FTTC Buckley Exchange WNBUC

My Exchange is shown as going to go live for FTTC on 30/9/11, but checked everywhere, my postcode (CH7 3QG) says I can get it but my number says NO, Im devastated, is there anyway of checking what cabinet Im on to see if it is ever going to be upgraded
Many thanks
Dan

Sorry, I don't know where you have seen something saying your postcode can get it, but the April Openreach schedule shows it as Cabinet 17 and not scheduled .

The BTW checker for CH7 3QG reports:
" 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 between 9.6 to 12.6 Mbps and upstream line speed between 4.1 to 5 Mbps. "

That doesn't mean to say it is scheduled to have the cabinet updated. The April spreadsheet doesn't say it won't be done, which it could do, just doesn't say it is planned yet. It reckons a 4.3 times speed increase over the norm for that postcode.

There may be a later document, but no-one has turned up with it yet. I would guess it is issued at best quarterly.

Living not far away and knowing your area I find your speed somewhat low. You are quite close to the Buckley exchange and their 9.6 to 12.6 Mbps estimate based on 4.3 time your current expected speed puzzles me.

What distance does the speed checker say?

Cheers!

Hi Clive
I only currently get about 5mb, the exchange has just been upgraded to ADSL+2 so it has gone up from about 3.8 to about 5mb.
Samknows is showing I live this far away
, CH73QG
Exchange: Buckley (1150m away)
I was really hoping for the cab to be done, we have got openreach guyz all over the place at the moment, but there just pulling the cables thru, Ive had a chat to a few of them and they say your better off getting a local guy at the exchange, he may know, if its being done, the only cabinet I can find is up at the lights by Ewloe place, if that cab feeds our estate the Openreach Guy said he is sure thats being done as there is a joint been left in the cable
Thanks for the replies Guyz
Best regards
Dan

Edited by deleted (Thu 07-Jul-11 20:34:40)

Cabinets have the number on. Several on that exchange are being done, but it seems not no.17, which covers your postcode. Go check the number and if it is 17 see if there is activity near it. If it isn't, then go hunting.

Thanks mate, Ill go up and have a look now

Right, you are right it is cabinet 17, that serves us, the thing is, the cable that is being run to feed our exchange is running past this cabinet within 2 feet, the open reach guy was sure today that they had left a joint by it, so hopefully they may do it
best regards
Dan

The spreadsheet referred to here: http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/fibre/f/3999911-ver... (now removed, but not before I downloaded it) has your postcode listed. And has you on Cabinet P17.

I'm not sure what is going on.

I'm on the Hawarden exchange and currently SP Power Systems are connecting 230v to the cabs in Ewloe at Carlines Park. In Mancot, some FTTC cabs have yet to be fitted, I saw one today that had the base in. Yet SamKnows says that for Hawarden, FTTC is Available in some areas.

For 1150m I would have expected better than 3.8 Mb and 5 Mb on ADSL2+

I am at 1865m and pre ADSL2+ got around 4.5 to 5.5 Mb depending..... With my DrayTek holding synch for months on end. Now on ADSL2+ and have yet to get an ADSL2+ synch and have had anything up to 14 synchs per day. Current speed 5.0 Mb. Now, our local cable is 1950/1960's aluminium which is known bad news for ADSL. You should be on copper, so something not quite right there. When FTTC is available for me, my cab is about 500 metres away, not too sure how the aluminium will affect speeds then.

Perhaps you should show your line stats and someone with more knowledge comment on your current speed etc.

Good Luck!

Cheers!

Going back a couple of years now my line went down on a thursday, a polish engineer came out and fixed it, after that my BB speeds dropped once he had fixed the fault, it turned out he had moved my pairs over, and where eh put them just isnt as quick, I used to get 6 mb back then, I tried and tried to get them to put them back with no luck, i even had a 2nd phone line fitted hoping for a better pair connection, I had BB put on that line for a month with BE, but that was no better, thats why i was desperate for FTTc
Small world mate you being so local
Best regards
Dan

Fingers crossed time then . One thing is for sure - watching if they start digging holes near it, or better still putting up an FTTC cabinet, will be a more reliable guide than the checkers. Unless the BT Wholesale checker starts saying yes for your phone number.

As it says on there - the phone number checker is more reliable than the address or postcode one.

Good luck anyway . Let us know any news.

just got these stats of my netgear router
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 4833 kbps 1222 kbps
Line Attenuation 54.0 db 31.1 db
Noise Margin 3.8 db 3.0 db

I suspect that your 54db line attenuation is the problem there. It seems to be very high given your distance from the exchange. To give you an idea, I'm about 3k from the Buckley exchange and get about 43db. (Lower the better.)

Have tou tried connecting your modem/router direct to the BT test socket? (Unscrew and remove the master socket cover and you'll find the test socket behind.)

Andy

Ok tried the master socket mate, not a lot of difference at all, is the line attenuation something I can approach Open reach about ?

On the BT master socket
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 5522 kbps 1222 kbps
Line Attenuation 53.5 db 31.0 db
Noise Margin 3.1 db 3.1 db

The speed has gone up on the upstairs socket as well, to 5400kbps
Dan

Edited by deleted (Mon 11-Jul-11 22:21:33)

In reply to a post by danyy993:

Ok tried the master socket mate, not a lot of difference at all, is the line attenuation something I can approach Open reach about ?

I don't think so, as long as the line works satisfactorily for the normal telephone they are unlikely to do anything. It just seems to be the luck of the draw, you have a very poor line and as the other line you had fitted was just as bad there is probably a whole bunch of poor pairs. (Either that, or the lines to you area run twice round Buckley before getting there.)

Have you been able to try a different modem/router? In my experience some of the older routers don't work too well with the newer faster ADSL standards.

Andy

Its way beyond poor, The whole housing estate is only 10 years old, Yes i used to have the netgear DG834GT I was able to tweak that using dmt tool, Im on the new netgear now the N version, not a lot of difference im afraid.
Im keeping my eye on Cabinet 17 to watch for any works on it, nothing yet
Dan

Edited by deleted (Tue 12-Jul-11 07:48:22)

In reply to a post by danyy993:

Ok tried the master socket mate, not a lot of difference at all, is the line attenuation something I can approach Open reach about ?

On the BT master socket
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 5522 kbps 1222 kbps
Line Attenuation 53.5 db 31.0 db
Noise Margin 3.1 db 3.1 db

The speed has gone up on the upstairs socket as well, to 5400kbps
Dan

Unfortunately there's nothing "Wrong" with your line stats. The speed is bang on for the attenuation, and attenuation is a symptom of intrastructure, not fault.

Have you conntected your router to the test socket under the cover of your master socket>?

yes thats where those stats are off mate, off the master socket

In reply to a post by danyy993:

Im keeping my eye on Cabinet 17 to watch for any works on it, nothing yet

I've been keeping my eye out for any FTTC cabinet work going on around my area and haven't seen any. According to 'the spreadsheet', I'm supposed to be on either Cabinet 8 (most likely) or Cabinet 26. I had a walk and a drive around the other day cannot even find the existing cabinets with these numbers!

Andy

Your answer is confusing.

When someone asks to clarify between the master socket, and the test socket, there is a distinction.

The master socket is taken to be the one in the faceplate; the test socket is the one on the backplate, that the faceplate plugs into.

The faceplate itself can cause errors, which is why people ask for results when plugged into the test socket alone. And when they can't be sure what you've done, they ask for clarification - or a retest.

Just to clarifyfor OP, see: Master & Test socket.

Sorry mate, if Ive confused anyone, But I have taken the readings one of a slave socket, which were the first speeds I posted, the 2nd set of speed results were Off the TEST socket, with the faceplate removed !!
very very little difference.
Which is unusual, as I would have expected a lot better results of the TEST socket

Are you on the WNBUC also?

Hi James
I think Rhubarb is on Buckley as well

I notice that the FTTC box has appeared alongside Cabinet 26 on the corner of Bod Offa & Mold Road. According to 'the spreadsheet' my area is served by Cabinets 26 & 8 with a majority of the area being on cabinet 8. I've driven, cycled and walked around the area but cannot find cabinet 8, does anyone know where it is? Rgds.

You asked, I gave!

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=PCP8%20(WNBUC)&hl=en...

Nicely tucked away there!

In reply to a post by Adsl24:

You asked, I gave!....

You Sir, are a star. Thank you!

I must have walked past that box hundreds of times over the years.

Cheers - Andy

No problem at all.

I've been for a walk and there is no FTTC box near Cabinet 8. Cabinet 26 and it's associated FTTC box (looks like a Huawei 128) is only 80 meters away. I wonder if this single FTTC could serve lines from both cabinets?

Edited by Rhubarb (Thu 11-Aug-11 17:58:38)

Unlikely as 8 is planned to get it at some point. Its got it's own ID so will be a new FTTC cab

James

In reply to a post by Adsl24:

Unlikely as 8 is planned to get it at some point. Its got it's own ID so will be a new FTTC cab

Thanks for the info. I'll watch for a new box appearing in the hedge.

Cheers - Andy

I'd say it isn't going to appear on that bit of road - so will probably be down a side-street, or further down where the pavement widens. It can be up to 100 yards away.

Someone on here posted the planning information about a cabinet in West Yorkshire. The original was on a particularly narrow path, and the FTTC cabinet was tucked well around the corner - and looked like it would be pretty much invisible from the main road.

Edited by deleted (Mon 15-Aug-11 13:02:22)

Still no work near Cab 17, I stopped and had a chat to an openreach engineer, he had a printed map, of the cabs being done and said he had just done a cab very close to cab 17, i think it was cab 23, but couldn't understand why Cab 17 wasnt on the list, as he said it is one of the busiest cabs in our area
Al

Cab 23 is on The Willow/White Farm Road, near the junction with Pentre Lane. A lot of work has been going on there over the last two-three weeks, with a small FTTC cabinet (one of the 128-line models, I think) placed close to the old one. This serves a lot of outlying places (mine included), but I can't imagine it's as many as cab 17.

May the light of the fibre shine also in your cabinet very soon.
Dave
(And yes, I know it's infra-red).

A new FTTC cabinet base has now appeared near the end of Colliers Lane, it is up against the house on the right here with a newly completed trench diagonally across to the cover on the left. If you drag the picture to look to the left, Cabinet 8 is in the hedge between the electricity pole & the tree.

Edited by Rhubarb (Thu 18-Aug-11 12:30:03)

Here's a map of post codes served by WNBUC cab 17, created using batchgeo.com mentioned in other threads, with data from the PCP spreadsheet of April 13th.

It looks as though cab 17 serves a great many properties. This is pure speculation on my part, but I wonder if BT are expecting a high take-up and need to do extra work, possibly adding cabinets. Perhaps some of the experts can comment.

The map also highlights a curious anomaly: the postcode CH1 2DN is ~7.5 miles away near the centre of Chester and includes a museum and a regimental headquarters near the Castle. I've no idea whether this is an error in the data used for the spreadsheet or reflects something real - and somewhat mysterious.

Dave

In reply to a post by Rhubarb:

A new FTTC cabinet base has now appeared near the end of Colliers Lane, it is up against the house on the right here with a newly completed trench diagonally across to the cover on the left. If you drag the picture to look to the left, Cabinet 8 is in the hedge between the electricity pole & the tree.

Yup - that's about the first spot I could see that looked appropriate - but it isn't obvious where the power is going to come from. Watch for another trench in another month or so.

In reply to a post by DLS:

Here's a map of post codes served by WNBUC cab 17, created using batchgeo.com mentioned in other threads, with data from the PCP spreadsheet of April 13th.

It looks as though cab 17 serves a great many properties. This is pure speculation on my part, but I wonder if BT are expecting a high take-up and need to do extra work, possibly adding cabinets. Perhaps some of the experts can comment.

An excellent use of the mapping tool that - and it shows quite a strung-out area for the one cabinet.

There are properties north of the A55 that are over 2km away, so I'd guess they aren't going to get a good VDSL service. If their service were being designed today, I guess there would be a separate cabinet up there...

In reply to a post by DLS:

The map also highlights a curious anomaly: the postcode CH1 2DN is ~7.5 miles away near the centre of Chester and includes a museum and a regimental headquarters near the Castle. I've no idea whether this is an error in the data used for the spreadsheet or reflects something real - and somewhat mysterious.

This map at Samknows shows the exchange coverage (click on the exchange, then click on "show/hide exchange coverage") - and that doesn't go into Chester. It is probably a fault in the spreadsheet data, rather than the geo-location of the postcode (which can also happen).

That coverage map, combined with your BatchGeo map, shows that cab 17 manages to cover the entire northern extremity of the exchange.

Edited by deleted (Tue 23-Aug-11 00:42:56)

FTTC for Cabinet 8 has today moved from 30 Sept to 31 Dec according to the OR availability checker.

That's just normal for all cabinets that are not yet enabled in the UK.

Guyz
I stopped this week had a chat to an engineer working near Cab 17 he lifted a few covers, and confirmed there is a new Node in for Cab17, but couldnt understand why the Cab hadnt been installed, But he said it will be upgraded at some point

Sounds like cab 17 has probably been put on hold. This can happen when there isn't suitable power nearby or the cab can't be placed within 100m of the PCP.

As of today - and less than three weeks later than the original estimate - FTTC is available to order on some of the Buckley cabinets (my one, #23, included). Unfortunately, there's still no sign of anything happening for the OP on #17.

Thanks DLS
I keep popping by to see if theirs anything going on but no sign as of yet
Al

For anyone interested, it seems that FTTC for Cabinet 8 has gone live in the past few days and BT are now taking orders for lines on this box. The cabinet is in Colliers Lane and seems to serve Buckley numbers on the North side of Mold Road in Mynydd Isa.

Edited by Rhubarb (Thu 24-Nov-11 09:09:29)

No Sign of anything happening yet on #17.

According to the December PCP upgrade spreadsheet it's due in phase 9a - whenever that may be - with all lines in the OP's postcode to be enabled.

Phase 9a would seem to be the latter half of 2012.
GGGRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ive had an email of openreach and it states

I have taken a look at this � the cabinet in question is down for completion by the end of Quarter 3, financial year 2012. In essence this means completion by the end of December 2012.

If you have any subsequent questions please let me know.

Thanks

I wont post the Guyz name, as its not fair, it was a private email, but I hope they keep on schedule for it

Just wondering if anyone had any new updates for this cab? Desperately waiting for this cab to be upgraded.

Hi.

Im on the new RedRow 'Heathlands' development on the old Brickworks site just off Church Road, I noticed that the entrance to the Redrow Site a new green cab is placed (off Church Road) but its not FTTC, I noted its CAB 28.

I just got my BB enabled with Plusnet (ADSL2+), as unfortunately they confirmed its not FTTC enabled which is really annoying given its a new estate and also were literally across the road from the exchange.

The more annoying thing is our line speed! It connects on ADSL2+ at 15 MB down, 455k up, however in reality speedtest reviles its only 0.9 MB down, 0.36k up, barely ISDN!
Im on a Cisco WAG320N ADSL2+ Router connected to the master socket.I checked the modulation, tried ADSL, ADSL2+, ADSL2+M, all still the same.I have checked my output info and my attenuation is 17db down and 32db up?Also average SNR is 6.9db up & down.

Basically, I can check email but forget connecting xbox or watching Sky on demand.

PlusNet doesn�t really want to know at this stage. Any suggestions?
PS - Will try the test socket tonight and report back! Cheers.

If you are that close to the exchange then there must be a problem with something, I would suggest posting on their forums.

As for the upload that is about right although you can request it to be uncapped, which should double your upload presuming your line is capable.

The Cabinet is finally showing on the dslchecker from BT, it says we are due to go live BY 31/12/2012

You're probably aware that date is only a place holder date and could change, so bare that in mind.

Still no new informaton on Cabinet 28 - Buckley for FTTC.

DSLChecker not showing any date for FTTC as of 13.02.2013

Any way of asking/informing OpenReach? - given its a new cabinet I doubt they will now re-visit it for a good while.

Anybody any news on cabinet #17? I see the date has moved (yet again), date now says end of June

In reply to a post by shaww:

Anybody any news on cabinet #17? I see the date has moved (yet again), date now says end of June

I see there is a new cabinet just being installed over the road on the common. Hopefully this means it will be enabled soon.

Ok
Some more news Guyz, they were putting the power to the Cab today, Ive been told form openreach there is another small delay, looking like the middle of July now, as the power company were late getting power to the cab

Good work guys - not long now

That's great news.

Hopefully we will get some movement on Cabinet 28 now as well.

Thanks.

Any news on Cabinet 28 (redrow site off Church road?) I cant believe this entire new build estate is not FTTC while it is in the surrounding streets.

Will likely be covered under infill for the Welsh BDUK project, new builds are usually left out of the first phases of deployment as the estates are normally not yet built or even occupied.

Email Openreach on the nga email to see if cab 28 will be in the commercial rollout or covered by the Welsh project, can email them as well.

[email protected]

Edited by deleted (Tue 24-Sep-13 20:56:13)

Hi ccxo.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I contacted (Superfast-cymru programme ) which is the BDUK and they said my postcode CH7-3xx (old brickworks area, Buckley) isnt under the initiative at this time, so my only option is OpenReach.

I contacted via NGA and they replied saying

Our deployment is based on the commercial criteria for each cabinet and your cabinet fails to meet the commercial criteria. This is because the cabinet has too few premises connected to it, rendering it too small to provide a return on the investment based on the costs for the construction and on-going running costs of providing a new FTTC cabinet.

I have email back asking them to re-consider because I believe they came to this conclusion when the cabinet was installed (during the build of the Redrow estate). Now its 100% occupied (280+ houses) of 3/4 bed families who im sure are all willing to pay for better broadband. It looks like if they don't re-consider we wont be getting it anytime soon, even though all the surrounding area of Buckley is covered (all surrounding street cabs are fttc) - doesnt make sense :/

Edited by deleted (Wed 09-Oct-13 14:19:43)

Well.

I finally got a response from NGA:

Cabinet 28 does not serve the number of premise that you estimate, current working circuits are at a number considerably less than a third of your estimate, which means that the cabinet is still not commercially viable.

So I guess either there is another CAB I don't know about or 1/2 our estate doesn't have an active phone line!? I will have to ask the site manager above the active connections. Still quite disappointed though :/

I see that almost 4 years later, FTTC is still not available.
I am in the same situation in Red Row Archers Park in Kent. ME10 5BN
Both Openreach and the BDUK website just say there is no plan to upgrade this cabinet, period.

After spending many hours researching why, writing to Red Row, Openreach, the local council and to my local MP (Red Row didn't even bother to respond!), I finally understand what the situation is.
When a development is built requiring a new cabinet, the developer needs to engage with Openreach to have the cabinet installed, and the developer must fund the installation. The developer chooses which type of cabinet to order from Openreach, and must pay the difference if they want fibre.
The Universal Service Obligation requires that the developer provide a telephone line to the new homes. but only copper, unfortunately there is no obligation to provision any sort of high speed internet.

And the BDUK program, in which the government funded the FTTC upgrade for most cabinets in the UK does not cover new build homes.
The point of the BDUK is to upgrade cabinets that could not have had FTTC installed at the time of build because the technology did not exist. Point being that the BDUK will never fund the upgrade of a cabinet in a new build development because they expect the developer to order a FTTC cabinet at the time of build. Which is far less expensive than to retrospectively upgrade it at a later date.

So what it means is that the only hope of getting FTTC in a new build development is if the developer decides to pay a few extra pounds for the greater good of their customers. Something Red Row seemingly never chooses to do....

My advice is to stay clear of Red Row.
Im sure most other developers would do the right thing.