Abinger Hammer? Have checked that TalkTalk LLU is available at that exchange using address check.

SimplyBroadband via TalkTalk

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/jump.html?type=5&url=h...

You miss out on the voucher as its a new install but £1.75/m for 12 months is not bad, and if you use the line rental saver and also pay on the day the bill email is sent out the 15% off push the price down pretty low.

Keep in mind that basically, you would still be relying on any unused pair in the same cable from your house to the PCP Cabinet, then over the main copper cable to the Exchange, for ADSL.

Basically the VDSL involves the same cable to the PCP, then the extra, short, new copper links to the new FTTC Cabinet, which is then linked by Fibre to possibly the same Exchange, depending upon the exact arrangements for the Fibre.

So ADSL potentially could be affected as much in the weakest part, from the PCP to your house, particularly as it appears from your mention of "rural" and "poles", suggests that your "D-Side" line may be particularly exposed to weather etc.

For example, say you already had this arrangement in place, the second, ADSL line could be equally affected by the present fault, unfortunately.

In other words, you can't guarantee that it would always provide a solution.

I think the problem is down to installer issues rather than a fault.

There is certainly that possibility, and also disturbance as the PCP is accessed, particularly to complete more FTTC connections for the OP's neighbours.

And again, no guarantee that such a fault would not be repeated on a "new ADSL line"

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I note that the OP states that the phone side of a second line would "never be used"; and that mobile reception etc is poor.

I wonder if he uses the phone side of his present line; and if it has been working during this episode, as that may or may not help to locate the fault causing his present problems.

Prima facie, it would appear to be on the D-Side including the FTTC-PCP links, with his apparently losing VDSL totally, unless it is failure within the FTTC equipment only, in which case basic phone facilities are likely to still be working.

Don't think Bob is at all to blame for someone other than himself writing a company's T&Cs!

That's interesting, thanks. I was hoping to add a new cable from the road - using spare wires in the same cable could expose me to tree-related issues! We'll see what BT say.

Problem was resolved yesterday. Engineer did a "lift and shift" in the cabinet, which is where the problem lay.
I shall still pursue a non-fibre backup to spread the risk, since the cabinet seems to be a vulnerability, especially with the state of the electricity supply hereabouts.

Poor old Zen. They do their best for customer service, but at the end of the day they are only as strong as the weakest link, which in this case was the quality/motivation of the various BT "engineers".

Thanks MrSaffron - will follow this up.
JR

Of course not - I apologise if that was inferred.

Cabinets have battery backup, so likely to outlast anything you have at home, unless you use a generator to run yourself for days