Just as an aside on the "nitty-gritty stuff"...

In general, the proper E-side cables from exchange to PCP can have 500, 1,000 or more pairs, and are pressurised as a means of keeping water out, and identifying potential failures. They've been in place for decades - some of them are insulated with paper... and you wouldn't want that to get wet at all! The storm surge from Hurricane Sandy catastrophically took out all the underground copper cables in a New York exchange, such that they had to upgrade to fibre.

Take a look at this primer and at this discussion. Pictures of the cable vault in that New York exchange can be found here.

I don't know what happens with EO-lines, but the discussion linked above indicates that these lines can still be pressurised up to the point that the first distribution (D-side) lines connect. Are they treated much like proper E-side lines? Are they made of the same technology?

So, you can imagine that there are complications involved here, where the "E-side" of the EO lines have been in the ground for decades, have no slack to be re-routed and connected into a cabinet, could be made of paper, and expect to be pressurised to stay dry.

It isn't quite the same as popping into B+Q and buying some connector blocks.

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

Just as an aside on the "nitty-gritty stuff"...

In general, the proper E-side cables from exchange to PCP can have 500, 1,000 or more pairs, and are pressurised as a means of keeping water out, and identifying potential failures. They've been in place for decades - some of them are insulated with paper... and you wouldn't want that to get wet at all! The storm surge from Hurricane Sandy catastrophically took out all the underground copper cables in a New York exchange, such that they had to upgrade to fibre.

Take a look at this primer and at this discussion. Pictures of the cable vault in that New York exchange can be found here.

I don't know what happens with EO-lines, but the discussion linked above indicates that these lines can still be pressurised up to the point that the first distribution (D-side) lines connect. Are they treated much like proper E-side lines? Are they made of the same technology?

So, you can imagine that there are complications involved here, where the "E-side" of the EO lines have been in the ground for decades, have no slack to be re-routed and connected into a cabinet, could be made of paper, and expect to be pressurised to stay dry.

It isn't quite the same as popping into B+Q and buying some connector blocks.

They have been trialling this for a year so I would have thought OR would have 'ironed out the creases' before launching it on a county wide basis. Anyway, it does look like a complex situation and hopefully OR can deal with it ASAP.

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

It isn't quite the same as popping into B+Q and buying some connector blocks.

Scotch lock anyone?

PS. scotch locks are awful things and should never have been invented!

As of 1000 this morning , Cabinet 22 at WWPAR went live for accepting orders for FTTC , waiting has finally paid off !

In reply to a post by Peterswest:

As of 1000 this morning , Cabinet 22 at WWPAR went live for accepting orders for FTTC , waiting has finally paid off !

Yes but have all the lines been enabled for FTTC yet? My line on cab 12 WWMEVA along with the others I have reported on are still not able to order fibre BB.

Edited by deleted (Thu 28-Mar-13 18:02:00)

Just an update to confirm that as of today my line has now been enabled for fibre and I have gone and ordered an upgrade to my existing BT Total Broadband, no extra charges save for a new 12 month contract. Due to be activated next Friday(19/04/13).
Funnily enough it doesn't seem that neighbouring properties are able to order fibre. Looks like my email to OR 3 weeks ago has produced a result just for my line!

Edited by deleted (Thu 11-Apr-13 18:01:18)

hi there

looks like im in a similar boat as you guys were, im in launceston cornwall lots of areas around gone live and other areas of my town but no news on my area. About 2 months ago all the fibre vans were in the estate and it all gone in but nothing on btw checker. Superfast cornwall wont tell me anything except the words coming soon they did originally say march!. I think there is a delay but they dont seems to know much any ideas?