Will I or won't I be able to get fibre optic broadband?

Hello, My exchange has recently been listed as to be upgraded with Fibre Optic broadband lines early next year (RFS date set : 01/03/2012) but I am a little confused as to if I will be able to get fibre optic on my line.

The BT ADSL checker says nothing about fibre optic becoming available on my line in the future;

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 512Kbps. However, due to the length of your line, an engineer visit may be required, who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 1Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 750Kbps and 2.5Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 1.5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 1Mbps and 3.5Mbps.

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.

I can actually get just under 3mbps as my line is long. But if I use the talktalk fibre checker it says

Good news

TalkTalk Fibre Optic broadband will be available on your line in April 2012.
23.6

Your estimated Fibre Optic line speed will be 23.6 Meg download speed and 2 Meg upload.

Compare that to your current download speed of 2.3 Meg.

Does it mean that I will be able to get fibre optic on my line or not? Or is the BT checker information just outdated? I hope I will be able to get it as 3mbps in a house with multiple internet users just doesn't cut it.

Thanks!

Edited by deleted (Tue 15-Nov-11 23:48:55)

Five months to go, TalkTalk may be based on the exchange being enabled next year, but you will need to check the phone line closer to the time, as not all cabinets get FTTC on an exchange

Is there no way of finding out what cabinet I am connected to and if it will be enabled? The phone lines for me and my neighbours all disappear underground at the base of the telephone pole in the street so I can not simply follow the line.

I recall reading a couple of threads where people had cabinet information and numbers but I am not sure how they got that information.

Thanks.

Edited by deleted (Tue 15-Nov-11 23:56:55)

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/fibre/t/4000482-re-...

@BatBoy You are the best! My Postal code is listed as to being enabled in the
7b phase.

Thankyou again for sharing that document!

Remember that roll-outs are subject to alteration, there is no penalty on Openreach changing areas/dates

Edited by MrSaffron (Wed 16-Nov-11 09:41:11)

In reply to a post by Alex1M6:

@BatBoy You are the best! My Postal code is listed as to being enabled in the
7b phase.

Thankyou again for sharing that document!

Does it show 100% of lines for your postcode though?

Yes it shows 100% for my post code.

That IS a great source of information, v'been trawling the net for ages for this, I have a query though: my line shows this:

SAU ID: ESDUN,
Name: DUNBLANE,
Post Code: FK150NB,
SAU_NODE_ID: {ESDUN}{p10},
Exchange: 0,
Percent Lines: 77.77,
uplift: 3.75,
Phase: 6a,
Deployed: Yes
FTTC or FTTP: FTTC

What does percent lines (77.77) and 3.75 Uplift mean?

A word about where I stand:

I am in the sticks along the A9 about 6 miles from the Xchange and I get 360KB/s usually, I got a Shell Garage and Little Chefs Restaurant just next door (I am sure some ppl will know where that is ).

So will I get blooming Fibre speed or NOT?!

Thanks for any heads up.

What does this checker say?

Just over three-quarters of the lines on your cabinet will get FTTC. The typical speed will be getting on for 4 times what the line gets now.

Nothing there for me

but

talktalk says

TalkTalk Fibre Optic broadband will be available on your line in April 2012.

Your new estimated Fibre Optic line speed will be 39.3 Meg download speed and 2 Meg upload.

Compare that to your current download speed of 11 Meg.

Hi Roberto,

Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 31st December 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 100Kbps and upstream line speed of 100Kbps.

100kbps??! is that... like hum... 10KBs!!! it's worse, or I am missing the point totally?!

In reply to a post by trilibies:

Hi Roberto,

Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 31st December 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 100Kbps and upstream line speed of 100Kbps.

100kbps??! is that... like hum... 10KBs!!! it's worse, or I am missing the point totally?!

Not good .

I can only remember one like that, and when the cabinet was enabled he wasn't able to get it - his showed 500kbps I think, and the estimate from that link just disappeared .

In reply to a post by epyon:

Nothing there for me

I'm checking against the April spreadsheet. Wasn't it you established recently that the September one includes you?

(_|_)mer

On the plus side, I'd have to travel many miles to get to a Little Chef !
Live life for small victories.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

On the plus side, I'd have to travel many miles to get to a Little Chef !
Live life for small victories.

Yeah, we call it little thief...

In reply to a post by trilibies:

(_|_)mer

Yep .

All you can do is check that BT Wholesale link I gave you, once every couple of weeks or so. It is pretty well the definitive one of those we can access easily.

The checkers woefully under estimate, i.e. the reaction to the complaints that people never get the speed they purchased, so lets show them a slow speed and make them happy.

Trick is to find out what the rough distance between you and the cabinet is, and keep an eye on the checker as time marches on, since they may correct anamolies - though if there is 3 or so miles to your cabinet and you only manage perhaps 0.5Meg from ADSL now then you might see an improvement, but below the 5Meg limit Openreach installs at.

Hi MrSaffron,

My speed is actually quite good all things considered. I am roughly 3.5 miles from the echange, so if I have a cabinet in between it's gotta be less than that!

Samknows tells me that:

The following services are available in your location:

BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
BT Wholesale WBC (21CN)
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU

I am currently with Newnet and throughput is about 2.8mps, the only snag is that we upload large videos and it cripples the D/L speed which is a pain, so I am looking to find a better way to access the web, any suggestions?

Can you see if you can find and post your line stats from your router? See here for help. Those may show you might be able to get a general improvement even with Newnet.

You would get a higher upload on Sky or TalkTalk, but both are full LLU where they take the line off the BT Wholesale system as well as the broadband, and that can be a nuisance if you want to migrate away in the future. Also a 12 or 18 month contract.

You can get services using the TalkTalk exchange equipment, giving you the higher upload but not going direct to TT off vivaciti, xilo/uno ADSL24 (I think), and Aquiss. At least one of those, vivaciti, allows you to leave your line with whoever it is already.

If a line runs at 0.4Meg, 1Meg, 10Meg or 20Meg for upload and you saturate this when uploading video it will have a negative impact on the downstream always.

You need to find a modem/router that implements TCP ACK QoS, to ensure that a busy upstream does not slow the downstream.

Roberto S. Thanks for the help.

I am wasting an awful lot of time! Anyway I think I found my Cabinet (10)::

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=dunblane&hl=en&ll=56...

It has the number "10" and it's 2.5 miles from where I am, so I don't know if it's going to be a good improvement.

Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 3583638 5205324 0 1245 2510 96:19:12


ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 3808 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 53.0 db 28.0 db
Noise Margin 6.3 db 20.0 db

Well, When I was with Nildram (aka Opal) upoad speed was 600kbps+ now it's [censored] since I been with Newnet, so I don't know about this...

448Kbps versus 600Kbps - hence the slow upload.

448Kbps is the limit for standard IPStream products, ask NewNet if they offer a Max Premium service, which can give you an upstream of up to 832Kbps

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

You need to find a modem/router that implements TCP ACK QoS, to ensure that a busy upstream does not slow the downstream.

I'll keep that in mind, thank you.

Importantly re the upload and the effect on the download, what MrSaffron says, which I can see you are taking note of, is very important as whatever download you get can be killed by heavy upload.

Having said that your download connection speed is not very good for the attenuation. On many lines over 500kbps more could be obtained. The cause may be external, in which case that's tough, but it could be internal.

Have a read of this page and this one from my website and see if anything applies to your setup .

Asking Newnet about a higher upload speed, (up to 832kbps is what MrSaffron is on about), is worthwhile. The 600kps+ you had with Nildram should be possible on that, or with one of the TT resellers I mentioned. TT = Opal in this respect. Also if there is a wiring issue as per those links, upload may be improved from the 600+ as well once the 448kbps cap is removed.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

You would get a higher upload on Sky or TalkTalk, but both are full LLU where they take the line off the BT Wholesale system as well as the broadband, and that can be a nuisance if you want to migrate away in the future. Also a 12 or 18 month contract.

Pretty sure SKY allow you to keep your line with BT. They certainly used to as that is my current setup.

In reply to a post by stephen79:

Pretty sure SKY allow you to keep your line with BT. They certainly used to as that is my current setup.

Not for new LLU customers. IIRC since the start of September.

All changed with Sky on 1st September 2011, all new orders are full LLU, old customers retain the option to remain SMPF, though can see that changing in a couple of years

On first look, the main entry point's got a Openreach face plate, from there I wired another extension to my office, the length of this wire is less than 5m and goes from the kitchen (main socket) up to the ceiling and down to my office, next to the kitchen, I have fitted a "flush" wall fitted extension, then an ADSL filter.

Past the adsl filter I've got FAX/PDQ/Phones

The line from the cab to the house runs along the A9 pretty much all the way, my neighbour complained about ADSL too, he said at the beginning of the service speed was high but it went worse and worse, I never had that problem and the speed I get here's faster than the one I used to have when I lived in Glenrothes! So I ain't complaining.

I figured out that the "uplift" means the speed factor increase, which IF I get FTTC service would be in the region of 10Mbps which would be great.

Fingers crossed.

It would be interesting to see the stats if you connect into the test socket inside the master, on the wall at the back in this pic, using just a filter and the short ADSL cable that came with your router. Connecting during daylight, as that is usually faster than when it is dark.

What cable did you use to fit the extension, and which terminals are connected?

I will give it a go when no-one's using the web. I used standard telephone cable and standard phone socket bought from CEF

Which terminal numbers?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Which terminal numbers?

Actually the (extension) terminal's got a "openreach" logo on it... I need to investigate.... I might have used a spare socket from somewhere else....

I mean which terminal numbers inside the sockets are connected. T2, T5 and what others if any?

All of them.

Only 2 and 5 are used, pin 3 is redundant and can cause broadband to run slower than expected.

Hence the iPlate or the cheaper way to resolve it
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/sections/radsl.htm...

Ok that's great, I will give it a try from the socket and see what the scoop is...

Thank you so much for all your expert advice! I really appreciate it.

G

As well as only needing T2 and T5 as MrSaffron said, when you have the faceplate off, please tell us what colour wires are on T2 and T5. It's important that they are a matching pair. So for example Blue/white with white/blue is correct. Blue/white with orange/white is bad.

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 23-Nov-11 18:12:29)

Mine are both green lol

Okay, carried some tests out:

with microfilter directly on the Openreach main socket:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 3328 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 53.0 db 28.0 db
Noise Margin 5.6 db 20.0 db

Speed tests:

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/button/13221...

I also got 1Mbps d/l from speedtest.net

8-|

Reconnected to the extension:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 3968 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 53.0 db 28.0 db
Noise Margin 4.6 db 20.0 db

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/1...

speedtest.net states 3.11mbps now.

Very strange.

What I think I did is connect the extension directly on the input line (i.e. the wires from the exchange) not after (i.e. the front face), as I am on a production network I could not make further tests this morning. but I will monitor the situation.

The difference in speedtest results will most likely be down to the IP Profile which takes some time to update, and acts as a restriction on the throughput, if you suddenly increase the speed of the line. Only on BT Wholesale based services.

Having a fixed IP makes no difference?

Fixed or dynamic IP makes no difference

In reply to a post by trilibies:

What I think I did is connect the extension directly on the input line (i.e. the wires from the exchange) not after (i.e. the front face), as I am on a production network I could not make further tests this morning. but I will monitor the situation.

No point in doing any tests whatsoever if you have connected the extension direct to the incoming A/B terminals hidden behind the test socket.

Additionally, that is (a) illegal, (b) could mean you get a large bill if you ever need a BT engineer for anything, (c) could be the cause of the problem - you may have made bad contacts there or you may have a split pair connected, as I described above about T2 and T5.

I am rather confused about how in an earlier post you stated a "fact" that you had connected every terminal on the back of the faceplate to the phone cable you fitted for the extension, yet now you say this. One or the other cannot be true, and random answers that are incorrect aren't going to help solve the issue.

I think uploaded photos could be useful . (You can't post photos here). Failing that, what colour wires on T2 and T5, or wherever they are connected.

I had simply forgotten what I did, that was in 3 years ago.

Yes it could be playing a role, but considering I am 3.5m from the exchange, I think I am not too bad with the speed. I'll make sure to re-wire the extension correctly before (if) I get Fibre BB.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

what colour wires on T2 and T5, or wherever they are connected.

I'll get back to you on this...

Hi Guys.

Just an update about the matter regarding distance from a cabinet. An engineer (with a Carillion van) was tinkering with the new FTTC that were fitted around town recently, so I stopped and asked him about my chance of getting good speed even though I am 2 miles from the cabinet. He basically said that I would definitely get a good speed (uttered 14Megs+) even though I was very far. Apparently they push hard to go as far as possible with descent speed.

So my question is: was he talking bull or is that substantiated by some hard evidence?

I'm exactly 2 miles from the cabinet and am not being offered FTTC.