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Questions for the people from areas that do have: do the different providers have separate infrastructures and facilities (optical fiber cables, switches, etc.)

Questions for the people from areas that do have: do the different providers have separate infrastructures and facilities (optical fiber cables, switches, etc.)?

vinay427 6y ago
My parents' current and previous homes both had two choices. One was AT&T's fiber option (probably FTTN, not FTTH) and the other was cable through the local provider.
- t3rabytes 6y ago
  AT&T Fiber is FTTH.
zombielinux 6y ago
Typically, you'd have one fiber provider and one cable (coax) provider. I've never met anyone that has two fiber, or two coax providers to the same residential address.
just-ok 6y ago
In our case they definitely do. We finally had an opportunity to ditch AT&T’s pathetic 3Mbps DSL offering in our area (which was their best plan...) recently in favor of Comcast’s 200Mbps which was cable-based (so obviously different infra). Same price, too...
Spooky23 6y ago
In my area, you used to be able to sign up for 2-3 different cable internet providers on the Time Warner Network. I’d bounce between EarthLink and TWC to get new customer bonuses. EarthLink was cheaper ($25 iirc vs $45 several years ago) but slower.
wtallis 6y ago
Local loop unbundling hasn't been a thing in the US for a long time, and never applied to cable or fiber to begin with. Separate ISPs means separate infrastructure. The coax, POTS and fiber cables in my yard all go to different places. However, a well-placed backhoe at the nearest major road can probably still take them all out in one swipe.
oneplane 6y ago
We have 3 different media options and 14 different providers. 4 media options if you'd allow for 3g/4g/5g internet, 56k modem internet and satellite internet, but I don't count those. Differences: Media is DOCSIS, DSL or Optical fiber Providers have differences in facilities and services, differences: - Plain internet vs. user-selectable filters (i.e. SMTP protection, SMB protection, content filters at the ISP level) - VoIP options - IPTV options - Connectivity options (i.e. auto failover to LTE or special managed hardware) - Addressing options (single IP, multiple IP, routed subnet if you want) So you might find yourself wanting an all-in-one package over DOCSIS using the coax cable media, which is a common choice (at least before fiber rollout). Or you may like very fast internet in your own control, so you'd take fiber with no bundled stuff. Costs about the same as the other option. Other things like having HD or 4K broadcasts may limit your choices, not all providers have all channels available in all formats, and not all kinds of media support all kinds of bitrates. So for non-cable (non-DOCSIS) you'd not be able to use 4k with DSL for more than 2 IPTV receivers. Some providers come with extra on-site support in the package, like someone who will set it up, check that it works with your computer, setup your email if you still have ISP-bound email for some reason, and do your WiFi with extra access points (no repeater!) as needed. Others may be cheap and have no default service like that included and you then have the option to buy it on-demand at a higher price.
pottertheotter 6y ago
Almost always, the answer is yes. The exception is in areas where the municipality operates an open access network (i.e., the city installs and owns all the fiber, but multiple ISPs provide service). Community Networks, which is part of ILSR, has a list of some of those communities. [1] UTOPIA is perhaps the most prominent, as it covers several municipalities in Utah. Snazzy labs recently posted a video discussing their network. [2] I have family that has UTOPIA and they can choose from something like 11 ISPs all over the same network. [3] [1] https://muninetworks.org/content/open-access https://muninetworks.org/content/open-access [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e9DNwInTE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e9DNwInTE4 [3] https://www.utopiafiber.com/residential-pricing/ https://www.utopiafiber.com/residential-pricing/
DavidVoid 6y ago
I'm not in the US, but the apartment building I live in is connected to so-called dark fiber that is run by the municipality. My understanding is that the fiber cables are provided by the municipality and are then connected to a switch belonging to the ISP you choose. I can pick between 16 different ISPs with speeds up to 10 Gbit/s (both down and up).
maccard 6y ago
I'm in the UK, and for the ozt part you have 3 options - DSL, fiber or Coax. If you have DSL or fiber, you likely are using openreach and are purchasing through a reseller. If you're using coax you're using virgin media.
avhon1 6y ago
Where I live (mid-sized college town in midwestern USA), the choices are: * AT&T's DSL service ($40/mo for 10Mb down / 1Mb up), served on copper phone wires * Comcast's cable service ($30/mo for 20 Mb down / 2 Mb up, plus $10/mo equipment rental fee), served on coax
AnssiH 6y ago
For me in Finland, yes, but all the fixed-line offers have different tech. The options from the big 3 carriers are (many mid speed tiers omitted, special offers omitted): - Elisa: Cable 50M 32.90 €/mo, 100M 39.90 €/mo, 1000M 56.90 €/mo. - Telia: DSL/LTE hybrid 50M 31.90 €/mo, 100M 34.90 €/mo. - DNA: FTTB 100M 9.90 €/mo, plus ~5 €/mo/dwelling the building ~co-op pays which gets a base level of IIRC 50M "free" for everyone.* And cellular options (all unlimited, special offers omitted, mid speed tiers omitted): - Elisa: 100M 27.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo - Telia: 100M 24.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo - DNA: 100M 24.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo * (rant: theoretically they also have/had 1000M 39.90 €/mo but they seem incapable of provisioning that to me after the old ISP's corporate acquisition, even after multiple times of "we have manually provisioned it for you now" and "we will upgrade our switches next month/quarter to allow auto-provisioning" - luckily I still have grandfathered 250M from old ISP times so I'm not stuck to 100M)

Questions for the people from areas that do have: do the different providers have separate infrastructures and facilities (optical fiber cables, switches, etc.)?

vinay427 6y ago

My parents' current and previous homes both had two choices. One was AT&T's fiber option (probably FTTN, not FTTH) and the other was cable through the local provider.

t3rabytes 6y ago
AT&T Fiber is FTTH.

zombielinux 6y ago

Typically, you'd have one fiber provider and one cable (coax) provider. I've never met anyone that has two fiber, or two coax providers to the same residential address.

just-ok 6y ago

In our case they definitely do. We finally had an opportunity to ditch AT&T’s pathetic 3Mbps DSL offering in our area (which was their best plan...) recently in favor of Comcast’s 200Mbps which was cable-based (so obviously different infra). Same price, too...

Spooky23 6y ago

In my area, you used to be able to sign up for 2-3 different cable internet providers on the Time Warner Network. I’d bounce between EarthLink and TWC to get new customer bonuses. EarthLink was cheaper ($25 iirc vs $45 several years ago) but slower.

wtallis 6y ago

Local loop unbundling hasn't been a thing in the US for a long time, and never applied to cable or fiber to begin with. Separate ISPs means separate infrastructure. The coax, POTS and fiber cables in my yard all go to different places. However, a well-placed backhoe at the nearest major road can probably still take them all out in one swipe.

oneplane 6y ago

We have 3 different media options and 14 different providers. 4 media options if you'd allow for 3g/4g/5g internet, 56k modem internet and satellite internet, but I don't count those. Differences: Media is DOCSIS, DSL or Optical fiber Providers have differences in facilities and services, differences: - Plain internet vs. user-selectable filters (i.e. SMTP protection, SMB protection, content filters at the ISP level) - VoIP options - IPTV options - Connectivity options (i.e. auto failover to LTE or special managed hardware) - Addressing options (single IP, multiple IP, routed subnet if you want) So you might find yourself wanting an all-in-one package over DOCSIS using the coax cable media, which is a common choice (at least before fiber rollout). Or you may like very fast internet in your own control, so you'd take fiber with no bundled stuff. Costs about the same as the other option. Other things like having HD or 4K broadcasts may limit your choices, not all providers have all channels available in all formats, and not all kinds of media support all kinds of bitrates. So for non-cable (non-DOCSIS) you'd not be able to use 4k with DSL for more than 2 IPTV receivers. Some providers come with extra on-site support in the package, like someone who will set it up, check that it works with your computer, setup your email if you still have ISP-bound email for some reason, and do your WiFi with extra access points (no repeater!) as needed. Others may be cheap and have no default service like that included and you then have the option to buy it on-demand at a higher price.

pottertheotter 6y ago

Almost always, the answer is yes. The exception is in areas where the municipality operates an open access network (i.e., the city installs and owns all the fiber, but multiple ISPs provide service). Community Networks, which is part of ILSR, has a list of some of those communities. [1] UTOPIA is perhaps the most prominent, as it covers several municipalities in Utah. Snazzy labs recently posted a video discussing their network. [2] I have family that has UTOPIA and they can choose from something like 11 ISPs all over the same network. [3] [1] https://muninetworks.org/content/open-access https://muninetworks.org/content/open-access [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e9DNwInTE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e9DNwInTE4 [3] https://www.utopiafiber.com/residential-pricing/ https://www.utopiafiber.com/residential-pricing/

DavidVoid 6y ago

I'm not in the US, but the apartment building I live in is connected to so-called dark fiber that is run by the municipality. My understanding is that the fiber cables are provided by the municipality and are then connected to a switch belonging to the ISP you choose. I can pick between 16 different ISPs with speeds up to 10 Gbit/s (both down and up).

maccard 6y ago

I'm in the UK, and for the ozt part you have 3 options - DSL, fiber or Coax. If you have DSL or fiber, you likely are using openreach and are purchasing through a reseller. If you're using coax you're using virgin media.

avhon1 6y ago

Where I live (mid-sized college town in midwestern USA), the choices are: * AT&T's DSL service ($40/mo for 10Mb down / 1Mb up), served on copper phone wires * Comcast's cable service ($30/mo for 20 Mb down / 2 Mb up, plus $10/mo equipment rental fee), served on coax

AnssiH 6y ago

For me in Finland, yes, but all the fixed-line offers have different tech. The options from the big 3 carriers are (many mid speed tiers omitted, special offers omitted): - Elisa: Cable 50M 32.90 €/mo, 100M 39.90 €/mo, 1000M 56.90 €/mo. - Telia: DSL/LTE hybrid 50M 31.90 €/mo, 100M 34.90 €/mo. - DNA: FTTB 100M 9.90 €/mo, plus ~5 €/mo/dwelling the building ~co-op pays which gets a base level of IIRC 50M "free" for everyone.* And cellular options (all unlimited, special offers omitted, mid speed tiers omitted): - Elisa: 100M 27.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo - Telia: 100M 24.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo - DNA: 100M 24.90 €/mo, 1000M 44.90 €/mo * (rant: theoretically they also have/had 1000M 39.90 €/mo but they seem incapable of provisioning that to me after the old ISP's corporate acquisition, even after multiple times of "we have manually provisioned it for you now" and "we will upgrade our switches next month/quarter to allow auto-provisioning" - luckily I still have grandfathered 250M from old ISP times so I'm not stuck to 100M)