Fibre not available, is available, now not...

Last time I asked about Cabinet 20 on WSHAL it had a 'waiting list' for fibre. Those who know say there were no plans to add capacity.

Yesterday the BT checker and ISPs such as Zen were offering fibre to premises from that cabinet. But not today. So what happened? I guess everyone who was on the list took fibre and filled the capacity. (Or maybe not even everybody and there are still people waiting?).

Best / informed guess as to when more capacity will come on stream?

When I say "fibre to premises" I don't mean FTTP, just availability of FTTC fibre to premises served. I probably confused everyone trying to explain...

If orders were only open for 24 hours then it's likely capacity hasn't been added yet, but that a port became free because someone cancelled their service.
It isn't impossible that capacity was added and every port was taken quickly though. Was it a 2nd cabinet being added or just additional line cards?

edit: just to add, don't assume that if only 1 port became free that someone on the waiting list would take it. AFAIK only BT Retail actually use the waiting list system, and they don't use it by default. They only tend to put users on the waiting list when orders get messed up and they miss out on a port on the cabinet, or even worse they lose their existing port (it happens).

Edited by j0hn83 (Fri 01-Sep-17 16:28:00)

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

When I say "fibre to premises" I don't mean FTTP, just availability of FTTC fibre to premises served. I probably confused everyone trying to explain...

You certainly confused me by saying fibre to premises. You should have just said FTTC or VDSL.

Are you intending to order? Do you know which ISP you want to order with? Best be quick next time you spot it

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

Was it a 2nd cabinet being added or just additional line cards?

I haven't seen signs of a new cabinet so would assume additional cards. As I say, last time I asked here there were no plans for this cabinet.

AFAIK only BT Retail actually use the waiting list system

Interesting because I'd want to be ordering through Zen and assumed they could put me on the list. Otherwise I'd have to be checking for a free slot every day...

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

. You should have just said FTTC or VDSL.

Yea, I know. But all these FLAs. I'm sure I spotted a glossary here recently but can't find it when I spot one I don't know.

Can I ask a possibly dumb question? You've asked a couple times about capacity on your cabinet, so why didn't you order when you saw it was taking orders? Are you still under contract with your current ISP?

Edited by j0hn83 (Fri 01-Sep-17 16:42:41)

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

Otherwise I'd have to be checking for a free slot every day...

That's a good idea

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

Can I ask a possibly dumb question? You've asked a couple times about capacity on your cabinet, so why didn't you order when you saw it was taking orders? Are you still under contract with your current ISP?

Fair question. Because its not my cabinet. I'm moving soon so don't yet have a line. And as its a new build there isn't one there yet.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

Otherwise I'd have to be checking for a free slot every day...

That's a good idea

I could catch OCD...

So is it even worth having a landline installed until a slot becomes available? Like most people I don't use the POTS other than for the VDSL. The house is ~ 2.5kms from the exchange so ADSL is expected to be pants. I could wait for a slot and order the line and VDSL at the same time.... What could possibly go wrong?

An order for a phone line + FTTC reserves a port the exact same as an order for FTTC with an existing line. So yes if you don't intend on using the line for voice/adsl then I would wait for a free port before ordering.

Perhaps someone here with access to the relevant information could let you know if the capacity upgrade was done. If it hasn't been done yet they may be able to advise when/what type of capacity is due to be added.

Plenty of people getting over 6 Mbps from ADSL at 2.5 km from the exchange, so while consider that useless it would still be cheaper than chewing mobile data while waiting for VDSL2 capacity to be added.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Plenty of people getting over 6 Mbps from ADSL at 2.5 km from the exchange

I was going by the BT checker which reports "up to 1Mbps" with a range of "1 to 3" for WBC ADSL 2+ for a nearby built property. (I was also relying on CodeLook for the distance.)

I guess I could bang on the neighbours' doors and ask otherwise there's a risk of getting what BT suggest and being stuck with that and having to pay to chew for mobile data.

Pay to Chew. You should trademark that!

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

An order for a phone line + FTTC reserves a port the exact same as an order for FTTC with an existing line. So yes if you don't intend on using the line for voice/adsl then I would wait for a free port before ordering.

Perhaps someone here with access to the relevant information could let you know if the capacity upgrade was done. If it hasn't been done yet they may be able to advise when/what type of capacity is due to be added.

Helpful, thanks.

Reading back on my original question about this cabinet in another thread, I was advised it is full and there are no plans to add another which is what would be required. AFAIK there are still lots of people on this estate without fibre and a lot of houses yet to be built.

Ah. Have you already bought the property/placed a deposit? The developer would be the 1 who needs to fund any capacity upgrade (either a new cabinet or a HD upgrade if the existing cabinet supports that). Money talks, and developers only tend to spend money on cabinets when sales are affected, or they get negative press coverage. Who is the developer?

1 to 3 Mbps is a lot further away than 2.5km with ADSL2+

We have cab 20 at 3300m from the exchange, then the distance between cabinet and the various properties.

Getting attenuation figures for someone on ADSL2+ will give best guide

Openreach fund capacity upgrades themselves

I had ADSL2+ when I was waiting for a fibre connection and was getting 2.5 Mbps on a line with 61dB attenuation although the SNRM was 3dB rather than the more usual 6dB. Sky's DLM will use a lower SNRM is the line is stable enough.

Forgot to add that with new builds you usually can't order VDSL until there is an active phone line and the database is updated with the fibre availability.

Edited by simon194 (Sat 02-Sep-17 10:49:30)

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

Ah. Have you already bought the property/placed a deposit? The developer would be the 1 who needs to fund any capacity upgrade (either a new cabinet or a HD upgrade if the existing cabinet supports that). Money talks, and developers only tend to spend money on cabinets when sales are affected, or they get negative press coverage. Who is the developer?

Its a Miller development. I've seen it said a couple of times here to make a fuss, walk away, the developers will soon learn. Unless someone knows better, I doubt the developer will take any notice. There are literarily queues of people waiting for new properties. If I walk there are plenty of folk behind me to take my place. No skin off the developer's nose.

In reply to a post by simon194:

Forgot to add that with new builds you usually can't order VDSL until there is an active phone line and the database is updated with the fibre availability.

That kinds answers my next question, which is...

Next time a port becomes available for VDSL can I ask Zen (or A N Other ISP) to order a phone line and VDSL service but not physically connect it for the moment. I'd rather pay for a service even if I can't use it for a few months than miss the opportunity and possibly have to wait many more months.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

Ah. Have you already bought the property/placed a deposit? The developer would be the 1 who needs to fund any capacity upgrade (either a new cabinet or a HD upgrade if the existing cabinet supports that). Money talks, and developers only tend to spend money on cabinets when sales are affected, or they get negative press coverage. Who is the developer?

Its a Miller development. I've seen it said a couple of times here to make a fuss, walk away, the developers will soon learn. Unless someone knows better, I doubt the developer will take any notice. There are literarily queues of people waiting for new properties. If I walk there are plenty of folk behind me to take my place. No skin off the developer's nose.

If you tell all those people in the queue behind you though that there is no provision for good internet, then perhaps they will also take a stand.

If everyone had your attitude then of course nothing will change.

In reply to a post by lee111s:

If everyone had your attitude then of course nothing will change.

Can you point me to somewhere people did take a stand, didn't buy houses, and the developer rolled over and provided FTTP for all? Then I can get some help and advice from experienced folk.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2016/05/deal-br...

There's one example. Not FTTP but the developer did fund the FTTC cabinet. Baring in mind it'll cost the developer something in the region of £15,000 to fund a cabinet. If they're losing sales because of it, it's a small price to pay.

There's been a few on here mentioned too.

If you do nothing, there's no chance it will change.

If you try, you never know.

No if you order it will be installed