Other works associated with FTTC

I am on the Hawarden exchange and am 1865 metres (according to Openreach) from it. The part of Hawarden I live in is served by only two cabinets P2 and P15 assuming that I am on the nearest one, then I am roughly 500 metres from it.

New FTTC cabinets have recently been fitted adjacent to these two existing cabinets and other works have included ducting to each existing cabinet, connection to electricity supply etc. From my own knowledge, I know that the fibre route to both these FTTC cabinets is along an A road, each FTTC cabinet being within a few metres of this 'trunk' fibre route. Similarly the fibre route to other FTTC cabinets in Hawarden is along a B road.

Now, back in June, Openreach surveyed and marked up the route of existing distribution cable ducts, manhole to manhole, telephone pole to manhole in the area where I live. This is not on the trunk fibre route and is limited by a railway line and farm fields, so no cable trunking there.

It is known that the properties, built 1960 onwards are virtually 100% connected to the telephone service, so no new connections likely. However, much of the distribution cable is aluminium; had problems in dial-up days, and now poor speeds on ADSL2+ (around 5 Mbps at 1865 metres with downstream Attenuation 35dB)

So, what is the purpose of OR marking up the ducts? Do OR carry out other works when FTTC is rolled out, such as replacing aluminium with copper? Or even introducing a new cabinet with FTTC for those at a distance to the existing cabinet (there being other properties which I estimate would be 650 metres from that same cabinet)?

I have tried emailing Ian Livingston, his last email simply said, "I am not clear why this isn’t likely to be related to the FTTC roll out."

So, what are OR planning here?

Cheers!

In reply to a post by Ancient_Mariner:

I have tried emailing Ian Livingston, his last email simply said, "I am not clear why this isn’t likely to be related to the FTTC roll out."

So, what are OR planning here?

I have no idea what OR is planning there but do you really consider it worth wasting the time of the Chief Exec of BT, or even members of his office, by asking him why some BT workers are spraying paint markings near your house ?

Probably for roadworks, e.g. gas/water mains works.

What does this checker say about your phone number?

From what I've read on FTTC so far, OR enable a cabinet and those who are on that cabinet can get a FTTC service. However, when you are in an area where the cable infrastructure is aluminium, are those customers going to receive the benefit of a FTTC roll out? Dial up internet from here is less than 20 kbps, whereas the same kit on a line 3 times as long used to give between 45 and 48 kbps.

The next exchange area to the east of Hawarden is Chester South, recently an area where FTTP is being rolled out.

I happen to be the County Councillor for Hawarden, besides my own internet use I also want the residents of my ward to benefit from new technology, especially those who are further away from the exchange than myself. The marking out of existing ducts suggests that works are going to be carried out, would be nice to know.

The reason for my post here was to find out whether in other areas of FTTC rollout whether OR have made improvements to the distribution infrastructure.

Cheers!

For Telephone Number 0124453nnnn on Exchange HAWARDEN
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that
your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a
fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL
Max broadband line speed of 3Mbps; typically the line speed would range between
2Mbps and 5.5Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+
broadband line speed of 3Mbps; typically the line speed would range between
2.5Mbps and 6.5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an
estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 500Kbps and
downstream line speed of 3Mbps; typically the downstream speed would range
between 2.5Mbps and 6.5Mbps.

Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 30th September 2011. 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 25.5Mbps and upstream line speed of 5.5Mbps.

The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10
days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is
maintained.

Thank you for your interest.

=============================

As you can see, for a 1865 metre line, not a very good estimated ADSL2+ speed of 3 Mbps. Similarly FTTC of 25.5 Mbps is not the best. Hence my concern with the FTTC cabinet being around 500 metres away. As I have mentioned in my other reply, when you are in an area where the cable infrastructure is aluminium, are those customers going to receive the benefit of a FTTC roll out? Dial up internet from here is less than 20 kbps, whereas the same kit on a line 3 times as long used to give between 45 and 48 kbps.

I would like to think that OR have some cable replacement plans or even a new cabinet, the property around here is already at virtually 100% telephone saturation, so no need to mark ducts for new cables for new customers who don't exist.

Have other FTTC roll out areas benefited from renewed cabling?

Cheers!

All FTTC requires a new FTTC cabinet close to the existing cabinet, with the fibre being run to the new cabinet and a short copper link between the existing and the FTTC cabinets. See this description. So that could be what is being planned.

That BT Wholesale checker is the most reliable around, and says you are going to get FTTC. The date itself can be garbage as they just put (slipping) end of quarter dates until very close to going live.

The estimate I expect is based on copper not ali, but mine on copper is 28.9/6.7 and I get 40000/10000.

Hope that helps.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

All FTTC requires a new FTTC cabinet close to the existing cabinet, with the fibre being run to the new cabinet and a short copper link between the existing and the FTTC cabinets. See this description. So that could be what is being planned.

That part of the work has been done and is 500 metres away from where they have marked up the ducts. Unless OR are planning either some new copper cable, or even better a brand new connection cabinet with associated FTTC adjacent, to serve the far customers on the existing cabinets, why mark up the ductwork? After all, normally the FTTC service utilises the existing cable from cabinet to premises.

The survey and marking up would have cost money, therefore it was done for a reason.

Cheers!

Post deleted by Sadoldman

Check your router stats and see which product you are on (you might be on ADSLMax).

992.1 = ADSLMax
992.3 = ADSL2
992.5 = ADSL2+

For a homehub go to Advanced Settings, then Broadband, then the ADSL. This gives your line stats

And your line attenuation a better method of calculating your possible line speed than distance.