Can't get fibre but everywhere round me can.

Hi everyone

I was very keen to learn that a new cabinet was recently added in my area so I have been looking forward to seeing what we could get from it fibre wise.

I've been checking both BT and Sky services today and it seems that neither can offer fibre broadband, but the strange thing is it's only for my street - all the streets round me can get it.

It gets a little stranger...one of the checkers I tried (I can't remember which, I found the link on here) estimated my fibre speed to be 35mbps...yet the providers say I can't get it.

Could someone with more knowledge than me on the matter please explain what could be going wrong.

My post code is PR4 4AY and our exchange is LCLOT

If you look on Google maps you will see that we are small road and the cabinet is 1440 feet from my road.

The main road that my road branches from Chapel Lane - PR4 4AB can get fibre, as can the road opposite mine (also branching from the main road), South Avenue with a post code of PR4 4BB.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or advice.

Thanks!

I've just seen the link MrSaffron posted to mr_magicfingers and he posted the link I found that said I could get fibre, it's http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/fibre/checker.php

For me that link says:

Postcode Exchange Service Type Probability Speed Increase Phase Cabinet
PR44AY LONGTON; LANCASHIRE FTTC 100% 3.44 6A announced March 2010 P9

So that says I can get fibre which would give me a speed of around 36mbps - not to be sneezed at, but neither BT nor Sky think I can get it.

What's going on?

That is a spreadsheet from December 2011, and thre are cabinets that have not been installed yet, so very likely to be the case for your phone line.

Thank you for the reply but it's not the case in this instance.

If I put the post code of the road opposite me in - South Avenue - PR4 4BB, in the 'can I get infinity' box on BTs website it says I can get infinity at 27.5Mb/5.7Mb

If I put a house number and post code of Chapel Lane PR4 4AB it says I can get 23.4Mb/5.6Mb - that's the main road that both my road and South Avenue branch off.

So the cabinet is enabled as others in my area - in fact exceptionally close to me can get it. I've done searches for roads further away as well but still in my village and they can also get it...it really does just seem to be my post code.

Edited by deleted (Fri 18-May-12 11:44:17)

I am having the same problem as teh OP. the availability checkers show my property as not enabled. My neighbor came up (first on teh cabinet) and I asked the engineer who installed him what was up. he said there was no engineering reason that I shouldn't be able to come up (he even pulled up a wiring diagram from my property to the cab). When I speak to BT though, they say, basically, 'computer says no' and won't give me any more details as to why.

Super frustrating...

the link above puts my probability at 100%...

Thanks for the reply cornasdf, sorry to hear you are having the same issues but glad in a way it's not just me!

I wonder how many people are affected by it.

If you truly believe it is an error in the OpenReach database you could always trying emailing the head man at BT and explain the issue calmly and rationally - ranting won't help!

The email you need can be found on the internet - try here CEO email

If every indication is that this is a mistake then try the contact us at www.openreach.co.uk, though ideally your chosen provider should do this on your behalf.

Failing that the CEO as suggested by another poster.

The BT data seems to be littered with mistakes, as others have said, you need to do a it bit of research, use the spread sheet to check the other addresses are on the same cabinet as you. The 100% is a percentage of lines in that postcode supplied from that cabinet, it's possible they are on a different cabinet.

Do your research, speak to engineers if possible, document it and then send yours emails off as above.

Thanks for the replies, they are really helpful!

I will contact Openreach and see what they say but evidence gathering first is a good idea.

How should I go about that, the spreadsheet that R0NSKI mentions, is that the coolwebhome link?

Finally how do I check the cabinets? Is that the P9 in the results I posted above? If I check some local addresses and they area all on P9 that means they are using the same cabinet or is it more complicated than that?

The green cabinets in the street usually have the number on them, helps out of area Openreach engineers identify them.

Coolwebhome is based on the spreadsheet from december 2011, there is a version you can download or access via Google Fusion, but I wanted to make it a little easier to use, and add extra information as and when I can.

Yes the coolwebhome link is an on line tool that is based around the original CSV that some people who post here "may" have copies of

P9 in the results would be a CAB number and somewhere near your house (depending on the housing density etc) there will be a green CAB hopefully with the number 9 on the side (can be very faint!).

Types of street furniture (particulary those which arent BT CABs are given on RobertoS site here

Thanks again for the replies, I know exactly where the cabinet is right down the nearest foot (I was measuring on Google maps ) so I'll go and have a nosey at it this afternoon, see what's on there.

If for example it had a 7 on it, would that mean my road is being serviced by another cabinet somewhere else?

OK I've gone and had a look...

There is no wording or numbering on the big FTTC cabinet at all, just a voltage warning symbol.

On the small cabinet in marker pen on the top right is written PCP9, and I think on the bottom of the old cabinet there is a rusty 9 in a small disc.

Yes it would mean your cabinet is elsewhere, a lot of our cabinets didn't have numbers on, and some were just chalked on.

If you have no luck finding it, I'll create a map on Batch Geo of the postcodes supplied by your cabinet, which is what I do when I need to locate a cabinet.

Edit. ah see you've found it.

Edited by R0NSKI (Fri 18-May-12 15:56:54)

Thanks for the offer but yes I've always known where it was, I was very pleased when I saw the fibre cabinet being put in...not so pleased now I can't access anything.

So what do you think, is that the right cabinet? If so I guess I'll just have to contact Openreach and see what they say.

I think by the sound of it that is your cabinet, is it by any chance this one http://g.co/maps/mjyaj the house opposite (170 Chapel Lane) can get the full 80/20 speeds according the BT Wholesale checker.

I've created a map of postcodes supplied by your cabinet, the location of the exchange and the cabinet. http://batchgeo.com/map/5fbb2a41cbfd1a865e08e3afeafb...
Each push pin also shows the percentage of lines in that post code supplied by that cabinet, straight away you can see one error in the data, an address in Preston isn't likely to be supplied by your cabinet.

Now you can find all addresses in a post code by following this simple guide:

1 Click this link http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProduc...
2 Click Can I Get BT Infinity
3 Click I'm not with BT
4 Now enter your postcode you wish to check, but a house number that wont exist for instance 999, then click Check now
5 Now when it pops up saying it cant find the address just enter only the postcode again, click Find Address, and you will now have a list of addresses in that post code.
6 When you want to check another postcode, just change the post code and click Find Address again.

You can now use the addresses from that list to check availability of FTTC

Click this http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.Addres... and then click Proceed, enter the house number or building name and then the postcode, when you get your result you can just click back to check another.

You should only check postcodes with 100% lines supplied by cabinet PCP 9, because otherwise you could check an address supplied by another cabinet.

I checked a few last night, and found that along with your road, the AMS Trading estate also couldn't get FTTC, even though 100% of lines come from cabinet 9.

I would suggest checking a few addresses from each postcode, noting the address and availability, then you can use this info in your email. If your ISP is not willing to do anything then you can contact Open Reach or the CEO of BT, I believe someone posted links above. It would also be useful if you could find a BT engineer to confirm you are on cabinet 9 in case the December data is wrong and it has since been updated, but from the postcode map it does look correct.

Hope that helps, and keep us updated, and if all else fails email the BT Group CEO Ian Livingston, but be polite and detail your complaint, worked wonders when I had problems with my brothers broadband.

SAU_NODE_ID Postcode Percent Lines Uplift
{LCLOT}{P9} PR45FB 2% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR45NA 11% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SQ 25% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SD 27% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SN 80% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AA 90% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AB 97% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SG 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44WP 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AD 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SL 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AX 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44BE 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AE 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR45SA 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR45NR 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44BD 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44SJ 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR45AD 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44BB 100% 3.44
{LCLOT}{P9} PR44AY 100% 3.44

Edited by R0NSKI (Sat 19-May-12 08:12:58)