Help me understand a couple of FTTC things?

I have an existing ADSL2+ line from BT getting around 5Mbps. I noticed from their website that fibre broadband is available, but if I go onto the site to order it, the speedchecker tells me it is considerably slower than my line, showing around 2-4Mbps.

It is the same cabinet serving me (Diss Cabinet 1 - IP22 4BE) ADSL as is, according to Openreach, wired for fibre so to the simple mind the only difference is the that fibre replaces copper from the cabinet to the exchange. From the cabinet to my house (less than a mile by road) it's the same piece of copper. Or am I missing something?

If I call BT I get a pile of b/s about distance from exchange and "setup of your connection" and generally non-nourishing information. I have spoken to two BT sales types one who told me I can't actually order fibre, one who said I can but at the slow speed, which confuses me even more.

I am hoping someone on here can at least enlighten me a little and let me know what is or might be going on?

Marc

Fttc uses a different transmission system (VDSL2) which can provide much higher line speeds but only over relatively short lines ( compared to ADSL variants). VDSL speeds drop off much more rapidly from the cabinet than Adsl does from the exchange. That is why those on long lines from an fttc cabinet may see slower speed estimates than for ADSL.

Is IP22 4BE your postcode or the cabinets (suspect the later)

If your actual postcode is out at IP22 1ST and the ones around Rectory Road, then yes distance from the cabinet is the issue.

Why?

VDSL2 (FTTC) uses high frequencies so that the signal can carry more data, but this gives it a shorter range than ADSL.

This range is also impacted by the need to avoid interfering with existing ADSL services of others in the area.

So yes depending on where you are in relation to the cabinet and exchange, you can have FTTC that is slower than the existing ADSL service.

I see, so relatively simple in one sense. Yes Mr Saffron, IP221ST is my postcode....do I know you, was it a good guess or did I put it on my profile somewhere? 8-))

I suspect if I trawl this forum I will find other such comments, but if VDSL is the technology used by all fibre connections and fibre is how high speed broadband is going to be delivered to rural Britain, then without digging up more of the countryside than HS2 so that new cabinets can pop up everywhere....good luck!

Was a guess based on your description of the speeds.

You are not alone
http://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/?area=E14000613 shows that there are 8.8% of premises in the Bury St Edmunds area at under superfast speeds, but served by FTTC.

VDSL2 while the dominant tech is not the only one used in the roll-outs, where the economics stand up then some FTTH is used, 0.33% of the premises in your constituency, all depends on how far the money will stretch.