What is FTTP?
Released On 17th Nov 2021
One of the many acronyms you may notice on adverts for ultrafast broadband is ‘FTTP’. This stands for ‘Fibre to the Premises’. Instead of old copper wires carrying the data signal at any point between the exchange and your property, you get all the benefits of a complete fibre connection for all the services your household could possibly need. Let’s dig into the details a little more…
Explaining fibre-optic broadband
Modern communications technology relies on faster and faster internet speeds. Fibre-optic cables are key in providing those speeds and allowing everyone in the country to enjoy everything life has to offer.
Instead of using a copper wire core to transmit an electric signal, a fibre-optic line uses a strand of clear plastic or silica to transfer data literally at the speed of light. This makes it far more efficient than traditional lines, with a lot less degradation or resistance over longer distances. Fibre-optic cables have the potential to reach speeds of 1Gbps, although this is rarely necessary in a domestic setting.
The result is that our computers, games consoles, smartphones, tablets, televisions and other internet-capable devices are able to function seamlessly – in a way that copper wires or even a ‘superfast’ connection can’t match – even with multiple users online at the same time.
What's the difference between FTTP and FTTC?
You’ll find that many providers offering a ‘superfast’ service often mention ‘FTTC’. This stands for ‘Fibre to the Cabinet’, the cabinet being the green junction box positioned on streets that forms a hub for lines running to all the homes nearby. The connection between the on-street cabinet and your property will still be copper wire, which accounts for a degradation in the internet speed down to around 30-60Mbps for downloads.
What about standard broadband?
Thanks to the government's efforts to give more regions in the UK access to a superfast broadband connection, an increasing number of places now have fibre-optic lines between on-street cabinets and the local exchange. However, there are still many more towns, villages and communities where fibre cables are yet to be installed.
If your area is still waiting for a fibre connection, you'll be relying on standard copper lines at every stage between your home and the exchange. This is known as ADSL broadband, and while it's still workable for those who only need to send emails, browse social media and make the occasional online purchase, with download speeds of between 9-24MBps, it's far from sufficient if you want to stream films, download large files or join your friends online for a spot of gaming.
FTTP speeds
Full-fibre speeds easily dwarf those achieved by ADSL and FTTC. With an ultrafast broadband connection and an up-to-date router, you can expect download speeds of at least 300Mbps and even as fast as 950Mbps in most cases.
A few other factors will influence the final speed you are able to experience with your device or television, such as the wiring you use in the home, the capacity of your router, the number of users sharing the line at any particular time and your device’s processing speed. But whatever the circumstances, the final results with FTTP will be far superior to the alternatives.
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