Is my area getting G.Fast?

I've been out of the phone-line broadband loop for a few years now (Cable was the only realistic option in the new house). Over the last year we got an FTTC cab (huawei) on our PCP so I've started showing an interest again (but stuck with cable).

However, this week I've seen OR working on the PCP itself - and there is now a small cabinet bolted on to the side of it. And it looks uncannily like a G.Fast pod. Everywhere I've looked has said my area isn't on any sort of rollout plan for GFast - so either I'm missing some info or there's another type of bolt-on pod. Just to make it clear, it's definitely bolted to the PCP - NOT the FTTC cabinet.

Is anyone able to check what the work is - or if there are more substantial rollout plans I'm missing? It's PCP 110 on THBK (Bracknell) exchange.
I will try and get a photo tomorrow once it's light outside if it would help people.

If the pod, has some vents in its door then a gfast pod, if not then just a capacity extension

Most likely g.fast. I'd expect lots of cabs in Bracknell to get pods.

Hi witchunt ..

Cab 38 Brookwood , Morrison�s guy was splicing in the fibre to the g.Fast on Thursday. Does your crystal ball offer any clues to a ready for service date for that please ?

Thanks Witchunt!

I couldn't see any information out there which suggested Bracknell was getting it - which is why I thought I'd ask the question. Is any of this information public (such as est. Live date)?

Edited by deleted (Sat 15-Dec-18 08:41:47)

Public information is limited to once the cabinet is actually enabled, which is unlike with VDSL (FTTC) deployments. No estimated dates are available to us and I can't see this changing soon.

I presume that witchunt meant that Bracknell is a good G.fast candidate, i.e. urban, dense, premises close proximity to existing PCPs; essentially a good portion of premises would be able to eligible receive over 100 Mbps (ultrafast) as most would fall under ~350 meters (the max. range of current G.fast deployments).

You should confirm the following to us (what MrSaffron said):

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

If the pod, has some vents in its door then a gfast pod, if not then just a capacity extension

If the pod has no vents, then it is not being enabled for G.fast since copper capacity extensions do not have ventilation.

Your best bet is to keep an eye on the BTW DSL checker since it will appear there once it is available on the wholesale providing your line is short enough and therefore capable of providing you the service. The Openreach Fibre Broadband checker would be able to tell you as soon as the cabinet is enabled, but not ready for orders from the wholesale side (BTW DSL checker does that).

We have had one pod bolted onto my cabinet (Brackley, 15) a month or so ago. We've now had another one bolted on the other side this last couple of weeks. I'm beginning to think it's just an Openreach fashion statement. There was also a van working on the original FTTC cabinet which seems more than coincidence.

It's odd because we're not on any roll-out list :-/

Do they always install two pods right from the off?

Edited by Andrue (Sat 15-Dec-18 10:32:05)

They never install two pods from the off. I'd suggest one of them was a copper extension.

In reply to a post by Andrue:

We have had one pod bolted onto my cabinet (Brackley, 15) a month or so ago. We've now had another one bolted on the other side this last couple of weeks.

What are these pods? Are you implying they are both G.fast? Do they both have ventiliation holes?

In reply to a post by Andrue:

There was also a van working on the original FTTC cabinet which seems more than coincidence.

They still need to provide power and fibre to the G.fast pod from the existing FTTC cabinet. Could be related.

In reply to a post by Andrue:

It's odd because we're not on any roll-out list :-/

Quite a few places that have had G.fast pods installed have not been announced. Perhaps the announcement will come after pods have been enabled since I am sure I have seen that before.

In reply to a post by Andrue:

Do they always install two pods right from the off?

I've never seen two G.fast pods installed. I am not sure how that would work. One is likely to be a copper extension.

I'll wander over today and take a look. At least one has vent holes and the other looks the same. Also cabinet 15 was relocated and enlarged last year. Although there are plans for an extension to our estate it's unlikely (I think, based on location) that cabinet 15 would be part of that.

But yeah, adding two pods seems daft for an area that doesn't yet have the service. Also I'd question if that many properties would benefit anyway. The cabinet is on the edge of the area it serves :-/

https://goo.gl/maps/5KHhuG5nwiS2

The new cabinet is to the left of the roundabout.