All over the country broadband infrastructure companies such as CityFibre are working to get full fibre broadband installed. There is a target to get up to 75% of all homes and businesses connected by 2026 and more than 99% connected by 2030. While some broadband ISPs are connecting almost as soon as the fibre is in the ground, some are taking considerably longer. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why.
People throughout the UK are starting to realise that simply because the infrastructure in in situ, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to be connected immediately. In fact they put up with the disruption of having their street dug up, but they still don’t know when they’re going to be finally connected to Fibre Fast broadband.
Disillusionment follows. You see the ads for Superfast and Ultrafast broadband on the TV and on social media, you know that the fibre optic line is right there, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to connect those last few metres of cable to your router.
So what’s the deal?
There are a number of reasons why different infrastructure installers will have different timescales between installation and connection, including mundane administration such as databases of addresses not being updated adequately, hold-ups and delays to engineering, or waiting for ISPs to get their act together.
Vertical Integration.
This is where the company which is installing the fibre infrastructure is also the broadband data provider, or is working very closely with a broadband internet service provider who is already working in the area. This is the case for CityFibre and Briant Broadband, and it’s why our customers are connected so quickly. As soon as CityFibre put the earth back over the fibre optic cables Briant Broadband are ready to send our engineers to connect the line to a router for you, allowing you to have Superfast or Ultrafast broadband right away. Another company might use the same Cityfibre fibre network, but they are slowed down if they have to find enough customers to make wholesale buying or reselling broadband packages profitable, they have to set up local ordering systems, or find engineers who can do the work in the area.
Asynchronous databases
A problem people find is that they are checking on websites to see if Full Fibre is available in their area and they’re finding it’s not, even though they sew the people digging up the street weeks ago, or they’re finding that they are in an area where it’s available, only to find that when they try to order a connection it’s not possible. This can often be blamed on databases not matching one another, or not matching events in the real world. Again, this isn’t such a problem for Briant Broadband as we liaise regularly with CityFibre and the data we have regarding installation progress, from applying for permission to carry out work right through to when the work is completed comes directly from their own databases. Other ISPs don’t have this advantage, so they work from projections and estimates which may have been written some time ago and events which caused delays won’t have been properly accounted for.
Different business models and practise
ISPs in high density urban areas might want to wait until they reach a certain level of coverage in an area before they go live. That might mean that they want several tranches of homes and businesses to be available before they start the connection process, or they may want to have several thousand pre-orders and expressions of interest before they’ll carry out work. Again, because we’re a local company and Worthing, our largest market isn’t set up like that, that’s not how we operate. If the fibre cable is there in the street outside your house and your contract is up then we can come and connect you, we hope within a couple of days, and often we can get the work done sooner.
One street is only a link in a vast network
The fibre may have been laid along your street, but it doesn’t automatically follow that the other ends of the lines are connected to your local exchange. The data centre where they will ultimately terminate may not even be furnished with the servers yet. Because the endpoint is to connect more than 99% of UK homes and businesses to fibre there are times when work which would logically be the final step in the process (laying the fibre to your property) comes ahead of other stages.
If that’s the case, or you’re not due to have any fibre engineers visit your area soon Briant Broadband have options. You can still get broadband, up to 200 Mbps from us using our wireless broadband option. While it’s not as fast as Full Fibre, Briant’s wireless is still considerably faster than internet which is supplied through copper phone lines. And when Full Fibre is available where you live we can easily connect you and upgrade your service to an even faster plan should you so desire.
Crossing busy roads
Sometimes all that is stopping getting you connected to Full Fibre is an A road or dual carriageway. Depending on exactly where you live you might be in a location which is separated from your exchange by a busy road, so while the rest of the infrastructure is in place it may be necessary for the installers to negotiate with the highways authority to close or restrict access to trunk roads while the work is carried out.
The human element
Finally there is something which can never be taken into account: human behaviour! Some people will complain that they don’t like the work being carried out and if enough people complain to their council then work can be held up or cancelled completely while alternative methods to reach each property is explored. In other cases there could be theft or criminal damage. The engineers tidy up as best they can before they head home each day, but until the work is complete there will be a temptation for some to recklessly damage or steal. When this happens delays are obviously created as the damaged or missing goods need to be repaired or replaced.
So there are numerous reasons why you may have had engineers digging up your street but you’re still waiting for your ISP to connect you to Full Fibre. Fortunately for people living in the Adur and Worthing area CityFibre and Briant Broadband are able to connect new customers immediately, so if you’re looking for Full Fibre from a local team of friendly experts in networking and communications, get in touch!