Aberdeen Lochnagar has started taking FTTC orders...

...on some cabs.

Just a heads up as per title for anyone interested. Not showing on the openreach FTTC map or twitter feed yet but infinity & BT Wholesale checkers are up to date as one would expect.

My cab was installed around 3 weeks ago so pretty decent time frame from install to accepting orders. Just hope Sky get their finger out now! Why is there always more waiting

A month later and there's still no sign of Sky Fibre at Kincorth. So don't hold your breath - wonder if they'll do all exchanges in one location at the same time?

If the BT and Plusnet, (or any other), sites show FTTC as available, it is simply that Sky have not yet purchased a GEA link at that exchange, even though they may have LLU there. They may never do so, if they don't expect sufficient takeup.

(A GEA link is what connects the Openreach customer's kit to the feed from the fibre cabinet).

Kincorth is showing as only available in some areas anyway - not all of the exchange. Lochnagar, according to BT Wholesale, is not yet enabled at all - whatever Openreach may say. OR may have it ready, but that doesn't mean to say any of Openreach's customers, (who are to ones OR is open for orders from - not end users), have enabled these two exchnages.

Openreach's customers for FTTC are BT Wholesale, Sky and TalkTalk. BT Wholesale of course supplies nearly every other ISP.

Ask Sky.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

If the BT and Plusnet, (or any other), sites show FTTC as available, it is simply that Sky have not yet purchased a GEA link at that exchange, even though they may have LLU there. They may never do so, if they don't expect sufficient takeup.

Kincorth and Lochnagar serve approx 23,000 residential premises between them so I'm optimistic that it will be commercially viable for Sky. Its just a matter of when.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Lochnagar, according to BT Wholesale, is not yet enabled at all - whatever Openreach may say. OR may have it ready, but that doesn't mean to say any of Openreach's customers, (who are to ones OR is open for orders from - not end users), have enabled these two exchnages.

According to the BT Wholesale phone number checker and BT Infinity website the Lochnagar cab that serves my postcode is definitely accepting orders.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Ask Sky.

Have done so. No information as of yet but its early days.

Edited by Rygar1 (Sat 01-Dec-12 09:28:09)

PM me your postcode some time. It may be possible to check the fibre headend exchange, which may be different from your phone one. If it is, then that's the exchange where Sky have to get the GEA link installed.

Done.

Headend is Lochnagar. (Cab 13 is yours, but I expect you knew that).

The Twitter feed only seems to happen on one day of the week maybe covering all those opened up the previous week, as does the spreadsheet.

The checkers seem to be more proactive, and maybe linked , once the Wholesale one says yea the Infinity one says yes also.

I think Openreach announce the proposed availability to the ISPs a couple of weeks in advance so that they can order the GEAs. There is likely to be a built in delay so that Sky and Talktalk have the opportunity to have theirs physically provided to keep the 'playing field' level , then when Openreach declare it as open the Wholesale and Infinity checkers go live as their backhaul is virtual and will be easy to enable.

If the others have physically connected up, they could go live the same day. But they appear to wait until they have a set demand before providing the GEA, let others do the publicity maybe?

I would expect the twitter and spreadsheet to catchup next Monday / Tuesday.

Edited by kitcat (Sat 01-Dec-12 11:58:09)

In reply to a post by kitcat:

The Twitter feed only seems to happen on one day of the week maybe covering all those opened up the previous week, as does the spreadsheet.

The Twitter feed is very unreliable, as is the Superfast where and when postcode checker. Sandwich went live on the 4 November, or at least my works cabinet did. No mention of Sandwich on Twitter, and the Superfast Where and When website is still apologising for the delay.

For anyone interested... Sky Fibre now available on Lochnagar. Fibre Pro ordered 13th December, appointment booked for 10th January.

Edited by Rygar1 (Thu 13-Dec-12 16:06:58)