Thanks for that Wombat. I've tried the checker and it doesn't return a cabinet:
'******** BB7 3LN on Exchange STONYHURST'

Does this mean we are definitely on an exchange only line? This is a new term to me. I appreciate that not being connected to a cabinet makes a FTTC service irrelevant, but as a layman I don't really understand why this means we can't have faster broadband; is it that a specific copper wire leaves the exchange and comes direct into our house and to get superfast broadband, that wire would need replacing with fibre optics - or is that too simplistic?

Hi,

Can anyone check Bridgeton Cabinet 74? Surrounding cabinets had all theirs upgraded and there was suppose to be roadworks a month ago in the estate, but nothing happened.

Is there any information on BT's side about why it never went ahead?

Thanks!

Your on an EO (Exchange Only) line, and you would need to either:
1: Be put on FTTP (hardly going to happen)
2: Be either put on an existing PCP cabinet or a new one, and then have a fibre cabinet installed.
3: Have a Combi cabinet (PCP + Fibre combined)

Anyway here is the info I have:

Exchange Name: Stonyhurst
Exchange Code: LCSTO
County: Lancashire

Cabinet: EO Line
Fibre Phase: Not Available
Fibre Information: None
Result Count: 5

[BB7 3LN]
� Has 5 result(s) connected to an EO (Exchange Only) line with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 5.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 3.5 to 7.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 5.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 3.5 to 7.5 (downstream range)

Please note that these speeds are using BT's DSL Checker and uses the lowest and highest values for that postcode and cabinet.
� Had at least 1 issue retrieving information from the BT DSL Checker.

Sadly I cannot see any plans to move you over to any new or existing cabinets at the moment.

Your Exchange currently only has 3 cabinets, cabinet 2 seems to have fibre and cabinet 1 is due to go live about May ish, as for Cabinet 3, no schedule for any fibre as yet, there are also loads of EO lines.

Hopefully I don't confuse you any more, but I have a habit of confusing people

Anyway for you to order and get fibre you either need to be upgraded to FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) which requires BTOR (BT Openreach) to install a fibre cabinet close to your PCP Cabinet (your phone cabinet) both of these need to be in place for you to be able to order fibre.

Now for FTTP (Fibre to the premises) this requires no fibre cabinet and in a way neither a phone cabinet, so these have been great for EO (Exchange Only) Lines where their phone lines are connected to the exchange without a PCP Cabinet.

Some EO Lines have had one of the new Combi Cabinets installed which consists of a PCP cabinet as well as a fibre cabinet all in a nice new style cabinet.

Basically you need to have both a PCP Phone Cabinet as well as a Fibre Cabinet to be able to get fibre, sadly you currently have neither.

On a side note your exchange seems to have been upgraded to support FTTC as well as FTTP, so maybe you might be very lucky and get FTTP, but in most cases you might get FTTC.

Paul

As far as I can see by the information available to me is your cabinet i.e. Cabinet 74 is down for FTTC and is part of Phase BDUK Scot Government 13b and seems its still currently in planning.

I am currently checking the postcodes (about 9 postcodes) supported by your cabinet, which will tell me how many addresses are going through that cabinet.

I will update this post with the information.

*** Update ***
I have the following information:

Exchange Name: Bridgeton
Exchange Code: WSBRI
Country: Scotland

Cabinet: 74
Fibre Phase: BDUK Scot Government 13b
Fibre Information: FTTC Planned (exchange ready 14th November 2012)
Result Count: 330

[G31 4PA]
� Has 91 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 5.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 3.0 to 7.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4PB]
� Has 33 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 4.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.5 to 6.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4PD]
� Has 31 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 6.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 4.0 to 8.0 (downstream range)

[G31 4PH]
� Has 23 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 4.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.5 to 6.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4PY]
� Has 8 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 3.5 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.0 to 5.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 5.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 3.0 to 7.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4PZ]
� Has 43 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 1.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 5.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.5 to 6.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4QD]
� Has 36 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 1.5 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 3.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.0 to 5.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4QE]
� Has 33 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 4.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.5 to 6.5 (downstream range)

[G31 4QJ]
� Has 32 result(s) connected to Cabinet 74 with ADSLx with approximate speeds around the following:
� ADSLx (Worst): Up to 2.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 1.0 to 3.5 (downstream range)
� ADSLx (Best): Up to 4.0 (downstream rate) -- (upsrteam rate) 2.5 to 6.5 (downstream range)

Please note that these speeds are using BT's DSL Checker and uses the lowest and highest values for that postcode and cabinet.
� Had at least 1 issue retrieving information from the BT DSL Checker.

In my eyes this should be viable for FTTC due to the amount of homes on that cabinet, however it also depends on the routing of the fibre, is there any issues found etc, this and planning permission would also delay rollouts.

Paul

Edited by PaulKirby (Tue 21-Apr-15 12:55:18)

Thanks Paul,

I think I follow you: effectively we are stuffed as our little hamlet is so small that neither BT or the Lancashire BDUK people think we are worth it! I chuckled at the quoted figure of 3.5 to 7.5 download speed. I've seen 5 on the odd occasion when the wind is blowing the right way and the electrons have had there weetabix.

I'll keep nagging BT and the BDUK people but I know it won't get us anywhere. I gues we can only hope that they divert our bit of copper wire into a fibre cabinet rather than it going direct to the exchange and this gives us a bit of a speed boost - which I assume is what you mean in options 2 and 3.

This 'rural broadband for all' thing is one great big, expensive PR con in my book!

In reply to a post by skillster:

Thanks Paul,

I think I follow you: effectively we are stuffed as our little hamlet is so small that neither BT or the Lancashire BDUK people think we are worth it! I chuckled at the quoted figure of 3.5 to 7.5 download speed. I've seen 5 on the odd occasion when the wind is blowing the right way and the electrons have had there weetabix.

Yeah I am in the same boat, currently stuck with slow ADSL2+ speeds about your speed of 5Mbps, but that changes when it gets windy or it rains where we end up with no internet, there are places that don't even get 1Mbps so as least its not as bad as that.

In reply to a post by skillster:

I'll keep nagging BT and the BDUK people but I know it won't get us anywhere. I guess we can only hope that they divert our bit of copper wire into a fibre cabinet rather than it going direct to the exchange and this gives us a bit of a speed boost - which I assume is what you mean in options 2 and 3.

You will probably get put on either an existing cabinet or a new one will be installed, from there you may get lucky and get a fibre cabinet installed, its all down to how many addresses the cabinet will cater for, I have seen a cabinet containing as little of 129 addresses and they had a fibre cabinet installed for them.
My guesses are like I already said for EO lines to get fibre i.e. FTTC you need to have 2 cabinets (PCP and fibre) or the new combi cabinet that has both in it, this require more work and more time to rollout, and then there is planning permission.

In reply to a post by skillster:

This 'rural broadband for all' thing is one great big, expensive PR con in my book!

At least most if not all rural areas get BDUK funding as well, people like myself live in Greater London and can only rely on the commercial rollout and don't have any BDUK funding, and currently seem to be put on hold for installing in rural areas that have BDUK funding.

Paul

In reply to a post by skillster:

This 'rural broadband for all' thing is one great big, expensive PR con in my book!

The only people who say "for all" are B4RN - but you're a way away from Abbeystead to be included in their plans.

Otherwise the government have only set plans to cover 95% of homes - which effectively gets down to hamlets with 40-50 homes or so. Anything smaller is likely to be a lucky side-effect of living close to a larger hamlet.

Beyond that, wireless broadband is much more likely, sometime in the next parliament,but there still needs to be a mast in sight - which may need to be visible to more like 20-30 homes to be viable.

Paul,
Would you mind checking the Old Rayne exchange (NSORN) please? It's now showing as an 'enabled area' and I'm just wondering if there is a date for my local cabinet, Cabinet 1. My postcode is AB52 6RB.
Many thanks

In reply to a post by BigAl:

Paul,
Would you mind checking the Old Rayne exchange (NSORN) please? It's now showing as an 'enabled area' and I'm just wondering if there is a date for my local cabinet, Cabinet 1. My postcode is AB52 6RB.
Many thanks

Well I cannot see any enable dates, but your exchange hasn't long been upgraded i.e. just over a year ago, I also cannot see any work scheduled for the cabinet, so either they have the cabinet already in place and just need to fibre it all up or if its all done and that they are still testing it.

I will do some checks and update my post with what I find.

*** Update ***
Ok, did some checks I will PM you the information due to its rather long for a post.

But it seems that nobody on cabinet 1 for your exchange has fibre yet, your cabinet "may" get some EO Lines later on or they may get put on cabinet 2 like the rest, but like I said I cannot see any dates saying when it will go live.

Paul

Edited by PaulKirby (Tue 21-Apr-15 17:48:44)

Hi Paul,
Could you please check cabinet 12 on the Skewen exchange, Neath Port Talbot. I have tried asking openreach and superfast Cymru for an estimated fibre arrival date but I've had no luck with either. My postcode is SA7 9EB.
Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks
Dylan

Edited by deleted (Tue 21-Apr-15 18:00:38)