Original article ISPreview UK:Read More
Network access provider Openreach (BT) has revealed to ISPreview that they’re starting a new early-stage Proof of Concept (PoC), which could see engineers who may be visiting homes to repair a copper line service (FTTC / SOGEA etc.) also conduct additional work to help make the property ready for full fibre (FTTP) broadband in the future.
At present engineers who are called out to fix a problem with somebody’s copper-line based phone or broadband service typically only focus on that task and nothing else. But Openreach recently began informing broadband ISPs about a new Proof of Concept (PoC) test called Prep for Provision and we’ve now got some solid details on what this will actually aim to deliver.
In selected trial areas, where FTTP lines are already available, the engineer may discuss FTTP with the customer while visiting the property for an unrelated reason (e.g. while conducting repairs on an older copper line, where the customer hasn’t yet taken FTTP). If the customer is happy to proceed, the engineer would then go ahead and do the internal engineering work inside the customer’s premises to make it ready for FTTP.