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ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Routefinder
Grafter
Posts: 453
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Hi all
I have been keeping an eye on the BT checker for my cabinet and everytime it gets to within 2weeks of date of increased Fibre capacity due it gets put another month.  This has been going on for over 6 months.............what gives???  Do they wait for enough orders/ISP requests before adding the capacity?
13 REPLIES 13
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

It may be that when they've gone to add additonal capacity there was more work than anticipated. Unfortunately until it shows as available we can't even get through the order process.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
mwarby
Grafter
Posts: 85
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

They might even have to install a second cabinet, in this case I can imagine all sorts of delays (planning where to put it, getting power to it, fibre to it, BDUK contract work using more resources than expected)
Routefinder
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Thanks both for the insights Smiley
Now what is interesting is that the contractor whose signage says "Options" had the original cabinet shielded off the past few days..........................thinks I did I see that contractor do the ground work (i.e. concrete base and with the Fibre and power access pipes & FTTC cabinet placement) for the FTTC cabinets, just cannot recall???
However as it was light when I drove past this evening and the fences were gone I stopped and had a closer look:-
The old case metal cabinet was gone and replaced with a modern steel(?) one with the little apex top (designed to stop folk sitting/standing on it) other than some minimal trenching in a couple of areas around it was like the they had wrapped the new cabinet around the old one???  And one of the trenches was linked to the nearby (approx. 2 feet in front of it) pavement chamber that still has the old GPO concrete covers.
So they have been doing something at the non FTTC cabinet but how much at this stage is FTTC related is entirely unclear!
mwarby
Grafter
Posts: 85
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

reading between the lines
The old 'normal' cabinet, has run out of capacity or shortly will run out of capacity/physical space
This is likely due to the planned install of a second cabinet (as each fttc connection needs 2 connections in normal cabinet rather than 1 for ADSL)
I'd expect to see a second FTTC  cabinet in the coming months
Routefinder
Grafter
Posts: 453
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Ah! thanks for the added insight in regard to the "relationship" between the non FTTC cabinet capacity and the FTTC ones.
FWIW the FTTC cabinet(s) they have installed in the area are all the larger style with the double doors.  Is that one really likely to have filled up?
dsw
Grafter
Posts: 127
Registered: ‎07-04-2012

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Although it has double doors, it's not all for connections. A lot of it is the kit needed to run FTTC.
See here: https://superfastnorthamptonshire.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/fttc.jpg
Top right are where the connections to houses go, I believe.
As for the other cabinet being swapped. I think they can lift the cabinet covers off and drop new ones on very easy. They just drop the new cover over the old base.
Routefinder
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Yes, I know they put other kit (power supply etc) but I have also seen around single door FTTC cabs and I surmised this sizing was to accommodate different max numbers of Fibre terminators?  Just could not recall reading how many per type/size of FTTC cab.
As for the non FTTC cab upgrade, what you describe makes sense because there was no obvious interruption to phone or ADSL services so a lift off removal of the old cab case and dropin of the new over the original 'frames' but adding new kit/frames makes sense.
As for when they will increase the FTTC capacity, do they always need a second FTTC cab to compliment the increased non FTTC cab capacity???
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

suggest reading here http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/fttc-cabinets.htm
the biggest cab has 288 lines capacity
Routefinder
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Thanks Oldjim
I knew I had seen that info somewhere Smiley
All the FTTC cabs around here are the 288 shaped/sized ones..................................so next question is just how many lines are there in a PCP cabinet???
mwarby
Grafter
Posts: 85
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

nor that simple im afraid
a stabdard phone line with normal adsl has
1 D side (distribution, ie cable going to enduser)
1 E side (exchange side)
A vdsl line has
1 d side
1 e side to fttc
1 from fttc cab
1e side
so the vdsl will take up more space due to the wires, and also use more of the punch down connectors, openreach will be working on an assumption as to how many lines will go vdsl over how long
AndyH
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

And some areas demand is higher than modelled, so it creates a problem when the cabinet cannot serve all the demand.
I suspect this is what has happened in the OP's case. I have no idea how Openreach model demand, but they are generally fairly accurate.
Routefinder
Grafter
Posts: 453
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

Hmmm! I appreciate that all infrastructure modelling has parameters it is based on and FTTC and OR rollout must be based on something.
FWIW this area is not rural area but FTTC was rolled out on the initiative of approx. 2 years ago to "reach" more areas that were at that time not too well served..............this is Surrey and the rollout out was done on time.  So now we are talking expansion of service and as in my OP the BT checker just keeps adding a month to the "Availability Date" and has done since I think it was Nov14.
The only reason I did not go for Fibre at the time of the arrival of FTTC was the expense but I am now finding the limitations of a 3.13Mbps ADSL service a tad galling......especially what I think is contention effects in the evenings Sad
I will have see, once it is re-available, what the options team can offer me....................see older threads about the lack of good offerings to very long term loyal customers compared to new sign ups Wink Sad
Edit:- the superfast-openreach checker site says this
High Demand
Your area is enabled for Superfast Fibre but demand is high on your cabinet right now.
This means you can't order Superfast Fibre today but we're working to increase capacity as soon as possible.
Click here to find out more >

Edit #2 :- obviously the takeup varies depending on the size of the pool of customers the PCP/FTTC combo supplies.  'My' cabinet serves part of a largish estate but a cabinet approx. 50M from mine when I put a number served by it into the BT checker tells me FTTC is available and this like mine has a single FTTC cab associated with it.  But another PCP approx. 500M on the other side of the estate says 8th April for availability compared to mine that as noted says 1st April.
Routefinder
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: ADSL to Fibre lack of cabinet capacity!

BT checker now says "Available" though no obvious further signs of anything having been done to the local infrastructure?
I now need to talk to the COT and see what they can offer, if anything, by way of a deal.........optimist that I am :lol:  Will do that on Friday to see what can be done?