Conflicting availability info

Footpath was recently dug up, and ports place outside each house, including mine.

Openreach checker (which uses postcode/house number) recently changed in the last week from says "in early stages" to telling me I can get up to 1GB.

dslchecker, when used with my phone number has no entry in the table for FTTP, and makes no mention of it below the table. When used with postcode/house number, the table says 330M, the install process field has dashes, and below the table it says:-
"
Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Pre built to curtilage Hard.

FTTP is in Planned status. An order may be placed which will be processed when the network is ready."

bt.com does not offer me fttp, only fttc.

Just received an email from sky this evening telling me that I can now get ultrafast, and clicking on the link and entering my details it says I'll get between 450-550MB.

So what to believe, I'd expect the dslchecker to be most accurate, but why does the opereach checker say 1G, dsl checker at best saying 330M, BT not provide ANYTHING for fttp, and sky offer me 500M ?

Confused.

Footpath was recently dug up, and ports place outside each house, including mine.

Could it be that this has been done for a different fibre provider ? What name is visible on the Tommy pot outside your property ?

You can place an order now, with any ISP which is happy to accept it - such as Sky.

The maximum speed for all new FTTP installations is now 1G. The only areas with a 330M limit are the tiny bits of FTTP network on ECI OLTs. However the BT Wholesale database will still show 330M until the database record is updated. When they do their final update, you'll see it change.

dslchecker (now broadbandchecker) is BT Wholesale's view of the network, not Openreach's. As you've said, Openreach already says that 1G is available. BTW may not have updated their database recently, or there may be other reasons why they can't offer service yet (e.g. insufficient cablelink capacity at your headend exchange).

Since BT Retail use BTW for backhaul, that'll be why BT retail can't sell it to you.

Place your order with Sky and enjoy

Edit: as Zarjaz says, check what is written on the toby box outside your property. You might be in the lucky position of having another network to choose from (e.g. Cityfibre). However, I believe Openreach are also doing Cityfibre-style microtrenching in some areas. And it would be a big coincidence that Openreach FTTP was made available at exactly the same time as an altnet.

Edited by candlerb (Thu 06-Jan-22 22:01:56)

In reply to a post by tangey99:

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Pre built to curtilage Hard.

This would imply the toby box is Openreach

Given the checker has returned:

Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Pre built to curtilage Hard.

Pretty high likelihood that the Toby boxes are OR. The Pre built errata seems to suggest this anyway.

As you say the OP could place orders with whoever will accept - seems increasingly prevalent that BTW are last to the party rather than first these days. If the OP wants to wait a few more weeks the other big players like TalkTalk might become available for order.

I don't trust BTw Checker as it always wrong estimate for my G.fast as it always well above it. lol

Telephone Number 01********* on Exchange CUCKOO OAK is served by Cabinet 8

G.fast Range A (Clean) help 230.8 172.6 34 14.9 149.7 Available Available --

Observed Speeds G.FAST
Max Observed Downstream Speed 241.11
Max Observed Upstream Speed 41.52
Observed Date 2022-01-07

In reply to a post by adslmax:

I don't trust BTw Checker as it always wrong estimate for my G.fast as it always well above it

Please, not that old chestnut again Max.

Estimates for xDSL services are just that: estimates of what speed you *might* get if you take service. They are not measurements. They are based on a mathematical model of the copper network, but cannot take into account all differences in the physical world. This is especially true for G.Fast which uses high frequencies that are very sensitive to variation.

You are lucky because your copper cabling is of slightly better quality than the model assumes it is.

Thanks for the replies and information. Kinda have to wait for BT/EE, as I just recently renewed fttc with plusnet, and plusnet have an arrangement that they'll allow termination of contract without paying it out if switching to BT or talk talk fttp.(plusnet STill have no announced FTTP plans).

Had a wander to the kerbside to see what is on the black port thing in the pavement, but I can't see any markings at all.

Just thought it a bit weird that the dslchecker indicated no fttp when search on phone number, but gave the fttp info based on house / postcode.

Also thanks for clearing up that although dslchecker says 330M, that'll revised to 1G once they finalise the database.

Cheers.

Edited by tangey99 (Fri 07-Jan-22 13:42:22)

are you sure about Plusnet releasing you if moving to talk.talk? BT or EE, yes.

Also note that if you move to talktalk FTTP, you'll lose your phone service and phone number. Not everybody cares about that, but some do.

You can keep your phone number if you do migrations in the right order:
1. install Talktalk FTTP as a completely new service, without cancelling your FTTC
2. set yourself up with an account with a VOIP provider like sipgate, yay etc.
3. port your phone number to your VOIP account. When it takes place, the number port will automatically cease the PSTN line and the associated FTTC service

The checker states the following when you switch to the address checker:

"Warning
Please note that the address checker is less accurate than the telephone number checker for line-based services (e.g. FTTC) because the result is not based on an individual telephone line at the premises.
For premise-based services (e.g. FTTP) the address checker will provide the most accurate result. Note that BT's ability to provide Broadband to your address is dependent on several factors, including the availability of broadband at your serving exchange, and network connectivity for the various product options."

So I'd always recommend the address checker for FTTP checks.

Which is kind of obvious, when you realise that FTTP lines aren't associated with any Openreach-provided phone service (apart from a tiny number of legacy users on FVA).

I would do the install FTTP first and then port the number to VOIP to cancel the FTTC, but first I would check with Plusnet that they would not charge to end of contracted term as they could see it as not being a transfer.

wow you guys are quick, I realised I'd put talk talk when I meant EE, and quickly change it....but not quick enough.

Anyhow, plusnet support personel have confirmed on their forums that they will waive termination fees for fttp installation by BT/EE. It's not an automated thing and a bit clunky, but at least its an option. Clearly something to do with the fact that plusnet are part of the same group.