There's fibre nearby but I can't get it - why?

[#1]

I'm on ADSL with you,  approx 7 to 8Mbit/s downlaod speed

Ocasionally I enter my postcode into BT's broadband 'offers' page to see if I can get fibre.  I live in the suburbs of a large town. I recently chose some nearby addresses to me in the same postcode and found some people at the other end of my postcode are able to get fibre but at my end of the postcode range no one can.  In the past I discovered that my line could be 'exchange only' but I don't recall how I found that out.

So the question to you is this .. what is the prospect of me getting plusnet fibre?  I've just read a Forum post from 2018 that EO lines were never likely to be upgraded to fibre. Has anything changed in my area?

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from ADSL Broadband to Everything Else

[#3]

@redulike 

Don’t believe everything that you read, EO lines can be connected these days. Rather than looking at broadband offers put your phone number in here to see what services are available on your line.  https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

[#4]

@redulike 

If you use the link previously given you'll see if your line Is EO - it's stated at the top.

EO lines have been upgraded to FTTC but it depends on numbers. You need a big enough cluster to warrant a new cabinet being installed and the lines re-engineered to route through it.

FTTP doesn't depend on the existing phone network so it matters not which type of line you're on if it's installed in your location. You can check here to see if there are any plans for your address.

https://www.openreach.com/

Brian

[#5 · Accepted solution]

It is extremely unlikely that any EO lines (mine included) will ever be upgraded to FTTC - almost no new FTTC cabinets are being built. All the emphasis is now on FTTP, and as happened with FTTC it tends to be the profitable urban areas that are being built first.

That said, OR and some altnets are building in some areas which happen to have EO lines, and they may get FTTP - however, the rate of build in such areas is comparatively slow so it will take many years for many EO or ADSL only lines to get FTTP.

You should check the BDUK body for your area to see whether your property is included in any plans, and I'd also check what 4G is available - I have abandoned ADSL2+ and now use 4G exclusively (it is cheaper than ADSL2+ and much faster, although latency may be a problem for on-line gaming).