I think it's to maintain compatibility with the headend ( Exchange/ handover node) equipment.

I am sure that exchange can mixed with Huawei 288s, Huawei 128s and ECI 128s

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

It won't have 288 lines of capacity straight off. It'll have perhaps 96, 2 full length line cards, and those won't fill up that quickly as the area has >14Mb DSL and cable.

I thought FTTc here would be filled up by now, since it is over 12 months since they was up and running and ADSl around here is naff. but someone down the road put in for FTTC and they are getting it fitted soon. so i think it proves that even in areas where ADSL is naff, take up of FTTc is still slow.

I don't believe they can mix between different vendors.

In reply to a post by adslmax:

I am sure that exchange can mixed with Huawei 288s, Huawei 128s and ECI 128s

I'll run with Ribble's thoughts on this one - they make sense.

Incidentally the small Huawei is 96 VDSL 2 ports.

Here in Scunthorpe, we only have Huawei cabinets installed. No ECI.

228 literally everywhere except for a couple nearer the centre of town that are 128.

Although I seem to have been given an ECI modem even though I am connected to a 228.

In reply to a post by woppy1010:

Is it better to match up modems? I'm almost sure my cab is an ECI model and my modem is a Huawei

Yes, In my test's I lost a couple of Meg off my Downstream when running my unlocked Huawei HG612 off my ECI cabinet.

It is better to match ECI modem with ECI cabs and the same goes for Huawei equipment, Huawei Modem with Huawei Cabinets. ECI and Huawei Cabs each have a specific baud plan,

You can check which cabinet you are connecting to by using Unlocked Huawei HG612 + Line Stats App.

In reply to a post by majika2007:

In reply to a post by woppy1010:

Is it better to match up modems? I'm almost sure my cab is an ECI model and my modem is a Huawei

Yes, In my test's I lost a couple of Meg off my Downstream when running my unlocked Huawei HG612 off my ECI cabinet.

It is better to match ECI modem with ECI cabs and the same goes for Huawei equipment, Huawei Modem with Huawei Cabinets. ECI and Huawei Cabs each have a specific baud plan,

You can check which cabinet you are connecting to by using Unlocked Huawei HG612 + Line Stats App.

Have you got a link to the line stats app

In reply to a post by jren207:

Here in Scunthorpe, we only have Huawei cabinets installed. No ECI.

228 literally everywhere except for a couple nearer the centre of town that are 128.

Although I seem to have been given an ECI modem even though I am connected to a 228.

how long ago was your cabinet installed?

I am curious as I believed most new areas to be ECI.

But I guess it might be better to suggest new 'exchange areas' ECI but if a new area within an existing Huawei 'exchange area' is enabled they get Huawei cabinets?

on my ECI cabinet the HG612 syncs a bit higher than ECI modems, but ECI modems or the fritzbox 3370 (which shares same chipset) have much lower error rates, and I mean much lower, easily under 10%.