Caley

They will run the fibres from the new Cabs back to a headend in Inverness, so they won't touch the equipment in your exchange.

I would advise ordering FTTC as soon as it becomes available to you, each cab will start off with 1Gb backhaul which will be many times what the DSLAM in the exchange gets. ( DLSAMs get it in increments of STM1 / 155Mb)

When it gets to the headend exchange the backhaul each wholesale provider buys will be in physical increments of 1Gb as well. ( They don't have to turn it all on but upto the 1Gb it is adjustable by software so quick to increase).

It is rare to hit congestion on backhaul for the FTTC network, although it still suffers delays when the distant end has limited bandwidth for the demand placed upon the websites.

You need to check the BTWholesale checker to see if you are connected direct to the exchange or via a cab. If it tells you the cab number you will be able to find it by the number on it. If no number is present you will not be able to get FTTC at this stage. May be lucky if they install a new cabinet outside the exchange at a later date.

If you switch to a service using ADSL2+ then this shows the speeds you could get

http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/calc/index.php?param=RG...

It only says bad now, because you have your speed capped by being on the maximum speed for IPStream Max

Unfortunately I have found out that I'm not on a cabinet, my line is direct to the exchange apparently. A good number of other address here are in the same boat.

Sorry for being a bit thick here but are you saying if I switch to another isp who uses ADSL2+ I will see a speed increase and if so how will I find out who uses ADSL2+?

Thanks.

Caley.

If you have TT and/or C&W LLU at your exchange look at any of the reseller ISPs. They will do 1 or other, but will be more expensive than TT LLU direct, but with usually better support.

In reply to a post by caley:

Sorry for being a bit thick here but are you saying if I switch to another isp who uses ADSL2+ I will see a speed increase and if so how will I find out who uses ADSL2+?

Everyone but BTwholesale in your area will be ADSL2+. The complex part is working out which network provider each ISP uses.

Punch in your exchange name here, or tell us which exchange you are on.
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

Edited by jchamier (Thu 27-Feb-14 19:14:43)

I'm on Inverness Culloden exchange.

In reply to a post by caley:

I'm on Inverness Culloden exchange.

As expected, the data says the BT network in your area is the old one (20CN) and not the new one (21CN - also known as WBC). Your exchange area has an FTTC ready for service date of 1st March, so there should be at least one FTTC cabinet in your area by then. BT will eventually upgrade the exchange to 21CN but there is no date shown (its not connected to the roll out of FTTC)

Your exchange also has C&W network, Sky network, and TalkTalk network as alternatives to the BT 20CN. You could ask your chosen ISPs if they can offer service using any of those.

Try http://vivaciti.net/ or http://www.xilo.net/adsl_broadband/ and there are probably others.

Edited by jchamier (Fri 28-Feb-14 08:05:59)

I knew the exchange was ancient, no updates since 2006. Although it's said that fttc will be here in March, I know there will be many addresses that won't get it, me included. Earlier on in another thread I said that quite a few homes in this estate only have lines that go directly to the exchange and miss out on a cabinet. So no cabinet not fttc for us unless BT can do the upgrade to include us by install numerous cabinets where needed. That takes money and BT doesn't like to spend money, albeit somebody elses money, cause what they don't spend from the funds they acquired they usually get to keep. I'll have a look over the websites of the companies you mention and see if I can get something to suit. I have seen mention in various threads that TTB is good if you can get it from an isp so I'll look for them after I find out for sure we won't be getting fibre.

Good luck. I just read in another post that Utility Warehouse (never heard of them) also offer ISP services using TalkTalk's network.