The Openreach Superfast Broadband Checker for our exchange said at Christmas that superfast broadband should be enabled within 6 months (end June), as of 18th May we're told it should be enabled within 6 months???? Talking about moving goal posts. Clearly no proper planning or a complete lack of understanding of the importance of providing consumers with realistic communication.

In reply to a post by Fastman2:

all public money is matched by operatir ubject to aid intensity rules and other such rlules indicate in this case openteach

Not matched necessarily. BT could be putting in a relatively small percentage.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced there would be a man on the moon by the end of the decade. That goal was achieved on July 20, 1969. The complexity of that task must have been huge and yet one giant leap happened on time; in fact six months earlier than thought.

They didn't need to make a profit and had some high funding in order to beat the Russians. These things are possible if the funding and drive are there to do it - I would suggest this is very different to a company that has shareholders.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced there would be a man on the moon by the end of the decade. That goal was achieved on July 20, 1969. The complexity of that task must have been huge and yet one giant leap happened on time; in fact six months earlier than thought.

Fifty years on, the memory might lead you to believe that one giant leap happened. It didn't. There were thousands, millions, of little leaps that all culminated in the big one.

After all, Apollo 8 got within 60 miles of the moon surface, so the bulk of Apollo 11 was really only a copy of what had gone before; the "new stuff" was only in the last few steps. A very memorable bit, though.

However, that wasn't Apollo 8's original mission. Instead of going to, and orbiting, the moon, they should have stayed in earth orbit, and tested docking with a lunar module.

Unfortunately, the lunar module wasn't ready in time (lots of unexpected faults cropped up), and NASA had to juggle around the various Apollo missions in order to keep to the end-1969 deadline. Apollo 8's mission was a newly-invented one to test a command module without a lunar module, and to test launch of a fully lunar-capable mission by Saturn V. Apollo 9 ended up testing the LM in earth orbit.

Meanwhile, NASA didn't have faith in the Saturn V for the launch of Apollo 8 - which would be its first use in manned flight (Apollo 7 used a different Saturn model for Earth orbit only). Problems shown up in unmanned Apollo 6, severe oscillation and engine shutdowns, were still being figured out and fixed in the couple of months before launch, and were being tested only 3 days beforehand.

NASA agreed to the changes to Apollo 8, but chose not to tell the public at first. At least not until Apollo 7 was complete. I guess keeping the public up-to-date with the latest project shuffles wasn't foremost in their minds. Keeping the end-deadline, within budget, was firmly in that position.

In those regards, Apollo make for a great example of adaptation to cope with individual problems, just like we see in the FTTC programme. When problems are encountered at any one location, the manpower is redirected into something else while the problem gets sorted out at leisure. The glorious end goal, though, doesn't seem to get delayed.

In fact, the commercial deployment hits its targets 2 years ahead of the original schedule. I see hints that the BDUK one may be early too; work will still be going on, but the 90% coverage target looks likely to be hit.

It seems that the Apollo programme provides a perfect example of how the FTTC programme needs to behave.

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

In fact, the commercial deployment hits its targets 2 years ahead of the original schedule.

Not entirely true, some of the commercial deployment got put on hold in mid install, in favour for the BDUK work, well the some of the Commercial FTTP Project down my road a several side roads did back end of 2011.

BT and BTOR confirmed that our "Commercial FTTP Project" is due to be completed soon and was sorry for the delays and that there are a lot of the commercial deployment that was put on hold that they are coming back to complete.

Its only now that they are starting to come back to complete what they started a while back.

But yeah, I have to agree that they are doing very well and have done rather a lot of installs considering what's involved in some areas.

Paul

In reply to a post by PaulKirby:

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

In fact, the commercial deployment hits its targets 2 years ahead of the original schedule.

Not entirely true, some of the commercial deployment got put on hold in mid install, in favour for the BDUK work, well the some of the Commercial FTTP Project down my road a several side roads did back end of 2011.

That's why I was careful with my choice of words.

The commercial rollout continues, even now, and would appear to be continuing into 2017.

However, the stated commercial target was to reach two-thirds of the UK by the end of 2015. They then pulled the timescale back, and then reached two-thirds of the UK (19 million) in March 2014 (so "2 years" was a bit of an over-statement).

But ... the commercial target was indeed reached. That programme also continues, extending coverage beyond the original targets. Its just that there has been no statement from BT about how much more they intend to do - beyond one press release for infill coverage in 30 cities - and I guess any such statement would now get hopelessly confused amongst the BDUK rollout.

Around 6 months ago, when both BT and BDUK were talking about passing 40,000 properties for BDUK projects, the actual run rate was around 60,000 properties per week - suggesting there was (at the time) quite a lot of commercial coverage expansion.

None of this helps those people who end up in problem areas, and whose homes get thrown on the superfast rejection pile. That's the problem with big-picture statistics & targets.

I have and all they have said is they will come back to me with info......... next week, next year who knows.

But currently it's been well over a month since they said that. Like I wrote....sshh don't tell anyone. It's all hush hush!

In reply to a post by miket67m:

The Openreach Superfast Broadband Checker for our exchange said at Christmas that superfast broadband should be enabled within 6 months (end June), as of 18th May we're told it should be enabled within 6 months???? Talking about moving goal posts. Clearly no proper planning or a complete lack of understanding of the importance of providing consumers with realistic communication.

That's the kind of attitude that has persuaded Openreach to rein in more and more information. You're still within the 6 months period anyway, I don't know what you're complaining about. If you're disappointed it's saying within 6 months, the same as at Christmas, you're going to have a disappointing experience when likely expecting up to 40/76Mbps.

With these sorts of companies you have to pay attention to their wording; without could mean right at the end of the period and may not be updated until close to the date if at all.

As for the OP: Contact your BDUK office if you're covered for it; they will be able to tell you information specific to your area. Also check their website - The Somerset and Devon BDUK project had an okayish map which at the time was better than the Openreach when looking to see whether we were being upgraded.

That in addition to the fact that Openreach as well as a lot of IT companies these days like to keep things secret because they have total control of the information and some of it is likely embarrassing - I know my university likes to do this and why they do it as-well.

As for the OP: Contact your BDUK office if you're covered for it; they will be able to tell you information specific to your area. Also check their website - The Somerset and Devon BDUK project had an okayish map which at the time was better than the Openreach when looking to see whether we were being upgraded.

I know we are down to be upgraded. That is fact. The problem seems to be the great mystery of when. It's also become obvious that checking on both websites has become a complete and utter waste of time: No actual details are divulged.

From the Onlincolnshire website way back in December last year.

The postcode you have provided falls within Phase 4 of this project and will be upgraded between now and the end of March 2015.
Realistically, I think it will be early in the New Year and we will have a clearer view in early January re. actual completion dates.

Note the word WILL not if! Even back then, Openreach at least were giving expected dates on their site. Since then further info has hit a complete brick wall.

But yes, you are right. I should be very grateful for what info I get given, even if it is really none at all. Breweries and drink come to mind.

Still if Openreach wait long enough they won't need to bother installing a cabinet. We'll all have gone wireless - something I've noticed of late. Lots and lots of dishes going up all over the place. Well done Quickline on the sales patter. All I need is a relay and I'd be there too!