FTTC vs FTTP: part fibre or full fibre?

FTTC and FTTP in one minute

Both start with fibre optic cable at the exchange. The difference is where the fibre stops:

• FTTC, fibre to the cabinet: the fibre stops at the green street cabinet, and a copper line carries the signal to your building. BT now sells this without a phone line as SOGEA, under the name Standard Fibre, and describes it as part fibre.
• FTTP, fibre to the premises: the fibre runs all the way into your building and ends at an optical box (ONT). BT sells this as BT Business Full Fibre.

Everything else in the comparison follows from that copper stretch: speed, upload, sensitivity to distance and how much room the connection has to grow.

FTTC vs FTTP comparison table

Both access types come with the same BT plan features, from Content Controls and guest Wi-Fi on Essential to managed security on Ultra. The access type decides the speed range; the plan decides the features. See the packages comparison for the plan side.

Speed and upload in practice

The headline difference is speed. FTTP on BT starts at 100Mbps, above the top Standard Fibre tier, and goes up to 900Mbps, with gigabit plans at some addresses. But for many businesses the bigger change is upload.

Upload is what you use when you send a large file, join a video meeting, back up to the cloud, make calls over the internet or let someone view your cameras remotely. FTTC upload tops out at up to 19Mbps on BT's Standard Fibre 76. FTTP gives up to 104Mbps upload on Full Fibre 900, and upload rises with each Full Fibre tier above 100Mbps. Full Fibre 100 has about the same upload as Standard Fibre 76, so if upload is your reason to move, compare Full Fibre 150 and above.

The other practical difference is predictability. On FTTC, two premises on the same street can get different speeds because of their distance from the cabinet. On FTTP, BT says speeds are unaffected by distance from the exchange, so which end of the street you are on matters far less. Either way, BT tells you the minimum speed it guarantees for your address before you order; see BT's Minimum Speed Guarantee.

Installation: FTTC vs FTTP

Moving onto FTTC (as SOGEA) is usually the simpler job, because it reuses the copper line already in the building. The date is confirmed when the order is placed.

FTTP depends on what is in place. BT describes three types of install:

• 0 stage: an ONT is already fitted, and BT gives a typical timescale of 1 to 3 working days.
• 1 stage: an engineer fits an ONT, typically 9 to 18 working days, depending on availability.
• 2 stage: Openreach surveys and does external work first, so the timescale depends on the work needed.

FTTP also needs permission to drill through an outside wall, and someone on site for the visit. Our installation guide explains both routes, and the Full Fibre page has more on the stages, including BT's note that excess construction charges apply only in exceptional cases and are notified before work starts.

Reliability and keeping the business online

BT describes Full Fibre as a reliable service with minimal interruptions, and taking copper out of the connection removes the part most affected by distance and line condition. But any single line can fail, whether it is fibre or copper: a cable cut in the road affects both.

What keeps a business online is the plan around the line, not just the access type:

• Hybrid Backup on Enhanced and Pro switches you to 4G automatically if the fixed line fails, on FTTC (SOGEA) and FTTP alike. See Hybrid Backup.
• Cellular backup on Ultra, built into the Meraki appliance or supplied as a separate Meraki gateway, depending on the tier. See BT Ultra Broadband.
• Prompt Care on Pro and Ultra, BT's faster fault-fix level. See what is BT Prompt Care.
• BT's Minimum Speed Guarantee on both access types, with a right to exit under BT's terms if speeds stay below the minimum and BT cannot fix it.

Cost: FTTC vs FTTP

We do not publish prices, because BT's prices depend on the address, the speed tier, the plan, the contract length and any add-ons. Comparing FTTC and FTTP on price only makes sense tier for tier and plan for plan, so where both are available at your address we quote both.

Installation is the other variable. Moving to SOGEA usually reuses the existing line, while a new Full Fibre connection may involve an engineer visit, and occasionally external work. Any installation charges are confirmed at quote, and BT says excess construction charges apply only in exceptional cases and are notified before work starts. Our prices guide explains what moves the figure.

What about copper broadband?

Some premises have neither. BT still sells copper broadband (SoADSL), where copper runs all the way from the exchange, at up to 17Mbps. Essential and Enhanced are available on it, but Pro is not, and Ultra needs Standard Fibre 76 or Full Fibre. BT also notes that some BT Business Broadband lines still require a BT Business phone line, so we confirm this at quote.

If copper is all your address can get, Hybrid Backup can keep you online if the line fails, and BT's Hybrid Speed Boost add-on is available on copper lines only. It is also worth asking when fibre is expected. Ask us and we can check what BT can tell us about your address.

Which should your business choose?

If FTTP is available at your premises, it is usually the stronger choice for a business, because it starts above the top Standard Fibre speed and you can move up a tier later without changing the connection. FTTC (SOGEA) still makes sense when:

• FTTP has not reached your address yet
• Up to 76Mbps download and up to 19Mbps upload cover what you do
• You are in short-term premises and want to avoid a new install
• You need to move off an old phone line quickly, with minimal work on site

If even FTTP will not be enough, because you need equal upload and download, dedicated bandwidth or a contractual service level, read when to upgrade from broadband to a leased line. leased-lines.uk compares a leased line with FTTP.

How we help you choose

We can check exactly what your address can get, compare BT's estimated speeds for FTTC and FTTP side by side where both are available, and recommend the BT plan that fits how your business works. If you are leaving an old phone line behind, we can help you plan your number and any devices on the line as part of the same order.

Prices depend on the access type, tier, plan, contract length and add-ons, so ask us for a quote. Contact us and we can run the comparison for your premises.