buy/renting new property - how do I check fibre speeds?

I'm considering the idea of moving places but I'd like to know that I might be upgrading my broadband prospects with the hope of getting FTTP as a bonus with the move lol.

Is there any way to see what broadband connections are available?

I've noticed on some property sites they just put the highest speed that is available, which is usually VM. So it doesn't list even FTTC.

I haven't got a specific place in mind yet so I'm just making preliminary searches.

Anyone got any ideas?

BT Wholesale checker. (VDSL, technically VDSL2, is FTTC).

Use the address option. Not the pure postcode one.

Strangely, a neat trick in the Address option is only to enter the postcode. That then gives you a dropdown list of every address in that postcode and you can compare next door, across the road etc., to get a better idea.

Edited by RobertoS (Sun 01-Apr-18 22:06:13)

Just to add a word of caution. In the address checker, a property may show as having FTTC available but it isnt guaranteed.

My brother got caught out with this recently and on move in day and phone re connection he was advised that actually only ADSL was available (at 10 times slower than the address checker was indicating FTTC availability was).

That sounds like he used the pure postcode option. That gives that sort of problem which is why we all, and the site itself, advise against it.

The reason being that frequently different areas of a postcode are served by two or three or occasionally more cabinets and the postcode option just gives the first result in its search. Using just the postcode in the address option gives a full list of addresses in that postcode, and selecting from the list shows the cabinet that address is connected to and the appropriate estimates.

Edit: Or maybe your brother�s FTTC cabinet was just full by the time he moved in, and awaiting an upgrade.

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 02-Apr-18 10:16:19)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

BT Wholesale checker. (VDSL, technically VDSL2, is FTTC).

That would be a good start but there are other operators such as Virgin, Hyperoptic and Gigaclear etc.

I doubt that he just used postcode option as this would've shown as ADSL only before he moved in and so wouldn't be under the assumption it's available.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

That sounds like he used the pure postcode option. That gives that sort of problem which is why we all, and the site itself, advise against it.

Afraid not, he used the address checker not the specific pure postcode checker. The address checker still shows FTTC as available even though his allocated phone number offers ADSL or FTTPoD only and we all know FTTPoD is nothing but a publicity exercise.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Edit: Or maybe your brother�s FTTC cabinet was just full by the time he moved in, and awaiting an upgrade.

The cabinet has been active for some time and it wasnt full.

What does it show with his phone number?

Assuming the address is correct, and he's connected to the correct cabinet, he should be able to get the service displayed on the checker. Unless he's too far from the cabinet.

In reply to a post by CJT:

What does it show with his phone number?

Address checker still offers FTTC at approx. 50 Mbps.
Phone number originally offered ADSL at 1 Mbps when first connected and now several weeks after move in shows 5 Mbps available but still no FTTC.

In reply to a post by CJT:

Unless he's too far from the cabinet.

There are houses significantly further away from the cabinet receiving an FTTC service and line is listed as coming via the cabinet so isnt EO.

I dont want to hijack the OP thread, I just wanted to share the experience that results from the BT DSL address checker are not guaranteed so dont rely on them when making house moving decisions if broadband is critical to your house selection criteria.

Craski
Does his Phone number check show the same cab as the Address check?

If the number was moved on the day the checker can get stuck with the old line measurements so would not show the FTTC option.

If it was already on the same cab BUT out of distance for FTTC this is much more likely and would need a database correction. It is impossible to tell without access to the supplier Number records where it was last used.

The line test system would pick up that his number was now served by a different pair ( Change in ADSL speed reflects this) BUT it needs a database change to change the location and these sometimes this fail to update correctly.(Or with some CPs even get fed back to OR to initiate the change).