Openreach Symmetric 1Gbps/1Gbps from April 2025

[ChrisD.]

Wow, would this really be £125 a month? paying £49.99 for 2 GB down and up from Trooli.

Where do you see that price?

 

[Meddling-Monk]

What use case do most people have for such high upload speeds? I assume it would be for cloud backups and uploading to the likes of YouTube?

Sometimes Youtube uploads, but normally just so family and extended family can drop and access photos and/or videos from my NAS once I've completed restoration work on them for them. This can be especially so, because the rest of them don't have the equipment to copy/transfer from film, negatives, photo, tape, or other recordings/videos, so often I get the originals sent to me and I perform the highest quality captures for them. Fix it, then need to return it to them. Which means I need a large upload, or comparable upload to the download ideally.

Really feel for those of you still waiting on OR to connect your area up. If you can jump ship (even to a mobile connection), I'd do so. Don't wait around for them, it might even be cheaper for now rather than sit there waiting for something that may just get pushed further down the line.

 

[MarcLister]

What use case do most people have for such high upload speeds? I assume it would be for cloud backups and uploading to the likes of YouTube?

That's my assumption too. Backing up to the cloud and publishing videos to YouTube etc. When I used to work in a school LGFL would constantly advertise their cloud backup solution that utilised the LGFL provided symmetric broadband connection so files could be uploaded at the same speed as the school could download. Furthermore a former colleague now has a YouTube channel and a while back got faster broadband at home. The upload speed whilst not symmetric is a better ratio than it was before and lets him upload quicker so he can have longer to work on videos before publishing them as the upload times are much shorter.

Whilst a symmetric connection would be 'cool' for me, it's not something I need right now, unless I start doing cloud backups. I suppose once/if the prices drop as this kind of service becomes more ubiquitous then it might be worth it for me at that point.

 

[ChrisD.]

There's loads of uses. It's not for everyone, but there's absolutely a use case for faster than 100 Mbps upload at home, I would benefit from it hugely.

 

[Ollie83]

Although the reasons you state are possible reasons, depending on the ratio upload can be the limiting factor for what people consider purely downloads. This is why you see some questions here about poor latency/other users blocked during downloads and the suggestion to limit upload to 90% of capacity (or use proper QoS).

I do have a use case for symmetric as I move data to remote servers (not for backup) but if it wasn't for that a 5 to 1 ratio of download to upload would be acceptable. Sadly 10 to 1 is common and not so long ago one of my providers, Virgin Media, was over 20 to 1 which played havoc with latency without QoS.

Yup that makes sense. I have the BT FTTP package which gives me circa 960/110 but noticed a lot of US guys on YouTube have symmetrical speeds. Doesn't seem to be so common over here.

 

[Ollie83]

That's my assumption too. Backing up to the cloud and publishing videos to YouTube etc. When I used to work in a school LGFL would constantly advertise their cloud backup solution that utilised the LGFL provided symmetric broadband connection so files could be uploaded at the same speed as the school could download. Furthermore a former colleague now has a YouTube channel and a while back got faster broadband at home. The upload speed whilst not symmetric is a better ratio than it was before and lets him upload quicker so he can have longer to work on videos before publishing them as the upload times are much shorter.

Whilst a symmetric connection would be 'cool' for me, it's not something I need right now, unless I start doing cloud backups. I suppose once/if the prices drop as this kind of service becomes more ubiquitous then it might be worth it for me at that point.

Yeh I see that, just was intrueged what people were using it for. Not sure I would benefit from it greatly but most US companies offer the symmetrical service.

 

[Ollie83]

There's loads of uses. It's not for everyone, but there's absolutely a use case for faster than 100 Mbps upload at home, I would benefit from it hugely.

I was just intrigued as to what they were as I wasn't aware of what they were

 

[GregI]

It's only going to be for very select areas where Openreach rolled out the later technology (XGS-PON or whatever) right? Just get whatever best price you can now. No way will national symmetrical Openreach happen until like 2027 and that's being generous. The altnets need to bleed them of a couple million more customers before they even decide to do anything.

 

[Avalon]

It's only going to be for very select areas where Openreach rolled out the later technology (XGS-PON or whatever) right? Just get whatever best price you can now. No way will national symmetrical Openreach happen until like 2027 and that's being generous. The altnets need to bleed them of a couple million more customers before they even decide to do anything.

No. Existing CPE should be capable of symmetrical profile speeds, newer CPE is capable of 10Gb symmetrical speeds, and the Nokia’s in trial are capable of 25Gb, OR just chose to protect it’s leased line business by following the historic policy and not offering residential symmetrical speeds.

 

[John24]

It's only going to be for very select areas where Openreach rolled out the later technology (XGS-PON or whatever) right? Just get whatever best price you can now. No way will national symmetrical Openreach happen until like 2027 and that's being generous. The altnets need to bleed them of a couple million more customers before they even decide to do anything.

You didn't read the erticle linked in the OP did you fella

 

[GregI]

You didn't read the erticle linked in the OP did you fella

Ok I did read the article back in August but forgot that they were doing ComboPON. So basically Project Gigabit areas in mid 2025 just to let sharehodlers know they are competing with altnets and then the rest of the network probably in 2027 like I said.

 

[j_walsh]

Finally, Openreach Symmetric 1Gbps/1Gbps from April 2025 but let's ask ... how much per month do you reckon it will be?

Openreach Reveal UK Plan for Symmetric 1Gbps FTTP Broadband UPDATE

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has just announced that they're planning to launch their first symmetric 1Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based

www.ispreview.co.uk

For me, I think monthly charges £125 a month

Where do you see that price?

Bulldog posted the figure in the first post. Misread but I'm assuming its going to be around £80.