call us 01225 800 123

Superfast business-grade broadband to your local cabinet and then onto your premises using VDSL (Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line)

Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) involves running fibre optic cables from the telephone exchange to the street cabinets (tall green cabinets) which then connects to your phone line to provide broadband. This is connected to the home or business using Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (called VDSL) that can deliver much faster speeds over short distances.

  • Benefits of using business-grade FTTC
    • It’s very fast - Minimum line download speed of 15Mpbs* up to 40Mbps*, which is twice as fast as an EFM 4 pair leased line and nearly three times as fast as Gradwell’s Premier Plus Broadband. You will receive ‘up speed’ of 10Mbps*
    • You can download and upload files in seconds, which allows you to quickly back-up your programs etc
    • No delay in loading web pages, especially those with videos and images, which means your employees can work quickly
    • Improved performance on Virtual Private Networks (VPN) making uploading and downloading of files more efficient; making remote working and working from home a more viable option for employees
    • Improved download and upload speeds when using multimedia, conferencing facilities and live streaming services allowing them to become useful, cost-effective tools to communicate with suppliers and prospects
    • Room for growth, as your connectivity can grow with you and will be better equipped to cope with future growth in features such as high definition streaming.


    These benefits depend on using FTTC with a good working router and computer or laptop.

    *Mbps means Megabits per second which is a measure of data transfer speed

     

    Download Product Sheet

  • Benefits of choosing Gradwell FTTC
    •  Reduce call costs by switching from your traditional phone service to VoIP delivered over your FTTC
    • You receive free Static IP addresses meaning services like VoIP and Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are a lot more reliable
    • We offer Quality of Service (QoS) which means that you can share your ‘up speed’ (in this case 10Mbps) between the products you are using, for example between your phone and laptop
    • 24/7 Gradwell support available as well as a level 4 enhanced care service (via Openreach) which means you will receive a response time of 3 hours and a fix time of less than 20 hours*

    *BT will clear the fault within 20 hours of receipt of the fault report, excluding any allowable parked time.
     

  • Who can get FTTC services?
    • Those whose local street cabinet is connected to a street Digital Subscriber Line Access Module (DSLAM, the tall green cabinet)
    • You need to have a BT phone line or a Gradwell PSTN Line 
  • Installation

    We will arrange for an openreach engineer to visit and complete installation as soon as possible once you have placed your order. Installation is typically completed within three hours, and you'll need to be in while the engineer is there.

  • FTTC frequently asked questions

    What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
    A VPN is a technology which allows a company to offer a secure network for employees to access their emails, files, images etc

    FTTC Availability
    All requests for FTTC installation are subject to cabinet availability. If you currently do not have a landline (PSTN) number, one will need to be installed prior to ordering FTTC

    Is there a data limit?
    Yes, the limit is 200GB, subject to our Fair Use Policy

    Will my business data be prioritised over domestic traffic?
    Yes, business data prioritisation is offered as standard; this is what BT refers to as ‘Elevated Best Effort’. The monthly fee includes a throughput level of at least 16Mbit/s for 90% of the busy 3 hour period and throughput level of at least 80% of the value of their BRAS profile for 90% of the busy 3 hour period

    What is the monthly cost of having Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC)?
    The standard monthly fee is £65 + VAT

    Are there any other costs relating to the installation?
    There is a set-up cost/connection charge of £80 + VAT

    Can I ask for a special installation date?
    For example, ask for a date that is earlier than the one first given, or request installation at the weekend?
    Yes, you can. The charge for expediting your order will be £180 +VAT

    Are there any cancellation costs?
    Yes, cancellation or amendment of the order, up to 48 hours before the installation date, will be charged at £10.00 +VAT per amendment; if you wish to cancel the order, a single charge of £10 +VAT will be made

    Is there a missed appointment cost?
    Yes, if you miss an allocated installation date, there is a charge of £85 +VAT

    What is the minimum contract length?
    12 months; rolling monthly thereafter with a 30 day notice period

    Is there a cancellation cost associated with ending your contract after the first 12 months?

    Yes, we will require 30 days notice and the cost is £6 +VAT

    What are the download and upload speeds?
    Minimum line download speed is 15Mbps* up to 40Mbps*, which is twice as fast as Ethernet in the first mile (EFM) 4 pair leased line and you could receive upload speeds of 10Mbps*

    Is there a postage charge for the router?
    Yes, you will be charged postage (postage is usually under £9 + VAT, and the router is delivered by courier)

    Are there any reasons why I might not be eligible for FTTC?
    If you have any of the following products on your line then you will be unable to order FTTC:

    • 30k loop
    • Private circuits
    • Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
    • Home Highway or Business Highway
    • Redcare ISDN
    • Featurenet 5000 services
    • Meterpulse facility
    • PBX lines or Auxiliary lines
    • Caller Redirect

    Our sales or support team will be able to advise you if you’re unsure if you have any of these products. If you have any questions, please call us on 01225 800 123

    What level of service and support is available?
    In additional to Gradwell’s UK based 24/7 Technical Support, we also provide (via Openreach) service level 4 enhanced care as follows:

    • Operating hours: 24/7 including UK public and bank holidays
    • Response time: less than 3 hours, Fix time: less than 20 hours**
    • Engineering visits: 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, including public and bank holidays: out of hours where unrestricted access available
       

    How many VoIP calls can be made across FTTC?
    If you are using the connection purely for VoIP calls, we anticipate over 100 concurrent (inbound and outbound) VoIP calls could comfortably be made across Gradwell FTTC at any one time

    Can Gradwell arrange for a PSTN line (landline) to be installed at the same time as the installation of FTTC?
    Yes, Gradwell can arrange for a simultaneous installation of a PSTN line and FTTC (where available)

    What are the costs of a simultaneous installation?
    Installation of the PSTN line is £48.22 + VAT, with a charge of £3.99 +VAT to coordinate the FTTC and PSTN installations. The line rental for the PSTN is charged quarterly at £27.50 +VAT. All three charges are payable by you

    Please note you will need;
    Two power sockets are required: one for the Openreach NTE and one for our FTTC router. You will also need an Ethernet cable connection. If you do not currently have a PSTN line (BT line), you will need to order one at the same time as ordering the FTTC. The order forms we send to you include ordering a PSTN (if you need one). You will be charged for the PSTN line (charges outlined above)
     

    *Mbps means Megabits per second, which is a measure of data transfer speed

    **BT will clear the fault within 20 hours of receipt of the fault report, excluding any allowable parked time.