FTTC Waiting List but Other Providers says they can connect

Hello,

I am moving to a new flat soon and have been checking the broadband availability from BT Wholesale Checker. FTTC is Unavailable but there is SOGEA which says "Waiting List". When I got to BT's website to check my postcode, it couldn't show me any results for the address, probably due to unavailable ports in the cabinet. However, when I go to Vodafone, POP, Onstream, EE etc. Their system says I can get a 67Mbit connection. Considering these providers also use OpenReach's infrastructure, how come BT says they can't connect me?

Any help to understand the situation would be hugely appreciated.

Here is a screenshot of the BT Wholesale Checker: https://imgur.com/a/DrUQL8R

Best.

A simple guessed answer is that ‘BT’ will no longer provide an exchange based voice service .. hence no to FTTC, but yes to SOGEA.

Some other providers will be using their own exchange equipment, so this isn’t an issue for them.

It's a glitch not correctly reflected in the BT Wholesale Checker. It shows that for me as well and absolutely all postcodes.
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability Date WBC SOGEA Availability Date
High Low High Low
VDSL Range A (Clean) help 80 60 20 16 55 Unavailable Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted) help 80 55 20 14.2 46.4 Unavailable Available

FTTC shows as unavailable but SOGEA shows as Available. It's impossible to not have FTTC when the fibre broadband is coming from the cabinet.

I can guarantee you that if you check https://www.openreach.com/fibre-checker/my-products then you'll see Available now

Superfast Fibre Broadband

If you then enter that postcode in some of the ISPs you should see FTTC packages available to you.

Now of-course unless you're unlucky that, that property is only one of the less than 3% that doesn't have FTTC then there's no way you'll get SOGEA either.

Openreach have now abandoned FTTC build meaning that those less than 3% of the UK that don't have it now have to wait for an Openreach FTTP upgrade or hope that an Altnet provider serves them. Otherwise ADSL will be the only option.

Edit: Your thread title says it all. Your other providers showing that you can connect suggests you already have FTTC. The checker is simply wrong and it is like that with all postcodes.

Edited by BLaZiNgSPEED (Sun 29-Oct-23 19:47:38)

There have been a few reports on Sky's forums that some couldn't place an order for FTTC in September even though SOGEA was available according to the BT checker.

I'm guessing it's because SOGEA replaced FTTC as the product that could be ordered and Sky's system hadn't caught up with the change on the 5th Sept.

There is always the possibility that an ISP will take your order for SoGEA, even if the wholesale checker shows waiting list , and in effect sit on your order ,(not progress it through the wholesale channels ) or , provision you temporarily with SOTAP , or contact you later saying OR cancelled the order .
The acid test I would suggest is if when ordering with an ISP when the DSL checker states waiting list ( On the SoGEA product ) is do they immediately give you a installation date , that’s contractual, so compo if they fail that date , or give some BS about advising you of your installation date later

Edited by Iniltous (Mon 30-Oct-23 13:37:56)

The line card or cabinet is full and so you can’t be connected.

Providers seem to interpret this differently, some will take your order and some won’t. They key is you’re not getting connected until that waiting list message changes to available.

Providers still accepting your order are being rather misleading with connection time.