topic Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade in Broadband

Free Full Fibre Upgrade

matie — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:30:38 GMT

Hi I have been offered a free full fibre upgrade because the old copper network will be switched off in 2027. On watching the video provided by Openreach it appears that not only will I need to buy an Openreach double socket (which I don't have now) but access to a double electrical wall socket. I live in an older house which only has single sockets and I have no electric socket at all anywhere near where the outside box will be placed.

I'm an older person, totally confused and really need some advice. Hopefully there are options I can take that is not going to cost me too much money as it appears this upgrade is essential rather than optional.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

TimmyBGood — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:56:39 GMT

@matie

There does have to be a power supply for full-fibre, but it's quite acceptable to plug both the Optical Network Terminal and the ISP router ('Hub') into a two-gang (or bigger) extension plug.

The external enclosure connects with the ONT over an optical pigtail cable which can be many metres long,

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

matie — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:07:18 GMT

Thanks for your reply TimmyBGood. Is it possible for it to follow the same route as my old internet connection which runs from the hall to an upstairs room. I'm already using a 6 plug extention and I have two unused sockets on this. I realise you can't give me a definitive answer but would this be a possible option?

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

Deb3000 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:30:58 GMT

The installer should discuss where you want the ONT (or Optical Network Terminal) with you on the day.

Couple of things to keep in mind, though, besides the double socket/extension lead. 1) Fibre optic cable can’t do tight bends. (It loses the light signal). 2) They have a time/money budget, and it needs to be do-able within that. 3) The router now plugs into the ONT, instead of the phone socket, but you can have a very long cable between the two. (It’s a Cat 5e ethernet cable and can theoretically be up to 100m long).

It might be an idea to think about where you want it before the day and have a couple of places in mind in case the first one is not do-able.

(Thought also occurs, if this is being driven by the phone switch off in January and you are going with a phone service from Sky, your phone will also need to plug into the back of the router instead of the phone socket).

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

matie — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:39:44 GMT

Thank you Deb300. The more information I'm being given the more I'm coming to the conclusion that it is not going to be possible as I don't have multiple options. I'm getting very concerned that there isn't any obvious and inexpensive way forward for me.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

matie — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:00:07 GMT

I've been rereading the replies am I understanding the process correctly. The ONC is the box on the outside of the wall this has to be near a double socket inside the house to plug in the router. If this is the case then it will not be possible to have the router upstairs as my extension plug is on the other side of the room and the fibre optic cable doesn't work when it needs to go around corners.. I am grateful for all your help but to be honest I am getting more and more confused.

Does anyone know what happens if the engineer is unable to complete the work, how much would Sky be likely to charge me if that happened.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

Deb3000 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:22:22 GMT

No, the ONT is a box on the inside of the wall. The fibre cable comes through the wall, connects to that and then that connects to your router.

Just to further clarify then, it is not copper broadband that is being turned off in January. Broadband delivery over copper will continue for many years.

It is the old PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) service that is being shutdown. The problem is phone and broadband used to be delivered as two separate services sharing the same line. From January that is no longer possible and if you want a phone service it has to be as part of the broadband.

I believe Sky don't have the necessary equipment in a lot of exchanges to add a phone service to copper-based broadband, hence the upgrade to full fibre. The ONT doesn't have to be where the old master phone socket is though, it could be a completely separate location, (if it is do-able, as I said).

(Edit: And the cable can do 90 degree bends, just not tightly. Minimum radius is more like a couple of inches).

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

TimmyBGood — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:06:02 GMT

@matie wrote:

Is it possible for it to follow the same route as my old internet connection which runs from the hall to an upstairs room. I'm already using a 6 plug extention and I have two unused sockets on this.

Typically installers are reluctant to run the pigtail deep into a property, and I suspect they wouldn't consider bringing it up a staircase or through a floor.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

TimmyBGood — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:08:19 GMT

@matie wrote:

The ONC is the box on the outside of the wall this has to be near a double socket inside the house to plug in the router.

Not quite: it's the passive enclosure Customer Service Point (CSP) which goes outside, with the powered Optical Network Terminal (ONT) inside.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

matie — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:50:44 GMT

OK thank you both for more clarification. Maybe I will just have to wait and see as I don't know what I can constructively until I know what the problems will be inside. I am just very concerned if the outside part of the process is completed what Sky will charge me if the indoor installation is not possible and it is so hard nowadays to get through by phone to anyone who can help.

Re: Free Full Fibre Upgrade

TimmyBGood — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:33:07 GMT

@matie wrote:

I am just very concerned if the outside part of the process is completed what Sky will charge me if the indoor installation is not possible

There's no charge whatever the outcome: migration of the national network from copper to optical fibre is being funded by Openreach as a commercial investment.