Force install of FTTC when too far from cabinet

Does anyone know if it is possible to force BT to install FTTC to an address which is too far from the cabinet to get 'Infinity'?

Our cabinet was upgraded a year ago and is accepting orders but BT won't allow me to order Infinity as we are 3km from the cabinet and therefore predicted a lowish rate (3.2Mbps).

Our ADSL used to give 4.5Mbps but occasionally drops to 1Mbps. It is in such a mode at the moment (I don't know if the hot weather could be contributory) and a chat with BT revealed that they don't consider this a problem as the guaranteed rate is just 1Mbps. I tried to request that they order FTTC for my line but they didn't seem able to do so.

Obviously there is no guarantee that FTTC will be better but maybe it would be more consistent at least.

Superfast Essex seem to be suggesting that there may be some sort of plan to improve fibre by 2019 but I don't know if that is based on any real data.

The cabinet in question is GT DUNMOW 12 and the village Little Easton.

You can order "faster total broadband" which is FTTC that BT won't sell as Infinity as the predicted speed is sub 15meg.

Or you can try another provider, since you don't have to order VDSL2 from BT Retail

Should that come up as an option when I try to upgrade? I have certainly never seen it but I'll try those words with an agent next time I am taking to one.

BTW, just done a quick measure along the road path (which is probably the route the cables take but impossible to be sure as some of it is underground) and it comes to 2.5km.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Or you can try another provider, since you don't have to order VDSL2 from BT Retail

I don't HAVE to but it certainly would make things simpler as I also have mobiles with BT and about 10 months to run on the latest contract renewal.

It should do, but while the wholesale checker may show an estimated speeds there is nothing stopping providers deciding not to sell to you below a certain speed.

2.5km is in the region where chances of things working are about the same as guessing 3 coin tosses correctly

Openreach to install fibre cabinet with 3km away from the property is seem very unfair play from BT. I think Street Cabinet should be BANNED for more than 1.5km away from the property. Just saying.

Only stupid if all the premises are that far away, without knowing the cabinet hard to pass judgement in such a sweeping manner as you've managed.

Stopping install of a cabinet because of 1 property when maybe 50 others will benefit helps no-one, and if a BDUK funded one the long lines are not qualifying for subsidy anyway.

Could have install more cabinets maybe three or four to reach within 1km away.

Are you offering to pay for all the extra cabinets that will be required to get everyone within a 1km range?
Seems a backwards policy to prevent a fibre cabinet install because a few properties are further than 1km. That's probably 10,000+ cabinets.

How would you like your cabinet being removed because 1 of the customers on it is 2km away?

Edited by j0hn83 (Mon 10-Jul-17 18:18:07)

Even it were for just a handfull of properties?
Subsidies are not unlimited either.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Only stupid if all the premises are that far away, without knowing the cabinet hard to pass judgement in such a sweeping manner as you've managed.

Stopping install of a cabinet because of 1 property when maybe 50 others will benefit helps no-one, and if a BDUK funded one the long lines are not qualifying for subsidy anyway.

In this case the cabinet is on the edge of a small town - serving a school and a couple of roads there but also serving a village along the road. Why they didn't put a cabinet in the village is a presumably down to cost saving - there must be something like 100 properties around the village in the same boat.

I think there must be some plan to do something about this as superfast Essex are still reporting service by 2019 - I would imaging it will be something like a new combi cabinet or possibly several pole mounted boxes. The village is distributed into 3 main areas of houses with about a km between each so they may not want to just do a single new cabinet.

Infill which this would be does often follow at a later date, but with lots of areas competing it can often just be a case of where you are on the list.

I would expect a new cabinet to be built in Duck St in due course.

In reply to a post by witchunt:

I would expect a new cabinet to be built in Duck St in due course.

Yes, that would make sense although we are up Park Road near the church so depending on the route the cables take and where the cabinet gets put we could be just as far from it.

Is there any place we can look to see the routes that existing cables run? I am guessing they run along the roads and therefore fork at the junction with Park Road and Duck Street. If the Cabinet goes at the junction it would mean a dozen or so houses there very close, another dozen or so up by the church at about 1km and the majority (near the pub) also at about 1km.

In that case probably wont be of any benefit to you.