topic Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge in Plusnet Feedback

Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:49:05 GMT

After (literally) years of hesitation I finally took the plunge and ordered Fibre Extra this evening.
I appreciate that the 'Techicolor' router may not be up to covering the whole house so I've purchased a Huawei Wi-Fi Repeater from Amazon (also useful for current Netgear DG834gt router until PN goes live).
My main qualm is the failed OpenRetch installation appointment scenario..... fingers crossed!! Don't think I'm in a MBORC area (Sutton & Cheam, London area).

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mushy — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:18:42 GMT

I debated upgrading because of the failed failed installations that kept appearing on the forums but it all went well on the day with no issues and hopefully so will yours.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

Jaggies — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:57:32 GMT

The last of the MBORCs has now been lifted.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

Bjn — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:54:29 GMT

Quote from: mikko
After (literally) years of hesitation I finally took the plunge and ordered Fibre Extra this evening.
I appreciate that the 'Techicolor' router may not be up to covering the whole house so I've purchased a Huawei Wi-Fi Repeater from Amazon (also useful for current Netgear DG834gt router until PN goes live).
My main qualm is the failed OpenRetch installation appointment scenario..... fingers crossed!! Don't think I'm in a MBORC area (Sutton & Cheam, London area).

You should have used your netgear router as a free wireless repeater as long as you disabled DHCP Client on the netgear works well. Only thing is your limited to g wireless with your netgear router but even that should be ok as a secondary Wi-Fi point.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:12:44 GMT

It's an ex-Sky Netgear modem/router, converted to allow me to use my own login and password but seems to be nobbled in other ways.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

adamwalker — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:21:23 GMT

@mikko
As I did for Mushy recently I don't mind keeping an eye on the order after it's been placed. At least then IF there is any issues I can jump straight on it for you. If there was any chance at all that the booked engineer would not be able to attend the visit we'd usually be able to tell you prior to the visit by checking the order progress proactively.
Adam

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:02:13 GMT

Thanks Adam.
My niece (who lives at the same address) jumped the gun without telling me and asked BT to put Infinity + phone package on the line (which already has LLU from Surfanytime on it). BT agreed and sent her an email saying the line number would be changed. I only found out yesterday when I got a letter from BT. I phoned BT and said 'no way' as I am the account holder. Later, when I showed her my correspondence with Pusnet she phoned BT and cancelled her order (surely couldn't go ahead anyway with ADSL already on the line, funny BT didn't check that).
So maybe there's potential there for a mix-up which is where hopefully you could step in.
Current situation is I'm waiting for my MAC from Surfanytime (the LLU is partial - on broadband only, phone line is with BT).
One reason I went with Plusnet is the help I've witnessed on this forum. Had some tempting offers from BT but as I said to my niece 'what about the customer service?'

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

adamwalker — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:12:32 GMT

OK, I don't imagine it would cause any issues. I'll need to let our provisioning team place your order first so do look out for a response from them and drop me a PM if there's any issues and I'll step in at that point if need be.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:39:44 GMT

Even though I don't have a MAC yet, I have these installation dates:
Your Plusnet Fibre broadband order
We'll arrange for your fibre broadband service to be installed. This will happen on one of the dates you've chosen:
~~29/11/2012 AM~~
~~30/11/2012 AM~~
~~30/11/2012 PM~~
It's now 13/12/12 8am - 1pm

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:53:34 GMT

OK, here's the feedback on today's installation:
The engineer (Kelly not BT/OR) phoned to say he was coming and my broadband would soon go off.
He knocked on the door and said he couldn't find my line so came in and plugged a gadget in the master socket and went off again.
He returned about 30 mins later and said he'd found the line.
When I told him I'd asked for an extension he looked baffled and it would be a major job and beds/furniture would have to be moved (wouldn't consider putting it up the wall outside the house [even though I offered him tea and biscuits], which is where BT routed a phone extension many years ago). I don't even know if he had any cable with him, he'd obviously never been asked to put an extension in before.
He removed the old master socket, replaced it with an openreach one and installed the modem and router side by side in the hall near the master socket.
He told me that an extension cable would have run from the master socket to the modem in the upstairs bedroom (where my computer is) and that the modem and router are always side by side connected by the short ethernet cable (red ends).
So now I have the modem and router downstairs and am connected wirelessly upstairs at a max speed of about 36MB/s down and about 15MB/s up.
He said his own test back to the server gave the max sync rate of 80 down and 20 up which i believe as we are near the FTTC cabinet.
A snippet of info he gave me was that the FTTC cabinets would disappear soon as FTTP is coming.
Any comments Adam?

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mushy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:20:24 GMT

I had a similar issue with the Kelly's engineer when it came to fitting the extension, wouldn't fit it where i wanted it but i managed to convinced him to make up a cable and routed it where i wanted after he had left.
If i hadn't mentioned the extension he wouldn't have either and wasn't keen on it.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

adamwalker — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:51:08 GMT

From what you've said it sounds like the job was carried out well apart from what you've mentioned about extensions. I can check but I don't think all engineers carry these as a matter of course and may only do so if the ISP has requested one to be installed when the order for fibre was placed.
The speeds don't seem to be near your estimate at all though so I'd advise keeping an eye on that over the next few days and would urge you to raise a fault with us if you don't see that improve during that time.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

MisterW — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:55:59 GMT

Quote
The speeds don't seem to be near your estimate at all though so I'd advise keeping an eye on that over the next few days and would urge you to raise a fault with us if you don't see that improve during that time.

Quote
and am connected wirelessly

That might well explain the low download speed, Adam.
A wired speed test is needed.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:59:42 GMT

When i can get around to it, I'll plug my laptop directly into the router and do a speed test.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:51:26 GMT

Does anyone know if the Kelly's engineer was correct when he said that FTTC cabinets would disappear soon as FTTP is coming (I clarified with him that the FTTC customers will be upgraded to FTTP at no extra cost). Maybe only BT customers?

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mushy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:37:02 GMT

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_
From what you've said it sounds like the job was carried out well apart from what you've mentioned about extensions. I can check but I don't think all engineers carry these as a matter of course and may only do so if the ISP has requested one to be installed when the order for fibre was placed.

The engineer that installed my fibre connection just had a reel of cable, cut off length required and cripped the ends on for my extension

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

kmilburn — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 14:09:15 GMT

Quote from: mikko
Does anyone know if the Kelly's engineer was correct when he said that FTTC cabinets would disappear soon as FTTP is coming (I clarified with him that the FTTC customers will be upgraded to FTTP at no extra cost). Maybe only BT customers?

From what I am aware, it's incorrect.
Beyond the cost and return of installing the cabinets, you'd also have the problem with the cabinets with active customers.
Also BT are working on 'FTTP on demand' (FTTP in an FTTC enabled ara) which is likely to cost between £500 and £1000 to install and utilises the FTTC infrastructure.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:24:05 GMT

Quote
From what you've said it sounds like the job was carried out well apart from what you've mentioned about extensions. I can check but I don't think all engineers carry these as a matter of course and may only do so if the ISP has requested one to be installed when the order for fibre was placed.

I did tick the box requesting an extension so the engineer should have been prepared for it.

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

jelv — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:52:43 GMT

There's a word for a lot of what the engineer told you and it rhymes with the name of the things you put the oars in to in a rowing boat!

Quote from: mikko
the modem and router are always side by side connected by the short ethernet cable (red ends).

If his definition of short is up to 100 meters of Cat 5e cable then he was correct - I don't think it's anyone else's definition!

Re: Finally took the FTTC plunge

mikko — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:34:48 GMT

It seems to me that when an extension is requested the ideal thing to do would be for BTOR to carry out a short survey of the premises beforehand and advise the customer of the feasibility as well as noting relevant dimensions and other data.
This seems to me to me to be the professional approach instead of having a bloke rolling up unprepared on installation day and trying to bamboozle the customer with guesswork.