topic Re: Openreach in Broadband

Openreach

mondeoman96 — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:23:16 GMT

I have full fibre to the house provided by BT via an Openreach installation, I placed an order with Sky for broadband and Talk, stressing that I already have a full fibre connection and therefore needed Sky to use Openreach network. Sky promptly arranged for City Fibre to do a full installation. I contacted Sky only to be told that they do not use Openreach for my postcode in Horsham, West Sussex. Anybody else had this issue and, if so, has managed to resolve it?

Re: Openreach

Daniel0210 — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:33:29 GMT

@mondeoman96

As I understand it, if you are in an area where City Fibre is operational the installation will be done by CF and not Openreach.

Re: Openreach

TimmyBGood — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:46:21 GMT

@mondeoman96 wrote:

Anybody else had this issue and, if so, has managed to resolve it?

Yes, it's been posted about before. The only 'resolution' appears to be not using Sky as an ISP and going with one which doesn't have a CityFibre carriage deal.

Re: Openreach

TimmyBGood — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:55:08 GMT

@mondeoman96 wrote:

I contacted Sky only to be told that they do not use Openreach for my postcode in Horsham, West Sussex.

Incidentally that's not entirely correct: they could (and presumably did) but now choose not to, presumably because there's better profit margin in delivering service on CityFibre infrastructure.

Perhaps note that CityFibre is potentially better for the broadband user too because it's a much more symmetrical service.

Re: Openreach

mondeoman96 — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:47:28 GMT

Despite having had full fibre to the house via an Openreach installation for 2 years, one ISP told me that there was no Openreach infrastructure in my area. The computer says no !

Another ISP told me in a Chat conversation that City Fibre is a Joint Venture with Openreach. Where do they get these people?

All the ISPs I've contacted use both Openreach and City Fibre but in my area there seems to be no choice. I can only conclude that cost is the overriding factor.

The irony is that I neither need nor want a new full installation from pavement to house. All that's needed is remote switching from one ISP to another on the Openreach network. Nobody seems willing or able to get their head round that.

If I gave up and contracted with an ISP that only uses City Fibre, I would end up with 2 parallel installations with 2 sets of cables running through the house and 2 ONTs sitting side by side. Not to mention digging up the garden again. Presumably City Fibre would not be willing, nor indeed have the authority, to remove the Openreach installation before proceeding with its own work.

As things stand, I'm limited to choosing between BT and EE. As I want a Digital Voice service, that rules out PlusNet.

If my hair wasn't already grey, this experience would have made it so.

Re: Openreach

Chrisee — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:33:20 GMT

@mondeoman96 you are essentially correct that. City Fibre cost less than Openreach so ISPs tend to insist on City Fibre. The City Fibre connection will be separate (theoretically they could reuse the fibre feed from the pavement but nevervheard of that happening) as will the ONT - City Fibre use a different technology from Openreach hence the higher top speed and symmetrical speeds. Whether Openreach will,leave their ONT in place is unclear but it becomes essentially redundant.

Agree it seems stupid but thats tge free maket for you.

Re: Openreach

Sue_Doe — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:10:57 GMT

I had exactly the same problem. I ended up going with BT instead of Sky and it’s been great.

Bottom line is that it cost Sky a customer. That can’t be good economics even if CF are cheaper. You need the customers in the first place if you are to make any profit.

Absolute lunacy!