City Fibre Upgrade email

[centurion1]

I have received an email today offering the CIty Fibre upgrade to 152Mbps. It states that it is free of charge upgrade but it doesn't mention if I need a new router (is that free?) and if I have to sign a new contract as I'm quite happily paying when I pay for 65Mbps.

Also will this involve my garden being dug in any way as I have rebuffed many offers from Virgin Media in the past when they came to my area. City Fibre were here on the street earlier in the year, presumably putting in the connection for this new service.

Any help would be greatly received as while a £25 voucher would be nice, I don't want a world of pain for it. Do I have the option to refuse the upgrade?

[centurion1]

No and as others have said. I have two bills since and both same as pre upgrade. However I have benefitted from double internet speed up and down since.

[Gliwmaeden2]

We have no idea what you signed up for.

Sometimes Talktalk offers the deal at the same price as your current contract till that expires.

If you chose the upgrade for yourself, rather than TT contacting you as above, you may well pay more.

Contact Chat today, if you don't know. Staff will not be back on here before Monday, @Zebodog299#.

If you need support from forum staff, ensure that you have completed your community forum profile details for them to identify your account. 

Go via your avatar/name; settings. Add your Talktalk landline number in Personal Information.  SAVE CHANGES. 

Also, please start your own thread for further support. You'll need to return to the message board and click on start a topic. Staff will only respond to the original poster. 

[Zebodog299#]

Am being connected by city fibre this week....yes or no will this increase my telephone bill !!

[Gliwmaeden2]

It depends what state the copper connection is in by then, so possibly a switch to another Full Fibre ISP product  - things are unlikely to be going backwards. Most ISPs will be looking to put people onto FTTP rather than taking on new FTTC customers, @centurion1.

[centurion1]

Ok so it is all installed, a big thanks to all on the community who read, replied and helped me. The install went better than I thought. Apart from not getting a text to say when they were arriving, they managed to use all the existing BT underground routing. No toby box, no digging up, nothing. Only downside is I guess the brick blew a bit and he has just injected a load of sealant in there. I'm going to get a face plate and glue it on to cover it up to further stop any rot or damp seeping into the brick.

Now getting 150Mbps each way at best, capable 5Ghz devices upstairs still pulling 120Mbps. Oddly my PC was getting 2Mbps, ordered a new USB Wi-Fi adapter.

Now awaiting renewal in May, I hope TT can give me a good deal. I'm not looking to pay more or take on any other service.

Can I move back to the BT connection and go to another provider if TT cant offer me a good deal?

[KeithFrench]

I will send them in a PM to you now @centurion1 

[centurion1]

Thank you all.

JoDonut, FunkyGibbons - sadly my street has no telegraph poles everything is run underground. I assume that there will be sufficient duct space from open reach and other utilities and they will have got a full survey from plans and underground cameras I have spoken to my neighbour and the yare happy for the cable to run across the garden. I guess they may put in a spare for them for future use?

KeithFrench - yes please if you don't mind. Just curious. I  work in IT and while I deal with the IP side of networks always been fascinated behind the cabling that serves buildings and the internal structured cabling that was installed internally. Remember seeing\watching must be 20 years ago, BT blowing in fibre cables (10Mb connection for a call centre!) from 2km away, watching for 30 minutes and then the thinnest strand just appearing in the clear tube.

All for the upgrade,  handy to know for future if anyone I know is faced with the upgrade. My mums street has had black boxes on each telegraph pole installed earlier this year, guessing this is the connections ready to deliver to each house in due course.

[jodonut]

Hi. I had mine installed from the telegraph pole out in the street. They run the cable along the same route as the BT line,  but do put a small junction box on your exterior wall, and the active box on the inside of your house. Both are very unintuitive, and you can bin the BT jack 1a once your fibre is live. You just have to plug your interior phone cable into the router. 

[KeithFrench]

I can probably send you a couple of photos, but it won't be until tomorrow now. The upload speed should be similar to the download (around 150M).

[Funky-Gibbons]

I had the same email, My "run from the street" is from the telegraph pole and runs parallel to the existing telephone wire, no digging up of the garden etc.

[centurion1]

Thank you. I received a couple of message asking if I was ready for the upgrade. One of the points that I would need to show the engineer an entry point for the fibre connection.

I had assumed it was using the existing BT connection but then I read on and goes on to say this "Once the location is agreed we will run the fibre cabling from the street into your home".  Well this is is something I need to check.

Does anyone have pictures of final installs of runs from the street. I need to check with my neighbor if they can carve a 3m groove in his garden for the cable as my garden doesn't reach the street. I assume they pat down the turf afterwards and make it look good?

As for the street, guess nothing you can do about the access needed. I'm sure they are experts and know how to best route the cables.

[centurion1]

Thanks all for your replies, I did also speak to TT CS  and they confirmed that I can receive the upgrade and the higher speed free of charge until my renewal date in May and there would be no additional changes for either the speed boost or any replacement router.

If it was made clear on the email recieved that prompted this, that it was totally free, the terms and conditions of the offer email for the £25 voucher again makes no reference to a new contract other than the Digital Voice Upgrade Install. I'm happy with TT and was more than happy with what I have, and whilst prices have crept up I was going to see what they could offer in May anyway. I don't need the additional speed but I guess it will be welcome at times. more so if the upload is increased.

I assume that someone  high up is paying TT or City Fibre to complete these upgrades and they can afford to offer the speed boost and vouchers as a sweetener.

[Funky-Gibbons]

In answer to your questions from recent personal experience, both my neighbour and myself were offered the same upgrade, my neighbour turned down the offer whereas I accepted,  the new fibre cable was installed from the telegraph pole just as the old telephone wire is (note, they do not remove the existing cable). If you require a different router to get the full fibre service this will be provided free of charge. My existing contract and the price I pay does not change,  it is due to end in March 24 when I will negotiate with the retentions team as I always do at the end of my contract to get the best deal I can.

[jodonut]

It says these upgrades are free, bit they aren't.  TalkTalk are simply moving customers who take up the 'free' upgrade onto the next package, and higher charges..

Buyer beware! 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi centurion1

You can refuse the upgrade as well as the number given by Gliwmaeden2, there is usually an SMS sent which you can reply to cancel. 

Hope that helps

[Gliwmaeden2]

You have the option to refuse, but might not get a good deal another time. 

Phone in directly to clarify all other points:

03451 720088 and ask for the Full Fibre team, @centurion1.