Possible database error

Hi All,

I have a friend who lives near me and is currently struggling on 8Mbps ADSL, when checking his address on the Wholesale checker i get the following results:

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
FTTP on Demand 330 30 -- Available --
ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) Availability Date
WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 7 -- 4.5 to 11 Available
WBC ADSL2+ Annex M Up to 7 Up to 1 4.5 to 11 Available
ADSL Max Up to 5.5 -- 4 to 8 Available
WBC Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Other Offerings Availability Date
ADSL Multicast Available
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange N
WLR Withdrawal N
SOADSL Restriction Y

From what I understand FTTPoD is not available unless FTTC is too.
So I checked another address in the same postcode, they both report as the same cabinet number:

eatured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability Date WBC SOGEA Availability Date
High Low High Low
VDSL Range A (Clean) 46.8 32.4 8 6.2 25.4 Available Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 45.7 27.4 8 5.9 20 Available Available
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
FTTP on Demand 330 30 -- Available --
ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) Availability Date
WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 7.5 -- 4.5 to 11 Available
WBC ADSL2+ Annex M Up to 7.5 Up to 1 4.5 to 11 Available
ADSL Max Up to 4.5 -- 3.5 to 7.5 Available
WBC Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Other Offerings Availability Date
VDSL Multicast Available
ADSL Multicast Available
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange N
WLR Withdrawal N
SOADSL Restriction Y

Is this just a database error?

Thanks
Dan

FTTPoD doesn't need FTTC to be available to order, but for the serving PCP to be FTTC enabled.
FTTPoD still shows available for properties that are too far to receive FTTC.

So either a database issue that FTTC isn't showing available or potentially the line is too far away to receive it.

It's worth checking a few properties either side of your friend to see how widespread the problem is. If he's the only property in a sea of FTTC available, and his line is reported as being on the same cabinet (i.e. not an exchange-only line) then the chances are good it's a database error. If there are properties on the same pole that can order FTTC the position is even better.

If he's in a very rural area and the FTTC-enabled address in the same postcode is significantly closer to the cabinet, then it's less certain. Comparing the ADSL2+ estimates, I don't think your friend is a huge amount further away then the enabled address.

FOD and FTTC are completely different they are not aligned FTTC is blown fibre tubing , FOD needs to get back to an Aggregation Node (which will be much deeper back in the network especially the more rural you get

In reply to a post by Fastman3:

FOD and FTTC are completely different they are not aligned FTTC is blown fibre tubing , FOD needs to get back to an Aggregation Node (which will be much deeper back in the network especially the more rural you get

I think the OP is relying on this description from Openreach themselves:

"Fibre to the Premises on Demand enables you to order Generic Ethernet Access over Fibre to the Premises (GEA-FTTP) in speeds up to 1Gbps for your customers who are within a Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) exchange area and are served by a FTTC enabled cabinet."

That is: regardless of the different network types, Openreach have decided to restrict FOD to FTTC footprint only. It then goes on with further restrictions (e.g. FOD is not available at MDUs)

Given that FOD properties are a subset of FTTC properties, the following should be true:

* if your property is NOT in an FTTC area, then it is NOT available for FOD
* if your property IS available for FOD, then it IS in an FTTC area

However it doesn't necessarily say you can *order* FTTC, only that you are within an FTTC exchange area and that the cabinet you are connected to is FTTC-enabled. You might be too far away to get usable FTTC speeds.

Hence the need to check speeds of neighbours connected to the same cabinet. If they get reasonable speeds, then it's likely to be a database error. There's an Openreach contact form online that you can use, and one of the drop-down items is "I cannot get fibre but my neighbours can".

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I am aware that FTTPoD does not come from the cabinet, my query is because I've never personally seen the checker say that FTTPoD is available and then have no entry at all for FTTC.
He is in a block of flats that are connected to Cabinet 6 on the Moulton Exchange in Northampton.
I have just checked another of the addresses in the block and that can get FTTC

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability Date WBC SOGEA Availability Date
High Low High Low
VDSL Range A (Clean) 23.4 15.5 2.7 1.4 13.1 Available Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 23.1 13.1 2.7 1.3 10 Available Available
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
FTTP on Demand 330 30 -- Available --
ADSL Products Downstream Line Rate (Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) Availability Date
WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 7 -- 4.5 to 11.5 Available
WBC ADSL2+ Annex M Up to 7 Up to 1 4.5 to 11.5 Available
ADSL Max Up to 5.5 -- 4 to 8 Available
WBC Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Fixed Rate 2 -- -- Available
Other Offerings Availability Date
VDSL Multicast Available
ADSL Multicast Available
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange N
WLR Withdrawal N
SOADSL Restriction Y

Thanks Dan

In reply to a post by Fastman3:

FOD and FTTC are completely different they are not aligned FTTC is blown fibre tubing , FOD needs to get back to an Aggregation Node (which will be much deeper back in the network especially the more rural you get

What on Earth are you taking about?
Who mentioned anything about blown fibre tubing?
What's the relevance of your post? (I wonder that on 99% of your posts).

FTTPoD is only available to properties connected to a PCP that is FTTC enabled.
That's the only point I made.

FTTPoD comes from the exact same Aggregation Node that FTTC comes from, which is partly why they require 1 for the other to be available.

In reply to a post by danielhyde:

VDSL Range A (Clean) 23.4 15.5 2.7 1.4 13.1 Available Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 23.1 13.1 2.7 1.3 10 Available Available

Those are quite low figures, but still better than ADSL at that property.

If you want to order FTTC at the property where it's not shown available, your first step should be to fill in the Openreach contact form I linked to before ("I cannot get fibre but my neighbours can"). That should either resolve the database error, assuming that's what it is, or get you further information about what the issue is.

If you don't get any joy within a month, then post again here: there are people on this forum with the right connections to send a nudge. But try the official path first.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

In reply to a post by danielhyde:

VDSL Range A (Clean) 23.4 15.5 2.7 1.4 13.1 Available Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 23.1 13.1 2.7 1.3 10 Available Available

Those are quite low figures, but still better than ADSL at that property.

If you want to order FTTC at the property where it's not shown available, your first step should be to fill in the Openreach contact form I linked to before ("I cannot get fibre but my neighbours can"). That should either resolve the database error, assuming that's what it is, or get you further information about what the issue is.

If you don't get any joy within a month, then post again here: there are people on this forum with the right connections to send a nudge. But try the official path first.

Thanks for the advice, I have got him to fill in the form

Thanks
Dan