TalkTalk York’s Ultra Fibre Optic Newsletter

THE 

POST 

World-class 

connectivity 

in York 

page 2 

Connecting 

your street 

to UFO 

page 5 

Full fibre 

facts 

page 7 

Making York the UK’s first 

Ultra Fibre Optic city 

Internet that lives up to the hype - only in York 

Everything you need to know about the ultrafast internet that’s 

coming to your neighbourhood in the next few weeks.

Future fast. Future ready. 

It’s official: York now has the fastest broadband in the UK 

From being founded by the 

Romans in AD 71 to running trains 

direct to London in 1840, York has 

a long history of making history. 

And it’s happening again. York now 

has the fastest broadband speeds 

in the UK* thanks to our Ultra Fibre 

Optic network. 

What is York’s 

Ultra Fibre Optic? 

Remember when broadband 

landed and it felt like the future 

was here? Well, the arrival of Ultra 

Fibre Optic takes the internet to 

another level. 

With a full fibre connection, 

everything the internet has to offer 

can travel at the speed of light right 

to your door. With speeds up to 

20x faster than the UK’s average 

fibre^, downloading, streaming, 

and even uploading is lightning 

fast and super smooth. 

And our stronger, more powerful 

connection is guaranteed to stay 

that way - all day, every day for all the 

years to come. And York is getting 

exclusive access to the future of the 

internet before the rest of the UK. 

*The House of Commons Library, using information provided by Ofcom, has revealed that this work m eans York Outer constituency already has the fastest broadband speeds in the UK at 128.9Mb/s and York Central has the 

second fastest at 82.4Mb/s compared to the national average of 44.6Mb/s. This is set to increase in York as the network grows. ^20x faster than the UK’s average fibre: York’s Ultra Fibre Optic from TalkTalk delivers speeds more 

than 900Mb/s compared to the UK average Fibre broadband (FTTC) download speed (44.9Mb/s) from OFCOM UK Home Broadband Performance report November 2016. 

Why York first? 

York has a progressive Council who shares the ambition to transform the city into the UK’s first gigabit city and we continue to work together during the rollout. 

In addition, York is an ideal size and type of city to test a cost effective method of building a full fibre network and it is proving to be a success here. 

World-class connectivity in York 

The UK as a whole lags far behind almost every country in Europe with only 6% of homes and businesses able to connect to a full fibre 

network. For York Outer Constituency this figure is closer to 12% because of the roll out of Ultra Fibre Optic and will continue to increase 

as the UFO network grows. The work so far has meant that the city is leading the way with the fastest broadband speeds in the country.* 

Full fibre (FTTP) coverage by country 

Japan 97%† 

South Korea 95%† 

Portugal 86.1% 

Iceland 62.8% 

Romania 59.7% 

Cyprus 51.2% 

Estonia 48.5% 

Holland 31.2% 

France 20.8% 

Croatia 15.6% 

United Kingdom 3.0% 

Belgium 0.6% 

Greece 0.4% 

Source: European Commission Broadband coverage in Europe 2016 Report 

† 

From Ofcom’s International Communications Market Report 2017 

2 

Follow 

TalkTalkUFOYork on Facebook for all the latest news and updates


The need for speed 

It’s not only the connected homes and 

businesses in York that have noticed the 

ultrafast speeds. Revealed as the ‘city 

with the fastest broadband in the UK’ by 

an article in Ideal Home magazine ~ , York’s 

state of the art network is attracting 

attention nationally. 

York’s ‘perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech 

- plus the fastest internet in Britain’ ‡‡ saw 

the city named as the overall winner of 

The Sunday Times Best Place to Live in 

the UK 2018. 

quoted Tom Hudson, founding partner 

of the property search firm Middleton 

Advisors, who said, “Broadband speed 

has become one of the most important 

factors [home] buyers look at”. 

The average home buyer would be 

willing to offer an extra £6,500 on a 

property guaranteed to have excellent 

broadband speed ‡ . 

Read the full article ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ 

enclosed or online at yorksufo.com/ 

lifeinthefastlane 

January 21, 2018 

The furred element: 

beat limescale in 

your kettle 21 

Alpine 

investments 

with altitude 24 

The 

need for 

speed 

Broadband 

In the doghouse 

with Monty 

Don 34 

Travel 

INSIDE 

is now high on the 

list of househunting essentials 

— but guess where you will 

find Britain’s fastest? 12 

In another article, The Sunday Times 

shone a spotlight on York and its position 

at the cutting edge of technology, 

describing your home as the UK’s first 

“Gigabit City”, thanks to our Ultra Fibre 

Optic network. 

The article also highlights that “poor 

internet connections negatively affect a 

home’s value and its ability to sell” and 

~ “Revealed: the city with the fastest broadband in the UK” article, Ideal Home published 24th January 2018. ‡ 

According to a survey of 2,700 British home buyers conducted by broadbanddeals.co.uk. ‡‡ York - the best place to 

live in the UK 2018, The Sunday Times, published 18/03/18. 

How fast is ultrafast? 

York’s UFO makes downloading, streaming and 

even uploading lightning fast and super smooth and 

guaranteed to withstand all the usage families and 

businesses can throw at it now and well into the future. 

Up to 1000Mbps. Now that’s ultrafast 

York's Ultra Fibre Optic up to 1000Mbps 

Virgin Vivid 350 up to 363Mbps 

BT Superfast Fibre 2 average 67Mbps 

20x faster than the UK’s 

average Fibre for upload 

and downloads 

HD or even 4K movies 

ready to roll before your 

popcorn’s popped 

An album downloaded 

before you’ve found 

your headphones 

Your holiday pics on 

Facebook before you’ve 

unpacked your toothbrush 

If you have any questions about the work in your area please give us a call 

on 0800 542 8073, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm 3


UFO is coming to your 

street soon 

In a couple of weeks we’ll come to build the UFO network in your 

street. And over the next few pages we’ll walk you through how 

the network is built, what to expect during the work and how your 

property can get connected. 

What happens next? 

Before we arrive in your street we’ll pop a letter through your door so 

you’ll know that we’re on our way. 

We know that this work will cause some disruption but we will try 

to keep this to an absolute minimum. If you have any questions or 

feedback for us our care line team are here to help. 

Meet the team 

Introducing Stephen, Joanne and Mohammed from our UK-based 

care line team. They’re on hand to help you and will handle each 

case through to resolution quickly and professionally. They can be 

contacted daily from 8am – 8pm. 

Then you’ll start to see our construction team and vehicles arrive. 

Here’s what to expect: 

Call 0800 542 8073 

Email ufo-help@talktalkplc.com 

Remote-controlled narrow trenchers open up the pavement 

You can find answers to our frequently asked questions towards the 

back of this newsletter. And you can keep up to date with the work in 

your area and go live dates by following our TalkTalkUFOYork Facebook 

page where we post weekly updates. 

Sweepers clean up to leave your street clean and tidy, just as we found it 

Our welfare vans are fitted with break facilities to make sure the team 

are looked after 

4 

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Connecting your street to Ultra Fibre Optic 

Building a state-of-the-art, full fibre network is no easy feat and we’re working with our construction FNS2Works and City of York Council to find the 

least disruptive way to build the network. The work is done in phases and can take a few weeks to complete. Here’s how we do it: 

1 

The fibre comes underground all the way from our UFO Exchange to the UFO Street 

Cabinet that will be installed in each area 

2 

From the UFO Street Cabinet, narrow trenchers open up the pavement to lay protective 

ducts for the fibre along your street 

UFO Street Ports will be installed in the footpath or verge outside each property to give 

access to the UFO network from underground 

3 

Or 

Wherever possible a UFO box will be mounted to the top of existing poles to provide 

access to the UFO network from overhead 

Reinstatement 

We aim to reinstate all disturbed ground to the original standard and surface type as quickly as possible. Sometimes we may need to use temporary 

materials to make the area is safe and usable until we can return to reinstate permanently. We work with City of York Council to plan and schedule these 

works which are then subject to their inspection. 

Ultra Fibre Optic right into your home 

UFO Cabinet Your Street Your Home 

UFO 

Exchange 

Openreach 

Pole 

Street Ports 




Place your order 

After the work in your street has finished and we have connected the fibre back to the network and completed testing you can place your order. 

Visit talktalk.co.uk/ufo to find out more about the packages you can choose from. 

Connecting your home or business 

Once you’ve placed your order and given us permission to install the fibre and equipment on your property, the final stage is to connect your property 

to the UFO network in your street. On installation day, our expert engineers will agree with you the best place for the equipment. They’ll work outside and 

inside of your property, here’s what will happen. 

Outside 

1 

Or 

From the UFO Street Port, the engineers will dig a very 

narrow trench across your garden or driveway up to the 

external wall of your property, lay the fibre in it and then 

put everything back as they found it 

From the UFO box mounted on the pole, our 

engineers will bring the fibre overhead to the external 

wall of your property 

2 

Once the fibre has reached the external wall of your 

property, our engineers will drill a small hole to feed the 

fibre through to the inside 

Then they’ll install a small wall box to protect the fibre 

Inside 

3 

Our engineer will install the Home Port on the internal 

wall and set up the Wi-Fi Hub 

And before they leave, they’ll get you connected to 

all of your devices 

Over 94% of York’s UFO customers rated their UFO installation as very good or excellent ** thanks to the care taken by our engineers, all of whom are City 

& Guilds trained in ground works. If you have any questions about where UFO will need to go, we can send someone to discuss it with you before you order. 

Just give us a call on 0800 230 0272. 

**TalkTalk Ultra Fibre Optic Customer Research December 2017 

6 

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Full fibre facts 

Did you know? 

308km 

of fibre is already 

laid in York, 

hundreds more 

to come 

1000Mb 

1 Gigabit 20x faster 

than the UK’s 

average fibre 

York has the 

fastest broadband 

speeds in the UK 

at 128.9Mb 

compared to the 

national average of 

44.6Mb^^ 

The average home buyer 

would be willing to offer 

an extra £6,500 

on a property 

guaranteed to have 

excellent broadband 

speed ‡ 

Changes in the 

temperature, 

rainfall or storms 

do not affect 

fibre optics in the 

same way they do in 

copper lines 

Low energy 

fibre 

Electricity used 

to light up fibre is 

significantly less than 

needed for copper 

or cables 

only 3% of homes 

and small businesses 

in England have 

access to full fibre 

services compared 

to 21% in France †† and 

97% in Japan~~ 

Fibre Optics are strands 

of glass 1/10th the 

thickness of a human 

hair. They transmit data 

through light signals 

^^The House of Commons Library, using information provided by Ofcom, has revealed that this work means York Outer constituency already has the fastest 

broadband speeds in the UK at 128.9Mb/s and York Central has the second fastest at 82.4Mb/s compared to the national average of 44.6Mb/s. †† European 

Commission Broadband Coverage in Europe Report 2016. ~~From Ofcom’s International Communications Market Report 2016. ‡ According to a survey of 

2,700 British home buyers conducted by broadbanddeals.co.uk 




Don’t just take our word for it 

“UFO has revolutionised my company. My repair times have slashed 

and I can take on a lot more work. I was with BT before and I wasn’t 

getting a hundredth of the speeds I’m now getting.” 

Jason Robinson, Owner, Intake Computers 

“My system no longer groans 

when I send large files. It’s given 

me instant future-proofing.” 

Will, home buisness owner, Clifton Moor 

“It’s made a huge difference 

to our lives, everyone can be 

online together.” 

Selina, mum of 4, Rawcliffe 

“I don’t get dropped 

from games at peak 

times anymore.” 

Dan, online gamer, Clifton 

“Broadband speed has become one of the 

most important factors buyers look at.” 

Tom Hudson, founding partner of the property 

search firm, Middleton Advisors 

“York’s world-class connectivity is 

helping to create jobs and improve 

lives and services for everyone 

who lives, works and visits the city.” 

Mary Weastell, Chief Executive, 

City of York Council 

“When it comes to technology, 

York is now being mentioned in the 

same breath as South Korea 

- how wonderful is that?” 

Roy Grant, Head of ICT, City of York Council 

“I have been waiting for York’s UFO for so long. A small trench was 

made in the garden, at the edge of one our flower beds, no mess or 

upheaval and then the guys who came connected everything and 

made sure it worked. I didn’t have to do anything, it was amazing.” 

Richard, dad of 3, Dringhouses 

8 

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Working with local communities across York 

As part of our network build, we are working with local schools, groups 

and organisations to support the local communities we are working in. 

Projects we’ve helped with so far include: 

• donating Chromebooks to Hob Moor Primary Academy 

• helping to fund a new wet pour surface for the play area at 

Foxwood Community Centre 

• supporting Acomb’s popular ADAM festival 

• online safety briefings for headteachers and local groups 

• donating Lego to Dringhouses Library to kick start their new 

after school Lego club 

We’re always keen to learn more about local projects we can get 

involved with so do get in touch if we can help your local community 

Want to know more? 

Follow 

TalkTalkUFOYork on Facebook for all the latest news and updates 

Register at talktalk.co.uk/ufo and we’ll send you email updates about our progress. 

You’ll need to enter a few details including your name and address. 

For questions about the build in your area, call our care line team on 0800 542 8073, 

7 days, 8am - 8pm or email ufo-help@talktalkplc.com 

9


Frequently asked questions 

As we bring UFO to your street, you’ll probably have some questions. Here are the answers to the ones we’re asked most frequently. If you have any other 

questions, call our UK-based team on 0800 542 8073. They’re available daily from 8am to 8pm. 

Will the work affect other utilities? 

We use market leading equipment to locate existing utilities and mark 

their location. We also dig trial holes to verify the utility markings, 

primarily in the interests of Health and Safety for our workforce but also 

to ensure that we do not create a loss of service for residents. Though 

if damage is caused, we’ll know straight away and we’ll report it to the 

utility owner for them to fix as quickly as possible. 

Why are barriers and cones left 

overnight? 

Trenches are sometimes left open overnight so we can continue our 

work the next day or to let the concrete reinstatement cure. We have 

invested heavily in custom-made equipment so we can cover the 

trenches and protect them with barriers to keep you safe. 

What if I need to move my car? 

The work shouldn’t affect access to your home or business, but if we do 

temporarily block your driveway, just ask one of the construction team 

and they’ll move immediately. The barriers are there for Health & Safety 

reasons, please don’t move the barriers on your own. 

Can I choose how the fibre 

comes to my street? 

Each street is different and we take a lot of time to plan the most 

efficient and least disruptive way to bring the network to your street. 

There are lots of things to take into consideration and we’ll use existing 

infrastructure where we can. With all of this in mind, we’ll make the best 

decision on how the fibre comes to your street. 

Why has the grass in my garden 

been disturbed? 

We do a lot of our work on service strips (also known as verges). These are 

strips of adopted land that often appear to be a part of a private garden 

and are usually in a cul-de-sac where there’s no footpath. They’re there to 

hold equipment belonging to service providers, such as water, electricity, 

gas, telephone and street lighting. We know that you probably maintain this 

area as part of your own garden so we take the very best care to leave it 

just as we found it. 

Parked vehicles has left the grass 

verge muddy. Will you repair it? 

We try to limit parking on grass verges but sometimes its necessary 

to keep the road unobstructed. In the winter months, this might leave 

the area muddy or show a scar in the grass. If it does, we’ll return in the 

summer months to re-turf or re-seed. To give the seeds a chance to 

grow you may need to avoid parking on the verge for a few weeks. 

Who is paying for this network to 

be built? 

The York’s UFO network build is privately funded by TalkTalk. Our 

investment into York supports the city’s ambition to become the 

UK’s first gigabit city. The network build isn’t publicly funded. 

10 

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Will there be lots of activity 

in my street? 

There will be construction teams, machinery and vehicles in your 

street. We have specialist teams to complete different areas of the 

build so it may seem busy at times but this maximises our efficiency 

and helps us to complete the works as quickly as possible and to the 

highest standards. 

What about the standard of 

the work? 

We employee specialist personnel and use market leading 

equipment and techniques to ensure our network build is safe and 

meets industry standards and legislation. We carry out daily checks 

and our work is subject to inspection by City of York Council too. 

Why hasn’t the ground surface 

been replaced like for like? 

Sometimes it isn’t possible to reinstate the ground to its original 

surface type straight away. But don’t worry, to make the area 

safe and usable in the meantime we’ll reinstate the ground with 

temporary tarmac and come back to finish the work as soon as we 

can. We’ll let you know by posting a notification through your door 

before we arrive. 

When can I get York’s UFO? 

Once we’ve finished the work in your street we need a bit more time 

to connect the fibre back to our network. As soon as this is done you 

can place an order for your home or business. Like TalkTalkUFOYork 

on Facebook and register for updates at talktalk.co.uk/ufo to 

receive the latest info about when you can place your order. 

Will all the work be done in one go? 

The work is done in phases (see page 05) so you’ll see us more than 

once. And we work closely with City of York Council so if they need us 

to build in a street ahead of footpath resurfacing we will. Or if we 

need to give way to urgent works we will and we’ll come back later.

TalkTalk York’s Ultra Fibre Optic Newsletter

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