I'm going to cry

Moved house a couple of years ago and for a laugh I just put my old phone number into the checker to see what kind of speed I'd have got if I was still there (currently waiting for FTTC to be rolled out where I am now)

This is what it says:

For Telephone Number 01784XXXXXX on Exchange ASHFORD

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 7.5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 6.5Mbps and 8Mbps.


Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 18.5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 16.5Mbps and 20Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 1.5Mbps and downstream line speed of 18.5Mbps; typically the downstream speed would range between 16.5Mbps and 20Mbps.

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.

If you decide to place an order, a further test will be performed to confirm if your line is suitable for the service you wish to purchase.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a WBC Fibre To The Premises technology with an estimated Broadband downstream line speed of up to 330Mbps and upstream line speed of up to 30Mbps.

Our records show the following network service information for your premises:-
Single Dwelling Unit Residential
OH Feed with no anticipated issues.

Furthermore your exchange has been enabled for multicast services on fibre lines, please contact your provider for further details.

If you decide to place an order for a fibre product, an appointment might be required where an engineer may need to visit your premises who will, where possible, supply the service.

Thank you for your interest.

I could have had FTTP!

Not only that, but you couldn't afford to buy the house now it has that available!

Yes indeed!
I doubt I could afford a FTTP install either, I would imagine it's a lot pricier than FTTC for the few that can receive it.

so, thinking about the above, and FTTP..


Doesn't it add ''value'' and ''desireability'' to a property..

it does for us internet freaks.. (and there are a lot of us !!!)

I don't think FTTP installs are any more expensive than FTTC in the areas that are getting it.

It's the Fibre on Demand to replace FTTC installations that is expected to be extremely pricey.

In reply to a post by AndrewUK:

Yes indeed!
I doubt I could afford a FTTP install either, I would imagine it's a lot pricier than FTTC for the few that can receive it.

BT are doing free FTTP installation for those that can get it. It's FTTP On Demand that should be rolling out next year that will cost.

I remember reading that the 330mbps service was going to cost ISP's £80+vat.
So I can imagine that it'll be quite expensive to the (pro/con)sumer.

Satpal

theres fttp in ashford every time ive enquired they just said it doesnt exist what area of ashford was you old house in as where we currently live is very close to the exchange

Don't forget there are two Ashfords, one in Kent the other which I think the OP is referring to in Middlesex.

Samknows thinks there are three Ashford exchanges. One in Kent, one in Surrey, and Ashford (Middlesex) in Surrey. But could have an error, as it shows Ashford (Middlesex) at the same postcode and location as the Surrey one. But with different details.

The OP's dialling code is for Staines in Surrey. However, according to samknows both Ashford (Surrey) and Ashford (Middlesex) have that same code and seem to be at the same address, which isn't the same as the Staines exchange.

Needs a bit more looking into, but I haven't time right now. We can be sure he isn't on the Kent one from the code, and fairly sure not the Ashford (Middlesx) one from the paste in the OP.

There isn't an exchange LWASF. Its an incorrect entry on the site, probably from some old data that hat hasn't been removed.
LWASH is the correct entry

Edited by deleted (Wed 27-Jun-12 17:03:40)

Ashford was in the old county of Middlesex until 1965 when the London Boroughs were formed. Part of Ashford went to teh London Borough of Hounslow, and the remainder was moved into Surrey where it now forms part of Spelthorne - Spelthorne includes Staines.

So, Ashford Surrey and Ashford Middlesex are the same place ... if you live in the west of London, the town is called Ashford and the other one, Ashford (Kent).

Very cheap compared to any other option for getting that sort of bandwidth!

Agreed, I think the main problem is that people who grew up in what was Middlesex still refer to it as Middlesex and it confuses the hell out of people who grew up after it was abolished - Let's finally get rid of Middlesex for good.

In reply to a post by The_Voyager:

Agreed, I think the main problem is that people who grew up in what was Middlesex still refer to it as Middlesex and it confuses the hell out of people who grew up after it was abolished - Let's finally get rid of Middlesex for good.

It remained as a postal county until 1996, but is still used, optionally, when addressing mail to the post towns indicated

Yes it's Ashford (Middx) or Surrey if you will that I was referring to
I don't live there now but if I did I'd be surfing that 330mbit pipeline...

The only way for us to be sure where we are talking about is for you to put the phone number into samknows and post us the link to the result.

The thing is, you may mean Middlesex, but your BT Wholesale paste at the beginning doesn't. Samknows has completely different info for the two Ashfords. (Excluding the Kent one).

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 29-Jun-12 21:45:47)

It was definitely the Ashford Middx Exchange (LWASH) - I used to live next door to it

Things are now confussed even more by renaming Staines as Staines on Thames

I always thought Staines was in Middlesex...

I do get confussed by the tesco In Staines as its often referred to as in Ashford.

So Middlesex doesn't exist anymore?

Staines was in Middlesex until the mid '60s.

The name change was effectively forced on the town by other councillors - even the councillors representing te various wards of Staines did not vote for it. And petitions from local groups were ignored.

Crazy that even now, when trying to find Staines shops on store locators etc I have to select Middlesex. Always thought it was weird that only Staines comes up under Middlesex on websites & nothing else.

They need to phase it out completely as its confussing!

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

... Staines ...

They need to phase it out completely as its confussing!

Phasing out Staines would be perfect ... John Betjeman's poem about Slough could just as well refer to Staines!

I do have to say that slough for me is on another level of bad.

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

So Middlesex doesn't exist anymore?

It hasn't existed since 1965!

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

So Middlesex doesn't exist anymore?

It hasn't existed since 1965!

It's quite impressive that a non existent place has a cricket club and a university.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

It's quite impressive that a non existent place has a cricket club and a university.

Yeah, there are lots of these. Former county's where the name has been adopted for something else (e.g. Cricket Club), and the county is merged with another (in this case Surrey) and the Cricket Club don't change.

Causes problems for the post office, as human beings still say they're in Middlesex, but the actual address is Surrey. Postcodes thankfully resolve this.

I used to work in Middex

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Causes problems for the post office, as human beings still say they're in Middlesex, but the actual address is Surrey. Postcodes thankfully resolve this.

My county of East Sussex will probably not vanish any time soon. That said, my official postal address doesn't contain my county anymore so I only give it out when a form marks it as "required".

Edited by Oliver341 (Thu 05-Jul-12 18:26:01)

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

My county of East Sussex will probably not vanish any time soon. That said, my official postal address doesn't contain my county anymore so I only give it out when a form marks it as "required".

My family is in West Sussex No I don't think either would. I believe Middlesex was folded into Surrey because of its size (ie, lack of population) in relation to the others around.

Ditto on the official address, I live in Farnborough and there are a lot of places in the UK with that name, so I often put "Hants" or "Hampshire" after the name, but the Post Office does not require it.

Their postcode checker website can give you the full official postal address. Often useful.

Technically, the Postal Address and the Local Authority Administrative Address do not need to be the same.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Technically, the Postal Address and the Local Authority Administrative Address do not need to be the same.

Tell me about it! My postal address includes the nearby town, which is not my local authority and unfortunately has a street name and number identical to mine. It's such fun receiving their summonses and threats of bailiff visits, not to mention my parcels that end up there!

Edited by kasg (Thu 05-Jul-12 19:17:24)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Technically, the Postal Address and the Local Authority Administrative Address do not need to be the same.

Yep, I gathered that from some work I was involved with relating to planning systems a few years ago. Often you postal address can include the county next to the one your building/road is actually in

Dont cry too much.

I've just moved to Canada and only get a mobile 3G type connection to the house! Goes about 3Mbit/s but only 3GB usage allowance for about 30 quid after currency conversion

Certainly a change from the unlimited infinity connection I had in the UK!

In reply to a post by orly:

I've just moved to Canada

How longs that for?

In reply to a post by jchamier:

.... I believe Middlesex was folded into Surrey because of its size (ie, lack of population) in relation to the others around.

In 1965 the population of Middlesex was around 2.5 million! And the county stretched from Potters Bar & Enfield in the North, down to Sunbury-on-Thames & Twickenham in the South and from Uxbridge in the West to Westminster in the East. In the early 20th century parts were take to form the county of London and then in 1965, the remainder were used to create many of the London Boroughs ...

Anyone who has lived in Middlesex will often use Middlesex in the address!

In reply to a post by orly:

Dont cry too much.

I've just moved to Canada and only get a mobile 3G type connection to the house! Goes about 3Mbit/s but only 3GB usage allowance for about 30 quid after currency conversion

Certainly a change from the unlimited infinity connection I had in the UK!

Wow, what you doing over in Canada? Certainly a big move!

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

So Middlesex doesn't exist anymore?

It hasn't existed since 1965!

It's quite impressive that a non existent place has a cricket club and a university.

Well they did not want to change the name to London Boroughs Cricket Club!

Permanently...hopefully.

Chance at a new life. I have a Canadian fiance (and family of my own here) and I've seen the UK sliding for several years. As I'm relatively young and had no major commitments in the UK it seemed like the best chance I'd get. More opportunities and quality of life here. Lived here temporarily in the past but this time it'll hopefully be a permanent move. Southern Ontario comes recommended

Getting ripped off royally for phones and internet but that's about the only thing that costs me more personally.

Edited by orly (Fri 06-Jul-12 05:41:29)

I wish you all the best then .

In reply to a post by The_Voyager:

Let's finally get rid of Middlesex for good.

This is a joke right? For the sake of a council area you want to abandon 1,000 years of history?

http://gazetteer.co.uk/
http://www.quadhurst.co.uk/mapshome.html

For everyday usage it is either Surrey or London, There are numerous places in London that were in different counties, but no one refers to them as such in day to day usage, where I live used to be in Surrey, but everyone just calls it Sarf London now.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

This is a joke right? ... you want to abandon 1,000 years of history?

The benefit of which is?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

This is a joke right? ... you want to abandon 1,000 years of history?

The benefit of which is?

People get attached to their counties. Take the example of Rutland for instance: http://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/local/mp-wins-...

Of course the irony is that Royal Mail will totally remove counties from postal addresses in the next few years: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-mail/79...

Edited by Oliver341 (Tue 10-Jul-12 19:17:49)

I agree about the emotional attachment, but that isn't the same thing as 1000 years of history. I wonder how much of his/her county's history the Anon poster has in their head? Very little I expect.

Googling it of course is not a problem.

As for postcodes and no need for counties, last week we again received a letter for someone else living in Stockport at the same house number and road name as ours. The envelope had the postcode (SK3 yyy) clearly readable and the machine coloured dots that I assume corresponded.

The differences being that we are at road name, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK4 xxx.

We "are" in Cheshire. Goodness knows where the other place used to be, possibly Lancashire. (Looks that way on a quick wiki look).

So you share address 1 and postal town with the other house, with a different address 2 and postcode? Yeah, I can see that being messy.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

So you share address 1 and postal town with the other house, with a different address 2 and postcode? Yeah, I can see that being messy.

But the PAF is just the database that corporations use, and it includes the post code, and its then unique.

The problem is when royal mail staff are busy and misread the printed, so it goes in the wrong bucket.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

The problem is when royal mail staff are busy and misread the printed, so it goes in the wrong bucket.

That's the messy bit.