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HI,
I have moved to Orpington (Bromley) last Nov only to find out that the houses in my row are being served with less than 2M down ADSL. No FTTC/FTTP. This was a shocker coming from 100M hyperoptic ebabled London apartment. Thanks to this forum, i got Three UK Unlimited data SIM and put it in the external 4G Mikrotik router. I now get around 15M down, which I can live with for some time.
I had got my neighbours together to have FTTP via Community Fibre. Six months later getting every one ready and firm quotes, Just before going ahead with the order I checked the new Openreach Fibre Checker and to my surprise I get the following result - "Better broadband is coming - FTTP. Technology that supports speeds up to 1Gbps Faster and more reliable fibre is coming to your area soon. FTTP is our fastest technology, but your exact speed will depend on which broadband provider and package you choose. "
I explained this to Openreach Community Fibre Manager and they told that if FTTP is coming then its better to go with that without cost, but they didnt give any timelines. My order was then suspended.
Now since around 2 months I get to see the same result, but dont know when FTTP is coming.to me and neighbours.
If someone can somehow check and give any useful info, I will be really grateful.
My postcode is BR5 1SH and the 18 houses in the row are served from cabinet 6.
All other houses in the area are served from different cabinet and they have FTTC
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Getting mixed results using the Openreach checker, some it does not know about you and others suggests FTTP is on the way.
Checking another postcode nearby that is EO but has a Virgin Media option, no FTTP on the way shows up.
My concern in your case is that your Community Fibre pre-order got their checker flipped to showing the FTTP was on the way, so if order is now suspended nothing will happen, i.e. was showing up only because of the CFP progressing.
Ball should be thrown back to the CFP Manager to find out exactly what is going on i.e. is this commercial roll-out (Orpington is not on the Fibre First list) or some other scheme.
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The author of the above post is a thinkbroadband staff member. It may not constitute an official statement on behalf of thinkbroadband.
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Thanks Andrew for looking up. I had specifically asked The CF Manager if the change in fibre checker is due to the fact that we have a confirmed quote, but they had checked internally and said "No, the info on the fibre checker is latest and accurate. And if it says that FTTP is coming then it will come, but no time frames"
Hence after waiting for couple of months I said I will ask here to see if I get any more info now..
I will send out an email to them again to check if FTTP is commercially rolling out for our area.
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Thanks Andrew for looking up. I had specifically asked The CF Manager if the change in fibre checker is due to the fact that we have a confirmed quote, but they had checked internally and said "No, the info on the fibre checker is latest and accurate. And if it says that FTTP is coming then it will come, but no time frames"
Hence after waiting for couple of months I said I will ask here to see if I get any more info now..
I will send out an email to them again to check if FTTP is commercially rolling out for our area. Is it worth checking with your local BDUK team to see if its being funded by them.
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how do i contact BDUK team?
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Orpington is in the London Borough of Bromley and has no BDUK team, Kent would be the closest but wrong council so they won't do anything.
Have looked at 15 other slow postcodes and only the ones in Kent show as an upgrade on the way (to FTTC) BR6 7QA nothing else showing with FTTP planned.
Hence the concerns. If your contact is insistent that they are doing you as FTTP so no need for community scheme and you want me to check then can chase via PR team with notes that have concerns that wires may be crossed somewhere in the system. Would need you to email me ( [email protected]) and confirm the addresses the project was meant to cover.
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The author of the above post is a thinkbroadband staff member. It may not constitute an official statement on behalf of thinkbroadband.
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Much appreciated Andrew. I will send out an email to you and also share the email where the OR account manager mentioned about the FTTP being launched and CF order being cancelled.
Thanks again.
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To give you some idea of how little OR and BDUK know what they are doing.
GF spoke to a chap who was resting his clipboard on our bin, he said he was surveying for fibre, unfortunately she never asked if it was FTTPoD or fibre being laid to all houses.
Contacted BDUK team, they had no idea and they contacted OR who also didn't know of any work.
Team came throu putting in new ducts, still BDUK or OR knew nothing.
Spoke to local OR chap who was working in chamber, he said fibre was coming, but hadn't seen it on work schedule(? )
Team put fibre in ducts, still no idea. I was told no fibre being laid, so I had to send photo's showing coils of fibre at base of pole, and still no idea.
Fibre fitted to pole, still no idea.
I then contacted the 'old' BDUK team leader and she found out the fibre was laid under a BDUK contract, and she had to inform present team of this.
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Your experience, is hopefully a rarity, but I think it does vary between counties and teams
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Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but the London Borough of Bromley area was recently confirmed as in-scope for fibre first.
The FTTP deployment in the Orpington Exchange area is supposedly due to start in the next 3 months, and this seems to includes the likes of Farnborough, Chelsfield, the Crays, parts of Petts Wood etc, even up towards Cudham where speeds are particularly low currently.
Nothing on roadworks as yet, but there has been some limited FTTP deployment recently, e.g. The Hillside Chelsfield off the A21 is ready to order & the Well Hill area is currently in build.
All subject to change of course but looking promising.
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Here we are in Aug 2020, I still don't see any sign of Openreach working in my area (Crofton) for installing FTTP. ..
Edited by kams19 (Sat 08-Aug-20 13:59:29)
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Here we are in Aug 2020, I still don't see any sign of Openreach working in my area (Crofton) for installing FTTP. ..
Won't make you feel any better but we were told we were getting FTTP and work started 22nd March 2017
Still not got it now 8th Aug 2020.
BTBroadband
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there is not ability to cFP premises that are currently in scope - CFP premises are no in scope or appear on any openreach checker until they are contracted and in build u same as any other programme
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Here we are in Aug 2020, I still don't see any sign of Openreach working in my area (Crofton) for installing FTTP.
They only started work a couple of months back over Cray way and seem to be heading south. I had a walk around south of the High St a few days ago, Hillcrest is being rodded & roped, same for Park Av but that also has the CBTs up on the poles now and some fibre cable. Also rodding & roping Charterhouse and even on Windsor Drive which is getting closer to me.
Looking at roadworks I've seen some work going on the lower part of Crofton Lane on the East side of the railway tracks so that's not so far from you, e.g. Buckingham Close & Fairfield Road.
The initial signs of activity seems to be blue rope tied around the base of the poles, and you also see pavement markings so that's what you need to look out for.
My assumption is they progress in the following way for efficiency reasons, but I'm probably wrong(!):
1. First gang rod & rope any ducts & bends that are clear, and mark off any blockages they can't get past.
2. Second gang use jetting etc to try & clear blockages, and mark off anything they can't clear.
3. Third gang do any digging required to clear the remaining blockages.
During this time you also might see CBTs being put up, the order does seem a bit random.
Keep an eye on the roadworks and see what is going on around you. I would have thought it will all come together in the next 6 months.
Cheers,
MH
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If it's anything like our area (Ramsgate and Broadstairs) they appear to have started one side of Ramsgate and are working their way across towards Broadstairs, this can be seen on the one network (previously roadworks.org) Create an account it's free then you can view more than two weeks. Looking around your area there is loads of related works scheduled the other side of the rail way track.
You certainly seem to be planned for, scroll down this page to the Fibre First map select any where and then just move the map to your location.
My brothers partner lives on St Paul's Wood Hill, and is literally just outside the planned area, but they do get around 50Mbps FTTC.
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I can see the pavement markings in yellow mentioning BT MDU in yellow. I recently contact Openreach and they say they'll finish the installation and start the ordering by Nov 2020. As per roadworks website, lots of work going in Cray currently. Nothing come up in my area though. Thanks for the info and pointers what to look for!
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Wow, can't believe you're only getting 2Mbps where you are! I live a few minutes walk from you in St Johns Road and get 75Mbps FTTC.
I've been following the rollout over the last 6 months which appeared to start in Poverest Road and then has backtracked to the Crays and now most of Poverest is done and also available to order so the exchange has been enabled.
It's certainly heading our way!
I spoke to one of the OR managers who was surveying in St Johns Road about a month ago and he confirmed *most* of the area would be done by Dec 2020. As of last week we now have a 8-way fibre CBT at the top of our pole but I vaguely remember your road (as it's fairly new) is served from underground?
All of the poles in Crofton Lane have the pull-through string in place so hopefully, within the next 8 weeks, you will see some activity. If you see an OR van in your road or on Crofton Lane, ask the engineers as i've found them very happy to talk about the fibre rollout. The sub-contractors however, don't know the bigger picture so don't know that much.
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HI AndyLSORP,
I think the area where i live is the only one in Petts Wood/Orpington to have such shoddy speed in this age.(ref - thinkbroadband coverage maps)
I have highlighted this to OR and to our MP as well. But seems it will take as much time as it takes for us to get FTTP. I had started a CFP project which was shelved by OR as they had FTTP rollout for our area, its more than 18 months to that.
I can see the markings on the street, but seems the entire OR workforce is in Cray area (as per roadworks website). I have been told that target for my postcode is Nov 2020, till them I am surviving on a unstable 4G connection. I have got in touch with Virgin Media as well, they are trying to see if something can be done as our road is block paved and all the telecom cables are underground. I am not sure if they can share the BT duct?
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Well, hang in there. Once we start seeing cable being laid at my end of Crofton Lane which is coming from the exchange and due to happen in the next couple of weeks, hopefully the end is in sight.
They're due to start clearing blockages in St Johns Road near me (apparently the whole area has poor ducting hence why it's taking some time) in the next week or so and if I see a OR engineer with a plan, I'll ask about your road.
However, not sure about sharing the ducting. I'm sure they can but I presume there's a cost.
Edited by deleted (Mon 24-Aug-20 13:14:42)
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virgin media do not use openreach ducts for FTTP there network is seperate
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It seems OR are starting to work in your area from 8 Sep as per roadworks. Hopefully the next area will be mine
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It looks like Birkdale Close next to you is down for w/c 16th so they are there or there abouts.
I personally think these dates just go in randomly if there are few carriageway incursions for the work and they seem to do them as they see fit.
My road was down for blockage clearance a few weeks ago and never happened so I expect they will turn up and clear and lay the fibre at roughly the same time.
When that will be is the million dollar question!
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From what I remember @Kams19 is on an Exchange Only line so not connected to the local cab. Given the small number of houses there I'm not sure why, but I recall the site used to be part of Crofton Infants.
Just spoke to a couple guys making the first pass along our road (Oxenden Wood), they just seem to be rodding and marking out the blockages. Not too many blockages where we are just seems to be the pole bends mainly.
Will be interesting to see how long the roadworks take to appear to clear the blockages.
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FTTP does not go through the cabinet. It goes direct from an aggregation point. (So do FTTC cabinets).
__________________________________________________________
Sovereignty Means Sovereignty
My broadband basic info/help site - www.robertos.me.uk. Domains, sites and mail hosting - Tsohost & Ionos.
Connections: OnePlus 8 Pro max 165Mbps down, 24Mbps up on Three, and B311 4G, tbb tests normally 35-45Mpbs down, 65Mbps off-peak, 9-24 up.
========================
To argue with mindless bigots is foolish. |
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I understand that thanks, my comment was a reply to @ANdyLSOrp's query as to why the OP only gets 2Mb currently when there is an FTTC cab just around the corner:
Wow, can't believe you're only getting 2Mbps where you are! I live a few minutes walk from you in St Johns Road and get 75Mbps FTTC.
The reason being is the the OP is on an Exchange Only line.
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Actually your reply was incorrect, the OP is NOT on an exchange only line, the opening post states Cab 6 but it is actually cab 63 which does not have FTTC. Estimated speeds are very low for the lines on that cab.
When resurrecting old threads it is probably a good idea to read through from the start. 
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OK fair enough my memory isn't what it used to be, but the net effect is the same when it comes down to the OP's current line speeds
The good news for the OP is that our area is fortunate enough to be part of fibre first so it won't be very long before the situation is rectified. I do wonder what criteria OR use for FF areas, we are pretty well served already via FTTC & Virgin media, though obviously there are some exceptions especially on the fringes where it can be more rural and less urban.
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It seems OR have left the low speed areas to be done in the end as people are used to low speeds for years 
Sorry the cabinet number where we are connected is 63. Its one of the old small and slim cabinet.
I have seen the blue ropes coming in the Birkdale Ave/ Placefarm Ave, but nothing on the pole opposite to our street..i hope that OR doesnt simply forget us - as they did for FTTC
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Just a small update for you @kams19, the OR subcontractors have turned up in St Johns Road this afternoon rodding and clearing blockages.
I'm sure there is a smart plan as to which poles they put the fibre CBT's on first but it really appears random to me. The first pole in each road off Crofton Lane at my end have had them installed as well as a few in Crofton Lane, but no others.
Watching the rollout in the Poverest area over the last 6 months on my daily exercise has shown no apparent pattern for the pole installs.
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Finally FTTP is live for my postcode, it took forever but in the end is here!
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Our PON took about a year to build it went live in January 21 and I still Can Not get it as the CP does not have a 'Cablelink' in the exchange. great.
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Our PON took about a year to build it went live in January 21 and I still Can Not get it as the CP does not have a 'Cablelink' in the exchange. great.
Then you can change to a different CP? Presumably BT Wholesale have capacity there, so any BTW-based CP should work?
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Though knocks out the likes of Sky, TT and Vodafone at the “value” end of the pricing spectrum.
I think APTMAN had tried to signup with TTB, but they knocked it on the head.
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BT Retail is also at the "value" end of the spectrum.
But yes, there's a difference between "can not get" and "can not get at an acceptable price". It depends how much the extra speed and reliability of FTTP is worth to you. Ditto on paying the extra for a business-grade service.
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The fact his CP doesn't have a GEA cablelink doesn't necessarily mean other non-BTW ones don't.
Connections: OnePlus 8 Pro, 4G max 165Mbps down, 24Mbps up on Three Mobile, and B311 4G router, tbb tests normally 35-45Mpbs down, 65Mbps off-peak, 9-24 up.
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The fact his CP doesn't have a GEA cablelink doesn't necessarily mean other non-BTW ones don't.
Yes very true. The only way is to specifically check/try ordering with each provider. Although being able to order a service doesn't necessarily guarantee an order will succeed as APTMAN found with TTB.
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Although being able to order a service doesn't necessarily guarantee an order will succeed as APTMAN found with TTB.
He only managed to place an order (that was eventually cancelled) because he pushed for TTB to update their availability checker to include his address.
Talktalk originally had his address correctly showing FTTP not yet available.
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Great news kams19! I still have a CBT and coiled up fibre on the pole opposite my house since it was installed on 4th August 2020.
I know they've had issues with blockages in the area and specifically on Crofton Lane but I'm hoping that the next set of roadworks due for next week will do the trick and I will be enabled shortly. Although my need was nowhere near as great as yours. Enjoy your speed!
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Mmm the plot thickens. Must of missed that bit of the saga.
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