FTTC Availability Checker - Impacted Estimates

Hi everyone,
Maybe it's because most fttc lines i've dealt with have been on cabinets with aren't very heavily populated with users, however I noticed while doing some research for the next fttc project that a proposed line for fttc (and it's neighbours in the same street) which can't be much more than 100m to the cabinet is showing the following in the checker.

Products_________________Downstream______Upstream_____
________________________ High____Low_____High____Low__
FTTC Range A (Clean)_______69.7___52.7______19.9____15__
FTTC Range B (Impacted)______60____34_______19.9____10_

It seems quite a drastic range of speeds.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Cheers,
flipdee

They think there is something that might slow things down, e.g. bridge tap

Hi Andrew,
Thanks a lot for your reply.
I checked about 5 neighbouring houses (within 100m of each other) using the address checker and strangely got the same estimates, could there be a common problem in the street? (All underground cables).
Cheers,
flipdee

Not a common problem as such. They are in the same street, therefore likely to have the same estimate.

AIUI the A range is what could be expected with an engineer install, allowing for zero to considerable crosstalk as users join the cabinet. The B range is for ADSLx type self-installs where the user bungs a dangly filter in an extension, possibly also using a cheap phone extension cable and siting the router on top of the TV, (I expect you get the picture), and in 95% or more cases is perfectly happy with the result.

Hi RobertS,
Thanks for your reply, Thats what I thought, I suppose with the cables for these properties being underground I can't be sure of cable length.
Another property with a partial overhead cable with a more direct route to the cabinet (although further away as the crow flies) is showing the following:
Products_________________Downstream______Upstream_____
________________________ High____Low_____High____Low__
FTTC Range A (Clean)_______80_____77_______20_____19.9__
FTTC Range B (Impacted)____80_____67.3______20_____17.9__

It's such a pity the checkers don't give estimated line length to the cabinet as additional information, I know this isn't a definitive way to check speed, but would give a bit more insight.

Slightly off-topic, does anyone know of an easy way to check how many spare pairs are available for a property. (this is a bit of a silly question as I believe the only way to check is using the BT Wholesale Order System.

Cheers,
flipdee

Surely you can just look at the incoming drop wire, mine has a spare pair where the original master was. Cable comes in from underground.

Hi R0NSKI,
Thanks for your reply.
Sadly I don't have access to these properties as yet, although a BTOpenreach engineer just told me they are only allowed to install 2 pair drop cables to homes now "due to engineers swapping pairs on a whim", not sure how true this is.
I just recall a BTWholesale reseller being able to tell me if there was capacity at a DP which serves a property, sadly this will be info not in the public domain.

Cheers,
flipdee

I think the actual reason the engineer was alluding to, is that with the price of copper being sky high, and with most properties only having one line these days, the new underground cables usually provided to properties are only two pair.
The new dropwire is only single pair for the same reason.