Business Fibre Vs Residential

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squareeyes123

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#311678 7-Feb-2024 08:28

I have been charged with organising fibre for a family shop. They do use the wifi casually, and ethernet for eftpos... but the main reason is for a landline.

As far as I'm aware ISPs don't install phone copper nowadays. At the time One/Vodafone put them on wireless broadband (with built in landline). It's a fibre area in a CBD, so god knows why.

Fast forward 18 months and they have had nothing but problems with their landline (turns out the modem was constantly skipping from 4g to 5g). One/Vodafone refuse to cut them over to fibre without signing another 12 months. So, goodbye.

My question...

Can the shop get a residential plan? They don't make a ton of money and would rather month to month than a new contract. Residential plans seem cheaper/more flexible.

The building has old copper but no idea what state it's in so I'm assuming fibre + phone line is the way to go.

Quic referral: https://account.quic.nz/refer/415133

xpd

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#3191615 7-Feb-2024 08:46

To my knowledge, if its in a commercial zoned area, unlikely to be able to get a residential plan at the address without proof someone is living there legally.

And yeah, avoid copper now. Fibre + VOIP phone best way forward.

XPD / Gavin

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cyril7

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#3191617 7-Feb-2024 08:56

If there is fibre in the street it's unlikely you could in anyway purchase a copper connection as pretty much everywhere fibre is available chorus have a stop sell on new or change copper connections.

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nztim

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#3191690 7-Feb-2024 09:53

Don't think chorus care about what connection you order, however consider.

Some RSPs often have a dedicated support line for Business connections. (no 4 hour waits)
Business connections can have an SLA with Chorus, allowing for faster response time to fibre faults (8 hours vs 24 hours)
if Voice is important to you go with an RSP that delivers voice over the ONT (Spark, 2Degrees, NOWNZ, Devoli to name a few) as if the router fails it doesn't take down your voice with it

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

squareeyes123

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#3191712 7-Feb-2024 10:29

"voice over the ONT"

Thanks that's a good tip.

Quic referral: https://account.quic.nz/refer/415133

ANglEAUT

altered-ego
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#3191746 7-Feb-2024 11:33

nztim:

Don't think chorus care about what connection you order, however consider.

Some RSPs often have a dedicated support line for Business connections. (no 4 hour waits)
Business connections can have an SLA with Chorus, allowing for faster response time to fibre faults (8 hours vs 24 hours)
if Voice is important to you go with an RSP that delivers voice over the ONT (Spark, 2Degrees, NOWNZ, Devoli to name a few) as if the router fails it doesn't take down your voice with it

To piggy back on this ...

Business fiber generally is symmetric, i.e. same upload as download speeds
Residential is generally asymmetric, i.e.e faster download than upload speed.

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Groucho

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#3191798 7-Feb-2024 12:57

squareeyes123:

As far as I'm aware ISPs don't install phone copper nowadays. At the time One/Vodafone put them on wireless broadband (with built in landline). It's a fibre area in a CBD, so god knows why.

Not sure about state of play currently but Vodafone as it was were encouraging connections via their wireless network where available. As they own their own wireless network they didn't have to pay a monthly wholesale rate to Chorus to access the fibre network so a lot more profitable.

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nztim

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#3191935 7-Feb-2024 14:21

Groucho:

squareeyes123:

As far as I'm aware ISPs don't install phone copper nowadays. At the time One/Vodafone put them on wireless broadband (with built in landline). It's a fibre area in a CBD, so god knows why.

Not sure about state of play currently but Vodafone as it was were encouraging connections via their wireless network where available. As they own their own wireless network they didn't have to pay a monthly wholesale rate to Chorus to access the fibre network so a lot more profitable.

All three telcos with mobile networks do this.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

xpd

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#3191942 7-Feb-2024 14:32

Wireless connections have their place, but for someone wanting a reliable and fast connection, fibre is the way to go.

Vodafone conned a friend into their wireless product a few years ago, promising all sorts of stuff which their wireless could not do - didn't even check if she was in a suitable area for it. She didn't know any better, and gets sub-par performance. Did look at fibre, but the installer didn't speak English and didn't understand she didn't want a hole punched through her walls. Going to look at it with her again soon and we'll come up with a plan...and request an installer who speaks English.

XPD / Gavin

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myfullflavour

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#3191966 7-Feb-2024 15:27

Some quick comments

Depending on where you are, it might not be possible for a retailer to order a residential plan. I know this applies to Tuatahi - if the property is zoned commercial, they will not permit a residential plan order.

A bit frustrating as ultimately it's just extra revenue collecting - for Tuatahi, there is no technical difference between a residential Max / 500 and a business Max / 500 plan for example.

As noted by someone else earlier, if the fibre company is Chorus, they have an extra SLA on business plans e.g. report a fault by midday, someone should attend to it that afternoon.

MadEngineer

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#3193067 9-Feb-2024 23:02

I have had this done under chorus which included fibre being run through the building between access pits in the floor. You order the connection from your isp, it gets installed. I don’t think chorus cared what plan the ONT was being installed under.

Not the first time I’ve answered this question on GZ.

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hamish225

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#3194369 12-Feb-2024 15:35

I suggest you pop the address into the voyager address checker (I know it works) and if it pops up with options for home fibre and home fibre max you should be good to go on ordering a residential service through your provider or choice. https://voyager.nz/home

I've never heard of anyone being interrogated about their location ordering a residential plan if it shows as available here.

Just as an example I searched a CBD address in Christchurch (DURHAM STREET) and it's come back with options to order home fibre so there should really be no issue.

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Wheelbarrow01

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#3194448 12-Feb-2024 22:27

The only time I have seen business vs residential plans be an issue from a Chorus perspective was when a business in a UFB1 zone ordered fibre on a residential plan.

The technicians turned up and it was clearly a business - a business that was around 100 metres from the road.

In UFB1 zones, the maximum 'free' install distance from the road is 50 metres for a business premise. For residential premises in UFB1 zone the 'free' allowance is 200 metres.

In this case, the business placed a residential install order to try and skirt around paying for a non-standard business install. We knew this because they had previously ordered a business plan, but cancelled it when the additional distance over 50 metres was quoted.

In the end, we did require them to revert back to a business offer/order so that the non-standard business installation cost could be correctly charged. After installation though, they were free to change to a residential plan (I am unsure if they did or not).

Scenarios such as this are probably few and far between, but they do happen.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd