In the global race for faster broadband, two technologies dominate the conversation: the old copper networks and the new, future-proofed full fibre (FTTP). But bridging the gap between them is a technology called G.fast (which stands for Fast access to subscriber terminals).
Let’s break down what G.fast is, how it works, and whether it’s a smart choice for you today.
What Exactly is G.fast? (The “Copper on Steroids” Analogy)
Think of your standard fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) broadband. The fibre optic cable runs to a street cabinet, and then the old copper telephone lines take over for the “last mile” to your home. This copper section is the bottleneck, limiting speeds to around 80Mbps.
G.fast is a supercharger for this last copper leg.
It’s a technology that attaches a special, powerful piece of equipment to the telephone pole or street cabinet very close to your home. This equipment sends much higher frequency signals down the existing copper lines, enabling them to carry significantly more data.
The Key Takeaway: G.fast does not involve running a new fibre line to your property. It squeezes every last drop of performance out of the old copper network.
The Technical Specs: What Can G.fast Deliver?
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Speeds: G.fast can theoretically deliver speeds up to 330 Mbps to over 1 Gbps. In practice, in the UK, providers like BT/Openreach typically offer packages up to 330 Mbps.
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The Crucial Catch: Performance is extremely dependent on distance. To get these high speeds, you typically need to be within 100-200 metres of the G.fast distribution point. Speed degrades rapidly after that.
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Availability: It’s primarily deployed in urban areas where housing density is high, making it cost-effective to serve many homes from a single unit.
G.fast vs. Full Fibre (FTTP): A Clear Comparison
| Feature | G.fast | Full Fibre (FTTP) |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Fibre to a node, then copper to your home. | Fibre optic cable directly to your home. |
| Speed | Up to ~330 Mbps (highly distance-sensitive). | 1 Gbps+ consistently. Symmetrical upload/download is common. |
| Reliability | Susceptible to electrical interference, distance issues, and legacy copper line problems. | Extremely reliable. Immune to electrical interference and weather. |
| Future-Proof | No. It’s the peak of copper technology. | Yes. The infrastructure can handle multi-gigabit speeds for decades. |
| Typical Use Case | A speed boost for urban areas where FTTP rollout is later. | The long-term, gold-standard solution for everyone. |
The Pros and Cons: Is G.fast for You?
The Advantages (The “Pro” Argument)
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A Significant Speed Boost: For someone stuck on 50-80Mbps FTTC, an upgrade to 200-330Mbps is a massive and very noticeable improvement for streaming, gaming, and working from home.
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Uses Existing Infrastructure: Because it uses the copper line, installation is often very quick and simple, sometimes just a modem swap.
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Potentially Cheaper for Providers: It allows providers to offer faster speeds without the high cost of digging up streets for FTTP, for a little while longer.
The Disadvantages (The Reality Check)
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It’s a Technological Dead End: G.fast is the final chapter for copper. There is no upgrade path from G.fast. The next step will always be a full FTTP installation.
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The Distance Problem: If you live more than a few hundred metres from the node, your speeds will be barely better than standard FTTC, making it a pointless upgrade.
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Upload Speeds Are Still Limited: While better than FTTC, G.fast’s upload speeds (often 50Mbps or less) don’t hold a candle to the symmetrical 100Mbps+ uploads common with FTTP. This is crucial for video calls, cloud backup, and content creation.
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Not Widely Available: Its rollout has been limited and has effectively been paused in favour of a full “fibre-first” strategy by major players like BT.
The Final Verdict: Is It a Worthwhile Stop-Gap?
The answer depends entirely on your timeline and circumstances.
Yes, consider G.fast IF:
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You are a heavy user frustrated with your current FTTC speed.
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It is available to you now and provides a guaranteed speed that meets your needs.
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The official rollout of FTTP in your area is confirmed to be more than 12-18 months away.
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You view it as a short-term solution (1-3 years) to tide you over.
No, avoid G.fast and wait for Full Fibre IF:
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You are a content creator, remote worker uploading large files, or serious gamer who needs high upload speeds.
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FTTP is already planned to arrive in your area within the next 12 months. (Check with providers and local alt-nets).
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You want a future-proof connection and don’t want to go through the hassle of another upgrade in a couple of years.
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You value reliability above all else and want to be free from the quirks of the aging copper network.
The Bottom Line
G.fast is like renting a high-performance sports car for a year when you know your dream car is being built and will be delivered soon. It’s exciting and fast now, but you don’t own it, and you’ll have to give it back when the real thing arrives.
For most people, if Full Fibre is on the horizon, it is almost always better to wait. The leap in performance, reliability, and future-proofing from FTTP is so vast that G.fast ultimately feels like a temporary compromise, not a genuine solution.