TalkTalk full fibre and the future

[John30444]

Hi Everyone,

                    We live in Alton, Hants and a few months ago our road was dug up and fibre lines were connected to a junction box in the ground, right outside my front door. Since then we have been bombarded with requests to swop to a firm called SWISH and today a man arrived on our doorstep from that company. (At 79, I am always suspicious of cold callers, so I need some help from The Community)

He stated  :-

1) that in 18 months time our copper cable speeds would be drastically downgraded, unless we changed now to full fibre, which his firm would do free of charge and supply a new router as well, under the new Government scheme (?).

2) that the cost of the cheapest package would be £25 + £5 for the landline telephone. (£6 more than I'm paying for our TalkTalk package, that we are very happy with.)

My questions are  :-

a) Is it true about the downgrading of the copper system in 18 months?

b) I've always found TalkTalk to be in the vanguard of progress, but it has not mentioned anything about our new fibre telephone lines and what opportunities it will offer us. Is TalkTalk not part of the Government's scheme to provide customers a free upgrade?

c) Will I reluctantly, (we have been TalkTalk customers since it started up) have to transfer over to SWISH to get conected completely to the full fibre broadband?

d) Has TalkTalk got plans to help us change over, or has it been excluded from this Government scheme?

Apologies if these worries of mine are "old hat" to those of you who keep up to date with technology, but Ive been somewhat busy during the last year, moving house and building two workshops, with the third due for completion next week. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

             John

[Gliwmaeden2]

There's no point wondering about prices from Talktalk while they can't offer it to you, @Weevie.

While we are in the dark about when this might happen, all we can do is stick with what we have got or check out the comparison websites, which it sounds as though you are now doing.

New customer prices are on this page (but subject to location). You'd have to speak to them in person to check phone line possibilities and the particular price, as and when it becomes available. 

https://new.talktalk.co.uk/broadband/compare-deals

If you need to follow up, please post on your own thread. 

[Weevie]

I am in a similar position - currently paying TT £26 for a 65Mb fibre + unlimited calls package

Waiting for TT to get round to upgrading my exchange to full fibre

I've been with TT for 21 years

What will the price be with calls package ?

I can get a 500Mb full fibre connection now for £30 including unlimited calls from the opposition

[John30444]

Again, Many thanks for helping me.

Your two links helped clear up some points that I was concerned about.

FYI.  I think that I will wait until the end of my contract in Jan 2024 and see what offers TalkTalk and Swish have in store for me at the time.

John

[Gliwmaeden2]

You would lose the landline but not the use of the number, @John30444.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/TalkTalk-Digital-Voice-App/ta-p/2895494

See also Gondola's reply to this customer last year:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/VOIP-Phone-calls-over-Fibre-150/td-p/2884116

Definitely something to check very carefully with any company. 

[John30444]

Hi Gliwmaeden 2,

Many thanks for taking the trouble to try and help me and apologies for not replying to you before now.

I studied your suggestions, articles and investigated TalkTalk's prices.

It appears that I will lose my landline if I go FFTP with TalkTalk and its charges are over double those of Swish!

Wow!   I never expected that.

I'm going to investigate further, regarding the landline situation with Swish and the penalty that I will have to pay if I cut ties with TalkTalk, before my contract is up in Jan 2024. 

I shall be sad to leave TalkTalk.

Best wishes,

                        John

[Gliwmaeden2]

Latest government information here:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8392/

[Gliwmaeden2]

@John30444, 

Quite a useful summary article here (two years old but still relevant):

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/08/uk-will-miss-2025-target-2025-full-fibre-broadban...

Talktalk has an availability checker on this page:

https://new.talktalk.co.uk/broadband/deals-existing-customer

Eventually the copper phone lines will be ditched. Some people have been able to keep them for now, while shifting to full fibre to the premises for Broadband; some go for data only; depending which company is installing it, the technology for keeping the phone varies, so you must get that clarified when ordering. 

There's a full fibre support team available on 03451 720074 from 8am Monday to Saturday.