BT Broadband with fibre (sub 15Mbps product)

Read something on Digitalspy forum about BT Broadband with fibre.
See http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=...


Does anyone know any details of the product?

Robert
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 14.1Mbps and upstream line speed of 4.8Mbps.

This is just what other ISPs have been offering for ages, accepting orders for <15Mbps FTTC estimates. They are just giving it a different name, presumably so that they can give separate stats for "infinity" by cherry-picking customers in this way.

Keep all of [censored] speed customers together, then wax lyrical about how great Infinity "fibre" is.

Incidentally, the word censored was only the common Americanism for "rubbish", and I'm extremely surprised such a mild word was filtered.

I'm not sure what the question is as most of it is covered in that link.

From posts on these forums it seems to be an open trial, so it isn't on the website, but with luck if you ring up you will get someone who has heard of it.

Some of the other FTTC suppliers have been taking orders for under 15Mbps for months.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Incidentally, the word censored was only the common Americanism for "rubbish", and I'm extremely surprised such a mild word was filtered.

This is not an American website.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Incidentally, the word censored was only the common Americanism for "rubbish", and I'm extremely surprised such a mild word was filtered.

Yes, it's very poor . Lousy even. Pathetically so.

Several other alternatives I expect if I engaged brain.

Anyway, surely we could do with 90% of Americanisms being filtered from everything in this country?

This is not an American website.

But we are used to people carping here. In fact one of the forums, ISP Unhappiness, is there specifically for the purpose.

In reply to a post by billford:

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Incidentally, the word censored was only the common Americanism for "rubbish", and I'm extremely surprised such a mild word was filtered.

This is not an American website.

I'm fully aware of that Bill. I simply wished to point out that the word censored was not extremely rude, and did not wish for anyone to construe it as such - hence the clarification.

the word censored was not extremely rude

A huge number of people regard it as such, even these days.
I don't count myself amongst those, and agree with you that censoring it here is borderline, but it isn't a word I would use in normal conversation, nor can I remember any of my friends, acquaintances or family using it.

In this country it is far from losing its defecatory connotations, even though it may have done so in America. They have dumped it for that meaning.

It isn't as if there is no suitable alternative.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

the word censored was not extremely rude

A huge number of people regard it as such, even these days.
I don't count myself amongst those, and agree with you that censoring it here is borderline, but it isn't a word I would use in normal conversation, nor can I remember any of my friends, acquaintances or family using it.

In this country it is far from losing its defecatory connotations, even though it may have done so in America. They have dumped it for that meaning.

It isn't as if there is no suitable alternative.

Clearly that is gross over-exaggeration and I disagree entirely with regards to its common lexical usage. For a start I am English, and it was a simple and innocent point. I didn't make a fuss, I'm not certain why you must verbosely pontificate. Perhaps it is pleasing to be supercilious.

Anyway, this is away from the point I was attempting to make with regards to offering a separate product, which uses the same central technologies as their BT Infinity line. I presume they will want to protect their primary fibre service from having a low average speed, so splitting off slower speed consumers is one way to do that. This would mean that they would not aggregate these products together under the "infinity fibre" banner.

There could be some other reasons, so it would be interesting to hear theories. However, I think it would clearly make a mockery of their "FTTC is fibre" assertions if people are unable to get 15Mbps on their headline offerings.

Heh

You seem to have completely missed the point. First, you have ignored the very early agreement with you that the need to censor was borderline, in this context.

You also missed a few clues to a generally light-hearted and humourous intent. This sentence in particular I thought made it obvious - "They have dumped it for that meaning". I was not pontificating.

Perhaps by the time you got to it you were seeing a red mist instead of reading. Or perhaps you don't understand the joke.

If your everyday conversation needs that word, and by implication many others that mine does not, then feel free to criticise my larger vocabulary. I can have no defence, and perforce you force superciliousness upon me.

(Edit - you also seem to have missed the joke in my reply to BillFord. That was another clue).

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 09-Apr-11 19:01:01)

You seem to be upsetting people over the last few days.

How dare you come on here with your light hearted humour, tongue in cheek replies and your useful website as a source of free information for anybody who might need it?

No wonder you upset the poor fellow

Clearly that is gross over-exaggeration and I disagree entirely with regards to its common lexical usage. For a start I am English, and it was a simple and innocent point. I didn't make a fuss, I'm not certain why you must verbosely pontificate. Perhaps it is pleasing to be supercilious.

Seeing as we are playing the fancy word game, I've got one for you.

Imbroglio

In reply to a post by mrnelster:

You seem to be upsetting people over the last few days.

How dare you come on here with your light hearted humour, tongue in cheek replies and your useful website as a source of free information for anybody who might need it?

No wonder you upset the poor fellow

Yep .

Something I learnt when I first came here was only to make blatantly obvious jokes, otherwise people took them literally, or they realised a joke was intended but they didn't get it. Then try a put-down by saying a joke that needs explaining isn't a joke. Trouble is the range of "sense of humour" types here is extremely wide.

Been forgetting that recently.

There was even an earlier "clue-post".

Anyway, as I'm pompous and supercilious I shall inevitably live and continue. Now where has the valet put my smoking jacket?

Now where has the valet put my smoking jacket?

Lmao!

So, anyway, back to the topic, I'm getting it installed on the 20th April, so will report back on the actual speeds.

As for the question, I was wondering whether the sub-15Mbit product was restricted in any way, and would actually go faster if the line allowed it? A bit like ADSL MAX.

Robert

Not aware of any restrictions, of course BT Retail might have added some but that should have been in the contract if there are any

My mate has this in, and the right kit to test it. Word of mouth has it, that it went, sync'd at what it could, but was then capped down to 15 meg. I shall chase him up for the full SP.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

My mate has this in, and the right kit to test it. Word of mouth has it, that it went, sync'd at what it could, but was then capped down to 15 meg. I shall chase him up for the full SP.

Is the <15Mbps product cheaper than Infinity? (can't quickly find a reference)

If so, that would make sense from BT's point of view- everyone close to the cab would opt for the cheaper one but still get the speed of the more expensive one...

As cheap for him as it is for me , so sorry, no help on that.

I do know, as part of the trial, a separate line was fitted.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

As cheap for him as it is for me

Ah, right

Emails I have had from BT regarding this....

Hello,

Thank you for expressing your interest in our Fibre Broadband


BT is inviting you to join the new superfast broadband service recently installed in your area.
Using fibre optic technology we will considerably increase your current broadband speed.

The service comes with a free broadband hub3 equipped with the best wireless technology on the market.
A BT engineer will visit your home to install the new equipment and service for you, taking the stress out of switching over.
As you are with another provider if you did want to take up this service you would need your Mac code from your provider.

The service is on a 12 month contract basis - much lower than the majority of other products on the markets.


If you are interested in this brand new service or you would like to know more information please contact me on the above email address, providing you preferred contact number and a suitable time to contact you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing from you.

Katherine Murther
Fibre optic sales
BT Newcastle


I then asked..

Hi,

Could you tell what the monthly cost for this is and also what resrictions are in place - i.e traffic shaping / throttling on p2p and what usage is there.
Also is this an upto 15Mb fibre product??? If it is, once installed and the engineer see's that i can get much faster than the upto 15Mb could i go on the 40Mb product???

Many thanks in advance..


Then had this...

Hi,

the monthly cost is £25.60. its unlimited broadband with unlimited usage, it is upto the 15mbps but if your broadband goes above and tests prove that, then i would say yes they would let you go onto higher service

Hmm, questions on traffic shaping/throttling left unanswered

So it's only marginally cheaper than Infinity but with a much shorter contract... I await the actual details on their web site with interest.

well i get this installed on the 18th ( next monday ) i had to email ian livingstone to get this, i was told my estiamted speed is 14.3mb but will go as fast as allows, this option 3 product however is only up to 2mb upload, i did ask for up to 10mb but was told no, i am very close to the up to 15mb estimate and am expecting much more, so i should be able to let you know if it gets capped at 15 or not.

Sub-15Mbit installed today.
BT Speed checker estimate is 14.1Mbps.
BT engineer said line had synced at 38Mbps.
First Thinkbroadband sped test is 28740 Kbps down, 1662 Kbps Up.
I think the upload is capped to 2Mbit for some reason and I don't know where 10Mbps has gone.



Very Happy though
Robert
Basingstoke

Capped at 2Meg to differentiate it from the Infinity product range, other providers may well not do this segregation based on the speed estimates

Great.

if you have such a good sync, then you will be able to phone bt back and request to go onto the normal infinity package with the 10mb upload speeds.

just had my sub 15mbps installed.... went from 1.5mbps to 36mbps... woohoo... upload still capped at 2mbps.. got a pretty high ping of 44ms though...

Err, Infinity can have either 2meg or 10meg upload, depends on which package is taken.

well i see no reason why you cant get onto the regular infinity product, people on the bt forums have given infinty their current sync speed and got onto the infinity product with the 10 mb upload if and when they can prove they are above the 15mb limit. nice stats though

Thought the "option 3" package was actually just option 2 (ie unlimited, 10mbit up) but kept out of the infinity stats in case it dragged the average speeds down. Isn't option 3 sold for 25.60 like option 2?

To be honest it's becoming clear that only a very small number of people (those actually in the sticks) will get less than 15mbit even if quoted as such. If you live anywhere near civilisation you'll be incredibly unlucky to see less.

Should really get rid of the sub 15mbit run-a-round and just let people order it. Even if they got 15mbit it's likely to be a substantial increase for all of the punters ordering it.

Edited by orly (Fri 22-Apr-11 03:17:29)

Theres plenty of long D-sides in the towns also. But I agree, they should just allow all the orders. 15 meg has been set as a benchmark, as they say thats what you require for decent streaming/TV. At present if the line comes in sub 15 on the day, the CP is contacted, and the yes or no decision handed to them.

As for the options thing, not sure, all I know is that they are all prospective 40 down, but some's 10 up, and some's 2 up. Have seen this on both BT Infinity and BT business fibre.

called up BT yesterday as i was consistently getting 20-22mbps after taking up Option 3... but BT declined to let me onto the full product as i was trying to uncap the 2mbps upload...

fluffy reasons given so not worth repeating here.. gonna try again in a couple of days..

oh was initially synching at 35mnbps when the BT engineer was here and for a couple of hours but have since gone down to 20mbps...

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

oh was initially synching at 35mnbps when the BT engineer was here and for a couple of hours but have since gone down to 20mbps...

Sync is the connection speed between you and the exchange, and only an engineer's test equipment tells you that. (Or a good ISP can see it).

The nearest you can get to it is the IP Profile shown by the BT Performance tester.

Your speed decrease will probably be either traffic management or congestion.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Sync is the connection speed between you and the exchange, and only an engineer's test equipment tells you that. (Or a good ISP can see it).

Wouldn't a vDSL2+ router/modem provide that information like with current ADSL router/modems?

Edited by deleted (Mon 25-Apr-11 23:54:12)

Yes, some do. However no one knows how to get that info from the modem provided by Openreach, or even if it is possible.

In reply to a post by Icemansin:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Sync is the connection speed between you and the exchange, and only an engineer's test equipment tells you that. (Or a good ISP can see it).

Wouldn't a vDSL2+ router/modem provide that information like with current ADSL router/modems?

I wasn't complicating the issue with that, as it is a service requirement to use the Openreach modem.

There have been a few threads by people using VDSL2 routers. Reliability seems to be an issue, though the current thread about a Fritz box looks encouraging.

(It isn't VDSL2+ by the way ).

I have just ordered this via their website, it is known as faster broadband option 3. So it looks like they are moving along with fibre now.

How are you getting those speeds. I am a fully paid up fibre optic infinity bt customer in basingstoke and I never get more that 15 download and 1.6 upload. Just tested now (its after midnight) and speed is 14.3. Help!!!!!

That doesn't mean much without reference to your sync speeds too. What are they?

And how have your download (and sync) speeds changed over time?

He can't see the sync speeds. Only the IP profiles on a BT speed test.

In reply to a post by Elwood10:

How are you getting those speeds. I am a fully paid up fibre optic infinity bt customer in basingstoke and I never get more that 15 download and 1.6 upload. Just tested now (its after midnight) and speed is 14.3. Help!!!!!

Please run a BT speed test and post the results as far down as the end o the upstream figures.

Also please post what this checker says about your line.

Doh... brain freeze... Yes, I meant the IP Profiles.

I'm on a 1090M line, and they only predicted 8.2Mbs. I landed up with this



Although the upload is testing correctly, I can quite happily upload at 920K/s

Edited by deleted (Sat 09-Jul-11 08:25:19)

I understand that inifinity will only be sold where the speed is showing grester than 15M (this is to do with service sroound and commercials on inifinity) an anternatvie ISP may decide to give you a service regardless

Sub 15 is shown as Faster Total Broadband on BT Checker - only availabe on enabled FTTC cab where line cannot reach 15 meg (and there inifinty cannot be sold) -- but takes distacne from cab rather than exchange hence bire speeds of 2 - 14 meg