alastair-nynet

Starlink is a great backup (and primary in the right places). My only caution would be that as you have to pay for throughput you need to be careful with your commit and then usage. It's expensive to top-up by 50GB compared with comitting so if its a 1:1 school then I would suggest doing some bandwidth monitoring for an average day and see how much throughput you do. We had a school do 25GB in 30 minutes of outage.

We use SigningHub, similar to Docusign with all the built in mechanisms to prove they signed it. Don't know about cost I'm afraid.

We have some fs.com passive equipment, I would suggest some caution. There software does a fair amount of dialling 'home' and we have to run the config programme in a DMZ as it still uses a vulnerable version of log4j. I'd say if you are looking for a cheaper end solution go Ubiquiti.

As others have said, your ISP is likely to be fitting their own router. However, even if they didn't. The Access Port is the one with the cover on which will be a standard LC duplex connection (Single Mode or Multi mode depending on how your ISP ordered it). The BiDi simplex connector is the connection from the Openreach kit towards the exchange only.

I think some of the difficulty is around the messaging, its often unclear and the idea that you are 'upgrading' to SOGEA. If anything you are downgrading as you no longer have a phone line! You will need to switch to SOGEA either by the deadline or if you want to change the speeds on the line.

I'm not sure my words will be too re-assuring as you have heard them before! As above, only the PSTN is switching off. Some people will say that FTTC is ending, it is partially true. GEA-FTTC will cease as a product, this product needs a PSTN (using the WLR3 product) to work. However, Openreach have brought in SOGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) to fix this, its exactly the same FTTC line but without a PSTN/WLR service. Your provider can switch you from GEA-FTTC to SOGEA as Openreach have finally released a process for it. The only issue is that it currently costs. I was at BT Tower last week with Openreach and raised how it was ridiculous that CPs/End Users should need to pay to allow Openreach to close the PSTN network, hopefully they will see wisdom soon but in the meantime, don't worry about it, your FTTC will keep working. You shouldnt even notice the switch to SOGEA as its just a removal of jumpers. We are going to do a test migration soon at a site where FTTC is the backup. Happy to let you know how it goes. EDIT TO ADD: It's worth adding that this isn't the case everywhere. There is a stop-sell in some places, for you for example Tadcaster, where, if FTTP is available you at some point will no longer be able to buy FTTC. But Openreach are rolling out a 4 port FTTP OLT so it will be easier to have multiple lines on FTTP without a fibre for each.

Our DPO Veritau do e-learning https://veritau.co.uk/ (Disclaimer, we have shared ownership)

Have to declare an interest as they are a sister company but we use Veritau as our own DPO and have had great service. (https://veritau.co.uk/)