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Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Today I put the number in the BT Wholesale checker, and FTTC is shown as being available now, so I have placed an order with Plusnet with a provisional install date of 14th January. I checked other addresses on the same cabinet and they all come back as good to go too, so it looks like the cabinet has been marked as ready. However, always the pessimist, I've done a search and some people have suggested that occasionally a number will show as being available on a Friday only to change again later on, which has got me worried that the work isn't actually finished, especially since it appears that mine has suddenly become available.
I checker the BT Wholesale checker earlier in the week for my phone number and it was showing the 31st March 2013 placeholder. Someone I know works for Openreach told me that my cabinet work was already finished (but there was always the chance they were thinking of a different cab), so I emailed Openreach yesterday to inquire (is it actually done or is the checker wrong) but haven't heard back from them yet other than an auto-response. I drove past the PCP on the way to work this morning, and there weren't any apparent changes (no stickers on the FTTC cab, still cast-iron shell on PCP). Do the PCP shells always get replaced with a new sheet-metal one, or does it depend on how many connections there are? The FTTC cabinet is the full-sized one (288 lines?).
Another point. I had a scheduled change to PN Unlimited (ADSL) commencing 6th January. Will this still take effect, and later change to the Fibre package, or will it stay as PN Premium now that I've ordered the fibre product?
Quote
For Telephone Number xxxxxxxxxxx on Exchange xxxx
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that it is VERY UNLIKELY you will be able to receive fixed 512Kbps broadband service due to the very long length of your telephone line. However, your order will be accepted if you still wish to order. An engineer may need to visit who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 1Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 750Kbps and 2.5Mbps.
Our test also indicates that it is VERY UNLIKELY you will be able to receive fixed 512Kbps ADSL2+ broadband service due to the very long length of your telephone line. However, your order will be accepted if you still wish to order. An engineer may need to visit who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 1Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 1Mbps and 3.5Mbps.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 49.9Mbps and upstream line speed of 10.9Mbps.
The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is maintained.
7 REPLIES 7
Trevor
Grafter
Posts: 124
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎06-01-2011

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Hello CX, I'm in a somewhat similar position. I e-mailed Open Reach early December and got a reply 9 days later saying that they still expected to have the service available before Christmas. A few days later the indicative date was revised from 31st Dec 2012 to 31st Mar 2013. However, a few days ago I found that FTTC is now listed as available for my phone number although the postcode checker still shows the status of my exchange (New Milton) as 'Coming Soon' with the date of 31st March.
FTTC is showing as an upgrade option on my Plusnet pages so it looks like I could place an order but, like you, I'm still a little unsure whether the service is really ready for connection.
Timalay
Grafter
Posts: 185
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎02-05-2010

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

I was in the simular postion you guys where in a few months back.  My exchange was due to be activated on the 31st September, but looked like it was pushed back another quater.  But one day I was messing around on the product change in the member centre, and it magically appied.  It was also at the same time it was annouced on Openreaches Twitter page.  So IMO the Twitter page is the most accurate.
Estragon
Rising Star
Posts: 811
Thanks: 10
Registered: ‎07-02-2012

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Quote from: CX
I drove past the PCP on the way to work this morning, and there weren't any apparent changes (no stickers on the FTTC cab, still cast-iron shell on PCP). Do the PCP shells always get replaced with a new sheet-metal one, or does it depend on how many connections there are? The FTTC cabinet is the full-sized one (288 lines?).

Generally the PCP shell is only replaced if the existing one isn't big enough, given the number of lines on it, to hold the interconnection panel and cable entry points from the FTTC cabinet. This is my actual PCP, and its FTTC partner is one of these like yours.
Quote
Another point. I had a scheduled change to PN Unlimited (ADSL) commencing 6th January. Will this still take effect, and later change to the Fibre package, or will it stay as PN Premium now that I've ordered the fibre product?

With a smile - eejit! I would expect it still to take effect, but I'm not privy to Plusnet internal systems.
Check your Closed tickets/questions in your Member Centre.  That should shed some light.
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Quote from: Estragon
With a smile - eejit! I would expect it still to take effect, but I'm not privy to Plusnet internal systems.

Smiley I did consider waiting until Monday before ordering the fibre, to avoid any complications, but didn't want to risk missing out on an engineer slot (although given that almost every FTTC cabinet here is in a VM area, I wonder how much takeup BT will actually get). For me, getting fibre is higher priority than getting unlimited (not really any benefit with a 2Mbps line speed, other than the lower cost!).
I'll just have to wait and see.
Trevor
Grafter
Posts: 124
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎06-01-2011

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

CX, good luck on the 14th. Keep us posted.
Timalay, I can't see anything on that Twitter feed after Dec 10th. However, I'm not a tweeter so may be missing something!
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Fingers crossed.
In reference to the Unlimited (ADSL) product change, this has taken effect this morning.
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Just ordered fibre - but is it REALLY available?

Quote from: Estragon
Quote from: CX
I drove past the PCP on the way to work this morning, and there weren't any apparent changes (no stickers on the FTTC cab, still cast-iron shell on PCP). Do the PCP shells always get replaced with a new sheet-metal one, or does it depend on how many connections there are? The FTTC cabinet is the full-sized one (288 lines?).

Generally the PCP shell is only replaced if the existing one isn't big enough, given the number of lines on it, to hold the interconnection panel and cable entry points from the FTTC cabinet. This is my actual PCP, and its FTTC partner is one of these like yours.

The PCP shell was replaced this week, approximately 8 months after the FTTC cabinet went live. I'm now at 65Mbps, down from the initial 79Mbps, so I suspect that there are a lot more lines connected to FTTC. My initial estimate was 49.9Mbps which has subsequently been revised to 52.5Mbps, with neighbours still estimated at 60.2Mbps, so it seems that the BT estimates are fairly good and take into account crosstalk (except for my line which BT seem to think is longer than the neighbours either side, but really isn't).
Still incredible stability, compared to the ADSL.