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Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

  Hello there - I hope someone can help me make my mind up. I live in a rural area and 3-4 m from the exchange, the green cabinet is about 100m away. I'm told that FTTC is available so I'm considering it. The thing is that my connection isn't typical - the cabling from the exchange to the cabinet was upgraded a little while ago to cater for a new housing development down the road so I'm struggling with 'estimated' speed. Plusnet can only work to the BT estimates which are out by a fairly significant factor. 

 

ADSL2+ estimated 2MB, actual 5MB 

FTTC estimated range 2.7 to 6.4 MB, actual Huh

 

So first question - is it likely (possible even?) that the same factor might be applied to the fibre estimated speeds? 

Second question - assuming the answer to the previous is either No or Don't Know - is fibre reliable & stable? Or more (or less) reliable than ADSL2+ Is perhaps a better way of putting it. I don't want to upgrade from what is a reliable, stable service if by doing so I compromise it. 

Third question - assuming I get favourable answers (or not and I choose to go ahead anyway) is it possible, should the new service be unbearable) to revert to ADSL2+ and go back to how things are now? 

Any thoughts/advice welcomed - except perhaps any that run the Plusnet product down - I'm well aware of their history, background and the problems experienced by others but I have had nothing but excellent service and great broadband. OK they replaced Virgin Media (so the bar was not set high) but the one other great advantage is they are a Sheffield based company & that is my home town - stupid reason maybe but good enough for me. 

9 REPLIES 9
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

The FTTC estimated range is completely wrong for the distance

When you put in your phone number is the CAB number the one you think it is and are there two cabs there - a normal one plus the fibre one as they may have done something odd because of the new housing development

Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

By "completely wrong" I'm guessing you mean I'm not getting fibre 😉 

 

Which distance do do you mean - from exchange or cabinet - if the former my information is good, if the latter well .... turns out the green cabinet us to do with water, has no wires & I now have no idea where my local cabinet is at all. I'm trying to get the location of the (now) mysterious cabinet 3 on the North Berwick exchange but my hopes are not high

(I can tell you that old Bill down the road has the nuclear war siren in his house!) 

Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

Wrong as in speeds are far too low for the cabinet distance you originally quoted

However as the fibre speeds are based on distance to the cab not the exchange they are not likely to be far out so I would recommend staying with ADSL

topfisher
Grafter
Posts: 55
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎23-09-2007

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

You should be able to locate your cabinet using the link below

If there's any doubt as to which is
your cabinet, you could identify the cabinet using the "phone to PCP" checker here:
https://windows.mouselike.org/be/index.asp?DoAction=BrasChecker
Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

Thanks for the responses so far - I have now identified where the cabinet is. Typically I drive past it most days and usually glance at it while waiting for the traffic lights to change. I will sneak down and have a look sometime next week but it is much further away than I first thought.

I'm still not clear on how accurate the BT estimates are mind you - my ADSL2+ is a good deal faster than any estimate. I get that the estimates would be on the pessimistic side these days but still 1-2 to 5+ is a significant difference. 

 

 

Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

Well - after some thought and balancing the risks & benefits with what I know about my line I decided to take the plunge and the service was initiated this morning. I'm pleased to report my instinct was right and the actual speeds I am getting are quite a bit higher than the estimated - as they were for ADSL.

In summary the upload speed has been lifted by approximately 35% immediately with potential, once the line has settled, for a little more I think. Download speeds currently are little different to ADSL (which was disappointing) but a BT Wholesale Test indicates I could/should get quite a bit better with an improvement of around 30% there too. 

 Ping times have dropped too - almost halved to 25ms (-ish) 

I am, so far, glad I went with it and don't (yet) begrudge the extra cost   

 

I would note, however, that Plusnet's process seems to be a little out of kilter - any progress I have made has been through badgering on my part and/or knowing where to find information (and which bits to disregard). That will be the subject of another thread though as it isn't relevant here.   

MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

Glad that the service itself is looking good. Apologies that it required chasing on your part, something I'll feed back after reviewing your account.

ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

The fibre service is still settling in but the initial signs are encouraging. Currently I am getting around 5.2-5.4 download - BT think 7.16-10.23 is an acceptable range so if it doesn't settle upwards you can expect a call.

 

I will be raising my concerns with the process separately for two main reasons - firstly because I noticed a considerable difference in that things didn't happen until I reminded you and I was not kept informed of progress except erroneously when I was told the service was available when it wasn't, secondly - well I like Plusnet (Sheffield - you know!) and am keen to help you address the shortfall in the process if I can  

Paulgarb
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Switch to fibre from stable ADSL? Advice needed please

I thought anyone reading this thread might like to know that my download speed reset over the weekend to around 9Mbs and seems settled. The BTW test shows a sync speed just above the speed I'm getting and just below 10Mbps - while this might not sound great it actually represents a significant leap up from around 5Mbps. So I am pleased I did it and I am aware that I went against the advice given (thanks oldjim!) but you have to take that leap of faith now & again!