Early FTTC or being too hopeful?

Hi All,

Within the last few weeks it was announced that Kent KCC has signed with BT for the BDUK Project.

Im on the Hawkinge exchange and am hopeful that FTTC will eventually be installed here under the BDUK Scheme.

I was not expecting any movement on this until 2014 realistically.

However looking on roadworks.org

For my local cabinet and a few others in hawkinge this entry for BT works has appeared. Due to happen in the next few days

STREET CABINET INSTALLATION. Excavate to lay duct, lay concrete plinth (3 days to set) and stand cabinet, check & clear site. Approx 10m Of Duct In F/Way

These are right next to the existing cabs.

Does this sound like FTTC cabs coming early or am I too hopeful?

The BT checker does not mention FTTC nor does openreach for this exchange, I just though it was a coincidence

Same thing I asked the other day for my town: http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/fibre/t/4223616-re-...

And yes that should be FTTC.

I would say this pretty much means that the FTTC cabinets in your area are being installed....just remember that the install of the cabinet is only one part of the equation...my cabinet was installed in July 2012, but only started accepting orders in March 2013 (although other cabs in the same town were also installed in July 2012, but started accepting orders in October 2012).

Work has started today and engineers confirmed it is FTTC Cabs being install - so good news

Still the openreach site and adsl checkers indicate no plans for FTTC for the Hawkinge Exchange so seems slightly odd. But not complaining least its progress.

Well now 3 FTTC Cabs have appeared around the village.

However the BT Openreach Where and When page still says the Exchange is not in current roll out plans. The BT DSL Checker does not mention fibre either.

Emailed openreach no reply (after 3 weeks) and the local BDUK Contact KCC say nothing has been commissioned for Hawkinge.

So im pleased cabs are appearing but seems a little strange as to a live date, and who is commissioning this i.e BT Commercial, BDUK or a Private Scheme

The live date will come in a few weeks/months when openreach update their checkers, the where and when site will proably update for all the exchanges in kent.

Openreach will not reply to you if your exchange is not in their plans on the where and when site.

Bagnor in Wales had quite a few cabs appearing before the annoucements by the supefast wales project, so its just Openreach getting on with the Kent project.

Spotted 2 of them on Aerodrome road.
Where's the 3rd one?

I'd assume BDUK but seems strange it happened so quickly after signing of the contract.
Hawkinge wasn't on the scheduled list on 'this' map.

Need the one by the traffic lights to go in for me

The other one is at the end of page road Corbett drive area.

Unfortunately from speaking to the KCC BDUK people via email and Openreach - apparently these 3 cabs were installed by BTs contractors for the area without approval and it sounds like they are likely to sit there for a while without much else being done. No fibre has been run from the exchange to these cabs.

BT gave me a estimated date of go live of Sep 2014 - hopefully that's worst case and it will be earlier.

Im apparently on CAB 6 which is on Haven drive even though the Page road Cab is much nearer.

At least some work has been done but if what I was told by KCC/Openreach is correct it is still quite some time off before services will start to go live.

Thanks for the info. Bit depressing but at least you have it confirmed that it is scheduled.

Well I see today that they have started work on my cabinet by the traffic lights.

Hard to believe the contractors are still working unapproved so maybe things are moving quicker than expected?

Fingers crossed!