The solution

So what can we do? Well, there are several options as I see it.

Wait

We wait and eventually someone will come to us with the solution. Eventually Openreach will come back and fill in the gap and all will be well. Or maybe Virgin will upgrade their network. When? Who knows. 6 months? A year? 2 Years? 10?

Upon contacting Openreach and trying my best to explain the situation, I got the most generic reply possible.

Thanks for your recent enquiry through the Openreach website about getting faster broadband.

I’ve looked into it, and currently, there are no plans to upgrade your property to Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband. However, we can keep you updated if that changes.

To stay informed, please register your interest using our Fibre Checker. We’ll let you know if plans change and when Ultrafast Full Fibre becomes available to order. ​​​

Just so you're aware, our full fibre rollout is managed through local projects, which are carried out in phases. This means that nearby streets or areas might get Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) before yours. If you’ve noticed other parts of your town or even your street already have fibre, this is likely the reason.

Please rest assured that our teams continuously review build feasibility across all regions, and additional locations may be considered in future phases. While we cannot provide a specific date or commitment at this stage, you can continue to check availability through your chosen service provider, who will have the most up‑to‑date information if the area enters future plans.

Make a noise

We can email the Openreach CEO (something that others have reported success with), we could even have a chat with our MP.

Do it ourselves

There is a scheme to pay to have Openreach upgrade a property or area to full fibre (FTTP on demand) but this is almost always hugely expensive (many thousands) and can take months if not years.

An idea somewhat out of left field is that we could order a high speed business fibre service often known as a leased line. These are usually available anywhere and are a more bespoke service. They are hhugely more expensive than a residential connection - probably around x10 - but if we could share that amongst interested residents, it could easily be cost effective.

We would need to install the line in a suitable property, ideally in the worst affected street. In a garage would work well, then any ongoing maintenance could be attended to without access to the residents home. From there we would site a small amount of equipment and run our own fibre through gardens and along fences etc. It doesn't have to be perfect, but we can make it neat and tidy. Hidden along fences and hidden in shallow trenches, it shouldn't be noticeable at all. All the equipment and expertise to run this 'private' fibre network is available from me, and I'm happy to do it for free. Residents would just need to agree to take the service for 3 years as this would be the minimum term on the incoming business fibre connection. If we could get a minimum of 10 people to sign up, the estimated monthly cost would be £30, with no dreaded increases every year like most providers! Over and above that number, the project may turn a small profit. This would be used to recoup my initial expenses on the fibre equipment and provide ongoing support.