What is FTTP?
FTTP (Fibre to the premises) is a type of internet connection that only uses fibre cables. It works by using the fibre infrastructure from an exchange level point to your local roadside cabinet, then from there it goes into your premise. Fibre to the premises gives homes and businesses a full fibre broadband service and is much faster than traditional adsl or adsl2 broadband.
The highest download speed you’ll receive ranges from around 300Mbps to 1Gbps, but this does depend on where you are situated within the UK and how many companies are sharing the fibre. The speeds on FTTP are asymmetrical, this means the download speed you’ll receive will always be higher than the upload speed.
FTTP is acquired by residential customers or small companies that don’t require consistent speeds and don’t rely of 24/7 connectivity. Most providers will offer FTTP on a 12 month contract, but these contracts can always be rolled over after the 12 months if you’re happy with your service.
FTTC vs FTTP
FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) and FTTP services are similar in the way they work, but just use different types of lines. FTTC works by a fibre line going from the exchange point to your local roadside cabinet, then a copper line goes from the cabinet to your premises using existing hardware already in place.
In terms of speed, Fibre to the premises wins this race with max speeds of up to 1Gbps. Fibre to the cabinet max speeds are maxed out at 80Mbps. Of course, these aren’t guaranteed though, the speed you get is determined on where you are situated and how many companies are sharing the line with you.
FTTC is slightly cheaper than FTTP. This is because it uses copper wires through already existing infrastructure, whereas to install the fibre for premises it requires physically installing a new infrastructure.
Another difference is the availability of each. FTTC is pretty much available everywhere, whereas Fibre to the premises isn’t as widely available. At the moment over one million homes are able to access FTTP, but the Government is planning to make it available to most of the UK by 2025.
FTTP vs Leased Line
Many people get Fibre to the premises confused with Leased Lines, which is a simple mistake to make. The assumption is that because they both use full fibre, they are the same, but this simply isn’t true. FTTC has to go through the local roadside cabinet, whereas Leased Lines bypass this and goes directly from the exchange point to your premises.
As mentioned above, FTTP speed are asymmetrical and can reach up to 1Gbps. With Leased Lines the speeds are symmetrical and can go up to 10GB. Another difference is that speeds are not guaranteed, but with Leased Lines they are and come with SLA. Whatever speed you pick you will get it consistently throughout the day with no contention ratio, this is because you’re the only user on that line.
One big difference is the price. You can get FTTP from anywhere between £30-£60 per month, whereas Leased Lines start from £150 per month. The price of Leased Lines will vary, it depends on the speed you pick and how far you are from the local exchange.
Lastly, you cannot get FTTP everywhere, whereas with Leased Lines you can. A Leased line can be installed anywhere within the UK, but the more rural you are, the higher the price.
Is BT the best provider for fibre to the premise?
BT are one of the biggest telecom brands out there, and for good reason. Many people will go to them because they are well known and considered one of the best. But from our experience BT often charges more to customers compared to other ISP’s that resell BT’s infrastructure.
FTTP on demand
Fibre to the premises on Demand (FTTPoD) is a relatively new speedy broadband service that can give speeds up to 1Gbps. It works by using Ethernet and FTTP networks. This allows ISPs to deliver a brilliant economical fibre broadband service to businesses within the UK.
It can keep costs down by using existing BT Openreach infrastructure, FTTPoD uses existing fibre that is already installed into a FTTC location. That fibre then runs from the cabinet to your premises. FTTPoD lets you have Generic Ethernet Access over Fibre to the premises and maintain an end-to-end fibre connection.
To get FTTPoD you will have to be nearby a GEA-FTTC enabled cabinet. In terms of price, FTTPoD is available at speeds of up to 330Mbps for the small price of around £60 per month (providers will vary). One problem you could have though is installation costs. Again, this will vary from provider to provider, but you could face extra charges of up to £20,000 to build the fibre required. But in some cases there might not be any extra charges, it’s just depended on your area and what provider you go with.
Providers of fibre to the premises
There are various FTTP providers within the UK. The biggest and best know provider of Fibre to the premise, as with most telecoms services in the UK, is BT.
- Sky
- PlusNet
- BT
- Zen
- TalkTalk
- Virgin
- DrayTek
- Cerberus Networks
- Vaioni
- Aspire
- Glide, etc
All of them will vary in terms of price and features of their services. The best way to get a good price on your FTTP is to compare with experts – we can help you get the cheapest options in your area & save you up to 40% compared with going direct. Simply click here to get your quote.
