What is FTTC?
It stands for fibre to the cabinet and it is fibre-optic broadband which offers faster Internet connectivity. Businesses looking to use their Internet connection for more than checking email and using Google may benefit from faster more reliable fibre-optic services.
Why does the fibre only go as far as the cabinet?
Well quite simply the cost of running fibre into every premise is exponentially more expensive than running fibre to the street cabinet. The cost of equipment to terminate fibre is also significantly more expensive than copper. The Virgin ‘fibre-optic’ broadband works on the same basis, with fibre to the street
cabinet and then copper all the way to the set-top box.
What’s the benefit of Fibre-Optic Broadband to the customer?
This service provides up to 80Mbit/s downstream bandwidth and up to 20Mbit/s upstream bandwidth. Similar to most existing broadband services, the actual bandwidth available will depend on distance between the green street cabinet and the customer premises. However, customers will always be nearer to their street cabinet than they will be to the telephone exchange itself.
Does the customer need any special equipment?
The service is based on VDSL2 (Very high speed DSL) technology rather than ADSL. This means that the customer’s existing modem or router won’t work. The service will be installed by an Openreach engineer on the customer’s existing telephone cabling. A new faceplate will be installed on the master socket together with a VDSL2 modem. This modem will present an Ethernet socket to the customer, into which an Ethernet router will need to be connected.
What offers are available?
Jola is currently running a limited offer for VAT-registered SMEs in government voucher scheme areas for free FTTC for one year with low monthly payments in year two. Terms and conditions apply. For further information contact Jola.
