broadband but when people start talking about multi-billion Pound schemes being needed we have to ask where that money is going to come from.

I think it's pretty miraculous that FTTC has appeared. Quite how BT manage to make money at all amazes me but the idea of investing billions in a service that runs at a loss (subsidised by other areas of the business) is bizarre. Not only that but it appears that the service isn't really wanted by most people. VM have struggled to get people onto their higher rate services (resorting to closing lower speed ones and offering free upgrades). BT has long priced FTTC services really low and now they also seem to be going the free upgrade route.

Meanwhile the last of the ISPs to offer a truly unlimited service seems to be dying. Be have given up on FTTC for this year and look to be struggling to even keep their network going. It seems not many people were willing to pay the premium to get that kind of service.

bremen1874 · Apr 20, 2012, 18:10:09

Interesting to see that IDNet's advertised FTTC speeds have now changed to 80/20 and the price appears to be unchanged. Hopefully there'll be some information soon about how it'll impact existing subscribers.

Steve · Apr 20, 2012, 18:17:52

Thanks for that . I wonder if there's done off charge for existing subscribers.

Ardua · Apr 20, 2012, 18:32:26

Interesting. One week in and my 40/10 connection hasn't missed a heartbeat (39992 down and 9992 up) with a negligible error rate. My trusty Fritz!Box suggests maximum attainable rates of 103770 down and 31060 up for my line. I gather some have upgraded in the belief that 80/20 meant a straight doubling of speeds and have been disappointed when the increase has been much less than they had expected. No doubt, IDNet will post more information in due course.

Bill · Apr 20, 2012, 18:56:51

Quote from: bremen1874 on Apr 20, 2012, 18:10:09
Interesting to see that IDNet's advertised FTTC speeds have now changed to 80/20 and the price appears to be unchanged.

Excellent

mervl · Apr 20, 2012, 20:09:39

Ahem. If you ignore the bragging rights, it looks to me like even my poor line could exhaust my entire monthly download allowance (if I were minded to which I'm not; I have a life) at its usual download rate in under 15 hours so I just can't see what the excitement is about. It's data, not a spaceship.

I know I'm probably the exception but I'd rather keep my line at a rate it can handle comfortably than drive it to some endurance limit (though to be fair I do rather gather the OR technicians that control the local cab at least seem to take the same view!). I know the answer for some people is ah it's different if you use your line for business purposes (which I now do rarely) but perhaps if British business can't economise it might perhaps explain why we are so uncompetitive?

PS note to IdNet though: under the ASA rules that came in from 1st April, shouldn't it be 78Mbps (as long as you can justify that 10% of the eligible customer base can get it as a throughput)!!!?

Bill · Apr 20, 2012, 20:25:59

Quote from: mervl on Apr 20, 2012, 20:09:39
Ahem. If you ignore the bragging rights...

I'm happy to do that.

QuoteI just can't see what the excitement is about.

Your lack of imagination is not something over which I have any influence.

I like a fast line, not having to go and make a coffee while I wait for the download to finish. If I could get it at a reasonable price I'd have a ten gigabit leased line...

You're not bothered, fair enough.

Bill · Apr 20, 2012, 21:57:54

Quote from: mervl on Apr 20, 2012, 20:09:39
PS note to IdNet though: under the ASA rules that came in from 1st April, shouldn't it be 78Mbps (as long as you can justify that 10% of the eligible customer base can get it as a throughput)!!!?

Virgin have an interesting take on the matter, I saw it first on a TV ad but it's also in their legal stuff:

QuoteBroadband

Speed: Speeds referred to are download speeds. Minimum computer requirements apply. Speed of internet connection assumes components working at optimum speed and capacity.

Anybody know what it means?