Does FTTP need a new cab?

I've noticed FTTC in the area has new cabs already but nowhere with FTTP has any, is this perhaps because it doesn't even need a cab upgrade to work?

Also does the checker show info about FTTP as it doesn't appear to?

After some searching i think i've found the answer, it appears that it doesn't require a new cabinet which would hopefully explain why i've seen no evidence of work yet, i don't get why no one has made this clear before, i bet many have been pointlessly checking their cab all this time without knowing fttp is a bit different, looks like we're better off checking the telephone pole instead for signs of fttp then?

BT Forum Post

The two products do explain their meaning out quite well, FTTC is the more visable product compared to FTTP where the works are either underground or at the bottom/top of the telephone pole.

FTTP takes considerably longer to rollout compared to FTTC, so in you're town you have a mix of FTTC/FTTP. Do you know for certain that you're street is due to recieve FTTP?

If not post you're postcode and it can be checked agains the postcode checker.for December.

Yes lots of postcodes in the area will be getting fttp, fttc is in the minority here it seems, it's also expected to go live by the end of march, i've seen work done and a few fttc cabs have appeared but no clear sign of fttp and it doesn't seem there's an easy way to check for sure, it doesn't appear the bt checker shows fttp, where as the spreadsheet shows mostly fttp whcih has the same phase as fttc.

As ive mentioned above FTTP work is alot smaller and more condesed, it may all come online at the end of march but if its majority fttp then it will likely take longer.

Biggest problem with FTTP seems to me to be the lack of ISPs supporting it. Tons of isps have FTTC products but none seem to advertise FTTP. The only FTTP service seems to be Bt Infinity 100Mbps... http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProduc...
no mention of FTTP but the giveaway is that they install a termination box on the outside of the property. Don't ask BT's online chat people...they don't seem to have a clue!

Our exchange is one marked as FTTC/FTTP but apart from about 90 postcodes it's all FTTP. There's no visible cabinets around ..in fact one has disappeared and appears to have gone underground! Not sure when we are due to go live as Openreach checker just says "by end of 2012".

Not sure what they will do down our road as it's poles and overhead wires. and the poles are fed from an underground duct down the road i believe. No sign of any work having taken place on the poles but i will keep an eye out. Maybe they won't do anything until someone actually orders! There's often a BT Openreach van by the underground chamber at the end of the road though.

BT Infinity 100Mbps is £35 + £10.75 phoneline though. Not sure i can justify spending almost twice as much on broadband just to get fibre..nor am i keen on getting stuck in an 18month contract.

Edited by deleted (Sun 04-Mar-12 10:43:42)

In reply to a post by andrewdb:

Not sure what they will do down our road as it's poles and overhead wires. and the poles are fed from an underground duct down the road i believe. No sign of any work having taken place on the poles but i will keep an eye out. Maybe they won't do anything until someone actually orders! There's often a BT Openreach van by the underground chamber at the end of the road though.

Same round our way - a village all FTTP. First sign is OR checking all the poles for stability and replacing the rotten ones. Presumably hanging fibre drops puts a bigger strain on the poles, and there are some long drops from the pole outside our house. Then contractors arrive (CASS in our case) and start shoving empty piping down the ducts between all the poles. Then they find that a lot of the ducting is blocked / collapsed, so different blokes come to unblock them, then the frst lot come back and finish the piping. That's as far as we have got...