Any news on GFast to FTTP upgrades?

[Stuart261]

I currently have a GFast (Ultrafast) connection and am out of contract.

As others have found, both online and on the phone, I am told that FTTP is not available, despite other Openreach providers saying it is.

It's very frustrating, because Sky is competitive for price, but there seems to be no upgrade path, despite being out of contract and I would actually prefer to stay with Sky.

Does anyone know whether this is likely to be resolved any time soon? Or never? Is there any way of contacting Sky to have the discussion?

[Laing1]

---

@Stuart261 wrote:

I currently have a GFast (Ultrafast) connection and am out of contract.

As others have found, both online and on the phone, I am told that FTTP is not available, despite other Openreach providers saying it is.

It's very frustrating, because Sky is competitive for price, but there seems to be no upgrade path, despite being out of contract and I would actually prefer to stay with Sky.

Does anyone know whether this is likely to be resolved any time soon? Or never? Is there any way of contacting Sky to have the discussion?

---

@Stuart261 as far as I am aware there is no upgrade path from G.Fast to FTTP apart from leaving Sky then returning 

You can contact Sky by phone by dialling 150 if Sky is your phone provider or by following the link below
https://www.sky.com/help/home
scroll down to need more help click on this and you will find a phone number. If you are in ROI please change the flag at the bottom right to the ROI flag

[Chrisee]

@Stuart261 would confirm @Laing1 's post. I have repeatedly asked Sky contacts of what to advise people posting in the forum in this position and have been told there is no path to switch from G.Fast to FTTP in Sky's systems so orders simply cannot be placed.  This means to get full fibre you need to switch ISPs.

[Stuart261]

Thanks! But surely this policy must end sometime, as FTTP and higher speeds become the norm?

[mormegil]

It is a system glitch with sky that is not likely to be fixed until gfast is withdrawn

as both gfast and fttp both offer the same ultra fast package and both use VoIP the computer systems can't tell them apart so assumes the change is a existing customer trying to set up a new account rather rather than an upgrade so blocks the order the same was as a sky to sky number port

there are only two solutions

the first is to order fttp with a third party then swap back to sky once active

this means you can keep the landline number if required and the big fast broadband remains active until replaced with full fibre so no gap in service 

the other is to cease the gfast service and after 48 hours reorder with fttp as that is the only product available once the street is upgraded

downside is number is lost and no broadband until the fttp build to the house is complete so a minimum of two and a bit weeks with no broadband and if there are no hold ups fitting fttp

[Stuart261]

Thanks. I might be able to manage your second suggestion. I have a ton of data in my Sky mobile piggy bank, so could use that for most things.

So, I phone Sky to cancel my GFast broadband (I'm out of contract). Does that have immediate effect?

Wait 48 hours. Order Sky FTTP if available. Wait for Openreach installation, 2 weeks or so.

Only other snag is that although FFTP is available at my cabinet, I don't know for certain whether Sky has any available slots. They're  telling me on the the phone that they don't, but that's because of the GFast glitch.

[mormegil]

Piggy bank data can go quicker than you think and there is also coverage within your house by you could get a nether sim dock to cover the house and use it for future holidays etc

if other providers are able to order fttp to your house the sky should be able too it's most likely the gfast that is blocking it

if you go to sky.com and select broadband without signing in you can fool the system into thinking you are moving into the property and that way see what sky can offer as a new connection

if you go for the cease and reorder most agents I hope would arrange an immediate cease and then call you back to reorder the fttp 

[mormegil]

Just saw the price of the mergers device so prob better to get a mifi adaptor from curry's or Argos lol

[Stuart261]

Thanks again. So, I ask the agent to immediately cease the connection and they may offer to place my FTTP order ?

Alternatively, I wait 48 hours, then order FTTP online?

[Chrisee]

@Stuart261 when out of the fixed term you have to give Sky 14 days notice and while this approach might work dont bet on the new line being installed within 2 weeks in many cases it takes far longer. A far better approach would be to switch to another ISP like EE who will order the fibre line and handle the cancellation with Sky which should be coordinated with the new line coming online meaning virtually no down time.

Once connected you have a statutory 14 day cooling off period when you can ask to switch back to Sky by calling them who will handle the whole process

[Stuart261]

Yes, I could try that. Since a new optical cable will be installed, I guess Sky would then have to move me to an FTTP contract. Although how could I choose which new contract to have, if the process is automatic?

Also, how long do the Sky broadband offers tend to run for? If I did this, in the 2-4 weeks that this would take, the offers may have gone!

[mormegil]

Behind the scenes is automatic you choose the package and offer when placing the offer

the offers change all the time

If you get sky to leave a note on your account that they were unable to upgrade due to a known system issue and note the offer the next agent or their manager should be able to honour it unless there is something better by then

[Stuart261]

I suppose that eventually GFast customers will start to change provider to get FTTP and at that point Sky will allow upgrades. Problem is we don't know when that will be.

 My speed is adequate at the moment and reasonably priced. I think I will keep trying with Sky from time to time, but if there's a good offer elsewhere, change provider.