How FTTP is installed
An engineer or build crew brings a fibre strand through underground ducts or poles to a wall box, then inside to an Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT converts light to Ethernet for your ISP router. If you already have an ONT from a previous occupant, switching ISP may be as simple as a remote re-provision—check door-to-door notes left by build teams.
Speed tiers and symmetry
Openreach wholesale allows retailers (BT, Sky, Vodafone, etc.) to sell tiers from sub-gigabit to ~900 Mbps down on GPON, with uploads lower but far better than FTTC. Some alt-nets offer symmetrical multi-gigabit where business demand justifies XGS-PON later upgrades.
Real-world speed depends on your router, in-home Ethernet and Wi-Fi—not just the PON port profile.
Why FTTP matters for the UK switch-off
As PSTN voice retires by 2027, copper-dependent broadband dwindles. FTTP (or cable/RFoG/5G alternatives) becomes the default way homes get data. Phone service migrates to VoIP riding over the same fibre.
Checking availability
Postcode checkers vary in precision; address-level tools reduce false positives on new estates. SwitcherMate focuses on what you can realistically order today, not county-level “coming soon” banners.
ONT lights and handovers between tenants
If you move into a home with an existing ONT, photograph the unit labels and note which port is active before you factory-reset anything. Landlords sometimes leave dormant ports configured—your retailer may need the serial to reprovision correctly without a truck roll.
First-time installations may involve small cosmetic fixes—cable clips, silicone at entry points—and you can agree routing with the engineer to keep hallway runs neat. It is easier to negotiate paths politely on the day than to reroute later.