I'd say it probably covers about 60 to 80 properties. It just struck me as its the one cabinet which doesn't have any competition so to speak.

Annoying that they play games like that as all the surrounding areas going slightly further afield have also been upgraded, which incidentally also have Virgin Media competition.

It seems like an abuse of their position however the crux of the matter is proving it, and even if it is proven, if anything can or will be done about it anyway.

I wonder if I could get friendly with the Social Club across the road and WiFi across (unlikely haha)

60-80 properties is way too small. It's not about abuse of position, even if there were cable there they'd dismiss it out of hand as there's no way they can make their money back from it.

The cut off in most cases, cable or not, seems to be around the 250 premises mark though there are exceptions.

You're probably right there, its just frustrating that BT will not give out the state of play.

Its always the standard answer of "Keep checking every now and then to see if you can get it", rather than simply being honest and telling me that I will never get it unless there is some external funding or suchlike.

You get the same answer from Virgin, and did from their predecessors - rather, the same lack of answer. My "old" estate (built 1996) had about 200 homes, and was never cabled - by NTL originally, or Virgin more recently.

It had 200 properties, and runs next to a road that *is* cabled - we;re less than 50 yards away. In fact, subsequent new-builds have happened that included cable, so it is now a pocket surrounded by cable coverage. We could never get an answer about whether they'd cover the area or not.

Here's the rub on BDUK funding though...

BDUK will never fund an area that has Virgin cable (they count as NGA grey areas) so BT will never get a subsidy for those places. If BT *ever* wants to compete in those Virgin-supplied areas, they *have* to include them in the commercial rollout, even if the commercial justifications don't pan out.

Ah I have been told by Virgin that there are no plans at present to cable my place, which is 100% more open and honest than BT.

It doesn't stop them throwing rubbish through my letter box asking me to sign up to fibre lol!

In reply to a post by benjd84:

Ah I have been told by Virgin that there are no plans at present to cable my place, which is 100% more open and honest than BT.

I'm a little intrigued as to why you consider BT to be neither open nor honest. What has [email protected] told you? What does the number checker tell you? If your cab isn't included in BT's commercial roll-out due to it being commercially non viable that has little to do with BT not being honest or open, they're a business just like any other and their shareholders expect them to operate profitably.

As others have already said hopefully your cab will be picked up by your local BDUK scheme given that you have no access to either VM or a BT nga connection. Many of us are in that or similar positions and is it certainly frustrating so I can understand how annoying it is.

A certain degree of overlap between BDUK and Virgin is acceptable as 'collateral damage'.

In reply to a post by MCM:

I'm a little intrigued as to why you consider BT to be neither open nor honest. What has [email protected] told you? What does the number checker tell you? If your cab isn't included in BT's commercial roll-out due to it being commercially non viable that has little to do with BT not being honest or open, they're a business just like any other and their shareholders expect them to operate profitably.

Hi, it is their apparent policy for giving a complete lack of information on cabinets that are not converted which is not open nor honest.

The number checker states that I simply have ADSL available, it doesn't say fibre is coming soon or not at all. However through a half an hour of research I found that 4 of the 5 cabinets in my vicinity are all converted and taking sales.

The provision or not of a service in itself is not at issue here, all I am seeking from them is a straight answer. If they have decided it wouldn't be viable to convert the cabinet which my line runs to, then what harm would it have to simply tell me that. Yes some customers might get a bit irate, however most will simply assess their options and look for some form of alternative if it is that important to them.

The fact that they are a business owned by shareholders doesn't seem relevant to me at all in this context.

Virgin seemed quite capable to tell me that they have no plans to hook my place up, and that was what I would call an open and honest response. Incidentally they too are a business with shareholders!

Have you actually asked [email protected] ?

Edited by deleted (Sun 30-Jun-13 21:00:57)

In reply to a post by benjd84:

Hi, it is their apparent policy for giving a complete lack of information on cabinets that are not converted which is not open nor honest.

So what precisely did nga enquiries say when you e-mailed them? If you haven't contacted them then you can hardly claim that BT are withholding information. You first need to ask. As a commercial company BT have no obligations to disclose business information but in the case of the provision of nga access BT are happy to reply to e-mails but you do need to ask.