Info on my local cabinets + wiring [pics included]

Hi there,

Here's a pic from upstairs in my property of a group of 3 cabinets located on the opposite side of the road, I'm really not sure on what they are so can anyone say?

http://i.imgur.com/23qpL.jpg

Now im just guessing here, but say that the rightmost one is the standard BT broadband cabinet that connects me to the exchange, how is the cabinet connected to my property?

Is it connected underground straight to me [yellow line] approx. 20m

Or is it connected to the nearest telecoms pole that then connects to my house [red line] approx. 100m+

Check the second image...

http://i.imgur.com/vVclu.jpg

Forgive me if these are silly questions

Cheers!

Edited by deleted (Fri 21-Sep-12 16:55:47)

The one on the left, and possibly the right, look like VM cable cabinets.

Have a look at the manhole covers in front of them - CATV means cable.

None of those look like BT cabs to me. Perhaps CATV?

I don't know where your serving cabinet is sited, but a cable will run underground from the cabinet to the pole and then overhead from the pole to your premises (red line).

It looks like there are two cabinets that serve your post code:

Text
1 23	Postcode        Exchange                Service Type            Probability     Speed Increase  Phase   Cabinet DN15xxx         SCUNTHORPE      FTTC, but not available yet     50%                                     P104DN15xxx         SCUNTHORPE      FTTC, but not available yet     50%                                     P5

So you need to look for cabinets labelled with 104 or 5.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

The one on the left, and possibly the right, look like VM cable cabinets.

Have a look at the manhole covers in front of them - CATV means cable.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, never thought of looking at the manhole covers, ill get onto that soon!

Can anyone confirm whether or not my broadband cabinet is indeed located across the road from me and therefore visible in the first picture? It'd be good news if someone told me it was, perfect for when (hopefully not if!) FTTC comes!

Edited by deleted (Fri 21-Sep-12 17:26:50)

In reply to a post by panda:

None of those look like BT cabs to me. Perhaps CATV?

I don't know where your serving cabinet is sited, but a cable will run underground from the cabinet to the pole and then overhead from the pole to your premises (red line).

It looks like there are two cabinets that serve your post code:

Text
1 23	Postcode        Exchange                Service Type            Probability     Speed Increase  Phase   Cabinet DN15xxx         SCUNTHORPE      FTTC, but not available yet     50%                                     P104DN15xxx         SCUNTHORPE      FTTC, but not available yet     50%                                     P5

So you need to look for cabinets labelled with 104 or 5.

Hey, where did you get that postcode info from haha? Im assuming you just googled "gurnell street"

Ive been in touch with openreach and they said I'm connected to cab 5, which is backed up by the various online checks ive done

Thanks for the reply

EDIT: could i also ask where you got that information from? confirming that cab p5 will be getting FTTC, kinda exciting

Edited by deleted (Fri 21-Sep-12 17:35:35)

The info came from here, but is from December last year so may no longer be valid.

It doesn't show any deployment phase for your cabinet though, so it doesn't confirm when or even if FTTC will be available.

Ahhh, ok thanks

Would there be anyway of tracking down the location of the cabinet by starting at the pole?

eg. looking for bt manhole covers around the pole etc and then working outwards, further and further away

In reply to a post by panda:

Postcode	Exchange		Service Type		Probability	Speed Increase	Phase	Cabinet
DN15xxx	SCUNTHORPE	FTTC, but not available yet	50%					P104
DN15xxx	SCUNTHORPE	FTTC, but not available yet	50%					P5

So you need to look for cabinets labelled with 104 or 5.

There's not an easy way unfortunately.
There are exceptions to every rule, but generally cables from telephone exchanges to cabinets are likely to follow main roads.
If you were to travel from the Exchange to the pole, what would be a likely route?

Or just ask a local BT guy.

I've got pics of most but not all BT cabinets, and a few VM ones, on this page. Might help you identify them

BT cabs are generally 1-3 digit numbers. The highest known is 1001 or 1002, in TTrafford Park, Manchester. VM much longer.

http://goo.gl/maps/943VF

That could be 5, street view does not go all the way down the street so its hard to get a better angle on the cabinet.

In reply to a post by ccxo:

http://goo.gl/maps/943VF

That could be 5, street view does not go all the way down the street so its hard to get a better angle on the cabinet.

Hey, wow you could be right, you know what, I've never even noticed that before haha, thank you very much ccxo!

Ill go have a closer look, see if I can find any markings on it although it looks pretty battered so that may be unlikely.

Thanks again for investigating, much appreciated and thank you to RobertoS + panda!

Cheers guys

In reply to a post by yarwell:

The one on the left, and possibly the right, look like VM cable cabinets.

Have a look at the manhole covers in front of them - CATV means cable.

In reply to a post by panda:

There's not an easy way unfortunately.
There are exceptions to every rule, but generally cables from telephone exchanges to cabinets are likely to follow main roads.
If you were to travel from the Exchange to the pole, what would be a likely route?

Or just ask a local BT guy.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I've got pics of most but not all BT cabinets, and a few VM ones, on this page. Might help you identify them

BT cabs are generally 1-3 digit numbers. The highest known is 1001 or 1002, in TTrafford Park, Manchester. VM much longer.

In reply to a post by ccxo:

http://goo.gl/maps/943VF

That could be 5, street view does not go all the way down the street so its hard to get a better angle on the cabinet.

Hi all,

Just incase anyone sees this and wants to know more, all 3 of the cabinets in the first pic are all VM CATV cabs, there are small white stickers on the side with part no.'s and some other information along with "CATV". The manholes all have CATV on them too.

The cabinet ccxo very helpfully found has a faded white "5" painted on the side closest to the camera.

Thanks all!