(Another) FTTC/P Rural Exchange Question

I'm on the NEHH exchange in Northumberland and am just wondering what to expect from the rollout.

Exchange details here:
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/NEHH

Location of exchange is here:
http://goo.gl/maps/8SDpM

My estate is here:
http://goo.gl/maps/zlMKx

inorthumberland map suggests a delivery date by the end of 2015 ominously in their very unhelpfully sized/labelled map here:
http://www.inorthumberland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads...

We have an RFS date of 30 June 2014 for FTTC and FTTP. The exchange is small and has been funded through the BDUK route.

I have spoofed a few phone numbers for my area through BT's ADSL checker (01434 681 2** type numbers) and can find reference to only 1 cabinet on the exchange. My line is an exchange only line. I admit I'm a little lazy so haven't been through all possible 800 numbers or so in the area but I can't see any other cabinets.

Assuming that there is only 1 cabinet for the entire area what are the rest of us in the exchange area likely to be offered if anything as far as FTTP is concerned? Is there any liklehood that BT will install a few more cabinets in the area?

Just looking to chat about developments really. I fear that the RFS date will enable the cabinet but that we are actually nowhere near getting a fibre rollout in the majority of the exchange area.

Three cabinets

Around 1/3rd of lines are exchange only, Simonburn, Humshaugh and Wall being the main clusters.

Two cabs are probably going to be lucky and some EO might get FTTP. Down to iNorthumberland to communicate the good news really as their plans may change e.g. someone might object to a cabinet or roadworks could be delayed

When you say an RFS date of 30th June 2014, do you mean your EO line or one of the cabinets?

Interesting. .

The RFS date is just what I grabbed from Sam Knows. I think it just comes from the date set out by BT on their Infinity site which lists the exchange date as end of June 2014. No specific RFS date on my line etc.

As for the three clusters of EO areas. Wall is here: http://goo.gl/maps/Jd8nB. It's a way from the exchange and over a one lane Roman Bridge so I am not sure how they will get the Fibre across to that area easily. Simonburn is here http://goo.gl/maps/jLZI9 and a little rural.

If I knew which clusters the Cabinets covered I could understand the rollout a little better but I just can't see any sight of them at the moment. Are your figures of 1/3 EO lines accurate? No cricism intended! I would have guessed at a much higher percentage.

I would love someone to ask if we wanted a cabinet installed on our estate!

Happy to say 1/3rd but not happy to say exact number of properties as that can vary a lot

Cab 1 example NE46 4TH
Cab 2 example NE48 4AR
Cab 3 example NE46 4BL

Some Eo
NE48 6AE
NE46 4DT
NE46 4EP

Believe only cabs 1 and 2 are in the BDUK project phases at present. (Cab 3 covers a lot less properties)

The cabinets are the likely ones to appear, with FTTP appearing later in the areas where they have planned it.

Thanks.

That's the most interesting data I've had on my area. Thanks for digging it out.

That means that there are no Cabs near the main village. I presume that's why we are a FTTC and FTTP exchange.

At least one of the Cabs covers Barrasford which is a similar sized village across the North Tyne river and one other might cover Gunnerton with 40 or so houses. Both of those villages struggle with an around 2mg connection or worse so they would benefit from fibre.

What is most intruiging is that as the entire village of Humshaugh is therefore EO lines it seems an odd choice to enable the exchange for fibre in the initial rollout stages.

If they are laying fibre to Cabs 1 and 2 I have no idea how they intend to cross the river unless they use the Roman Bridge at the South of Humshaugh which would take the fibre through the entire village in any event.

I'm now hoping that a few new Cabs will spring up in the coming months!

How much coverage does a Cab have? i.e. what distance is it used to service?

Edited by deleted (Thu 10-Apr-14 15:08:32)

In reply to a post by Salion:

If they are laying fibre to Cabs 1 and 2 I have no idea how they intend to cross the river unless they use the Roman Bridge at the South of Humshaugh which would take the fibre through the entire village in any event.

It all depends on where the fibre is run from. There is no guarantee that the fibre will be run from the exchange, especially for a small exchange.

If the fibre is run from the exchange then, logically, it will follow the same route (using the same ducts) as the existing cables to the cab. If does not come from the exchange it will simply use the easiest route that is available within the existing ducting where ever possible.

Okay - also very interesting.

Might that mean that the fibre might be run up from Hexham which is South of the river and on the same side as Cabs 1 and 2 and never get to the exchange which is on the North of the river?

That would make sense and mean that Humshaugh itself would need to wait until they actually managed to lay Fibre across the river. It would also explain why the iNorthumberland broadband map shows a later delivery for North of the river as compared to the South.

Hexham will be the fibre handover node (it will handle itself and 8 other exchanges)

Great,

It's all starting to make sense now. I feel like I have a better understanding of the issues of the geography of the local area.

I can feed back what I have learnt when I get out and about in the local community but I still find (for a reasonably tech savy guy) finding the information is really hard - save for posting here.

Thanks for all your help. I will let you know how we get on.

A belated update on this point.

In the intervening months, BT have installed at least 1, perhaps 2, new cabinets in the area. PCP5 went in beside the village pub last week which is in the middle of the village and 400m from the local exchange.

Does anyone know if that is a pre-cursor (as I assume it is) to putting all of the village's lines (which are exchange only) into PCP5? I hope so for obvious reasons.

Also interesting is the amount of duct works going on (have a look at the Humshaugh area on Roadworks.org) to lay cable. It certainly takes a lot more effort than people in rural areas give BT credit for.