In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

I had the email a couple of hours ago, and passed it on, with some comments about what was evident from streetview.

Thanks Andrew. I can confirm that cabinet 82 is the one you suggested on Street View. I can't believe I walked passed it so many times without noticing it I probably already had my mind fixed on those at the bottom of the estate.

Edited by deleted (Thu 13-Jun-13 18:30:25)

It is worth highlighting this information to BT, and if Andrew can pass it on even better.

It's a vast project and some cabinets are going to get overlooked for what ever reasons.

When I started mapping our local area, there was one cabinet that seemed to have been over looked (NDBRO 5), it covered a large residential area, probably around 500 - 600 houses but it was not scheduled in the 2011 data. I could see no reason why it wasn't.

I emailed Open Reach and the CEO of BT group, I got bog standard replies from both to start with, but then a later email came back and told me it was planned for March this year, it's now live.

Now I can only guess at whether my email made a difference or not, they did also do another cabinet which wasn't planned the other side of town, and I hadn't mentioned that one so they may have just picked them up in a later survey or stage.

I don't believe it is ever coming. I know of one person so far on the site who has moved due to the lack of FTTC broadband!

All the other cabs round the area have been done nearly 3 years ago now. When roadworks.org showed the activity for FTTC nothing happened!

Even speaking to people 'in the know' they have no idea why it's not being done!

I agree. Any developer that doesn't do this or have it on the agenda is bonkers these days. If even 5% of people don't move into a flat/house in a new build because they didn't, that's going to cost them £100ks of lost profit.

In reply to a post by mr_mojo:

If even 5% of people don't move into a flat/house in a new build because they didn't, that's going to cost them £100ks of lost profit.

I don't follow that logic. It's not like there's only a hundred people ever going to buy and 5 choose not to so 5% of units remain empty. The most you could say is that it might require 105 viewings to complete the sale instead of 100.

Lack of broadband can only impact profits if the price has to be dropped in order to compensate. Given the way house prices have held up in recent years (especially in the south) I don't see that happening. I haven't moved house in a long time but I know a few people who have and none of them mentioned broadband as a factor. I do watch things like Location, Location, Location and I can't remember anyone ever mentioning connectivity on those shows either.

I think there are so many other far more important considerations like schools, shops crime rates, parking, decoration etc. that connectivity is rarely considered. That wouldn't be the case for me. If I move I'll want to be within 500 metres as the cable runs to my cabinet

Edited by Andrue (Fri 14-Jun-13 19:52:05)

My brother just moved house, and he didn't even give it thought, I think mainly because he's always had good broadband speeds, and not suffered with very low speeds. Fortunately he can get FTTC if he wants it at his new house.

I would certainly be making sure I was close to a cabinet if we ever moved, and that fibre was available - would be a major downer only to find the cab was full!

In reply to a post by mr_mojo:

I agree. Any developer that doesn't do this or have it on the agenda is bonkers these days. If even 5% of people don't move into a flat/house in a new build because they didn't, that's going to cost them £100ks of lost profit.

If you want to make developers pay attention, all you have to do is wander into a showhome, ask about fibre provision, and walk out if they don't have FTTP pre-organised. You don't need any true ambition to buy, but you do send a message...

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Has the council adopted the roads yet? As some developers can be odd (or want a chunk of money) for adding extra cabinets beyond the minimum required to provide telephone services.

Unexpected surprise:
"Further to your recent email, as yet the roads on the Battledown Park (GCHQ Oakley) development have not been adopted by the Council as highway maintainable at the public expense. The Developer, Taylor Wimpey, does intend to offer the roads for adoption but first there are certain things he must do before this can happen i.e. carry out road safety audits, complete any remedial works to the road and street lighting, submit as-built plans and sewer adoption certificate etc. The Developer is currently progressing this matter but unfortunately I am unable to offer a timescale for the adoption of the roads.
...
Gloucestershire County Council"

Maybe Taylor Wimpey not only has failed to think about broadband/cable during build but also is sabotaging the installation years later?

We live in Great Missenden, and it appears our cabinet that will not be connected, unless we pay BT £38000, in which case they may do it within the next 18 months.

As it is we are stuck with ADSL2 which gives us a great download speed of between 500 and, on a good day when no-one else is on-line, 2.0.

Not the greatest speed for streaming, so don't think we will be taking up BTs offer to change to them to get BT Sports for free!