Huawei 288 FTTC cabinet has appeared near me...

[#1]

Okay, just to start, I live in a small-ish village but NOT in the middle of nowhere.
I've been checking the BT wholesale when & where availability site for years, and it just says "Not available. We're exploring solutions". Even says that today. 

I've spoken to a few people in the know, and they've told me that my exchange (located in the neighbouring village) might be upgraded for fibre in 2016, but there's no hope of getting FTTC in my village until 2019 at the earliest. 

Anyway, I noticed some roadworks on the main road through my village today, and wandered down to check out what they were doing.
They'd all packed up and gone home by the time I checked it out, but standing there was a brand new Huawei 288 FTTC cabinet!
I realise this doesn't mean I'll get fibre instantly, but is it any indication that fibre is imminent? ?

[#2]

The bt checker is often behind, especially if it's part of the BDUK rollout. To check if you'll be covered, see what cabinet number you get from checker and check plans on local authority planning register (your looking for a pcp number)
In any case if you are covered, can take many many months to activate(been waiting almost a year here, they put it in wrong place first time around)

[#3]

There have been so many variations on wait times in my experience, that I don't think the fact that there's a cabinet there now is an indication of lead times. Personally, I saw my cab about 3 months before it was available.
It suggests that you're definitely getting FTTC at some point though 

[#4]

Trying to get any information about planned upgrades is almost impossible!
BT still say the exchange (WWMART) is not upgraded for fibre and I can't find any roadmaps anywhere. Indeed, last I heard, BT were "exploring solutions", which basically means they're passing the buck. The buck (I'm guessing) stops at "Connecting Devon and Somerset", who currently say that our village is up for a survey in January 2016, but that the results of said survey are no indication of anything actually happening.
However, the appearance of a FTTC cabinet, exactly in the middle of the village's two PCP cabinets, suggests there is something happening soon, but trying to find out if/when we're getting the upgrade, or indeed who is paying for it, is proving to be impossible.
I can't believe BT, or whoever, would install this thing if nothing was going to happen till 2019. It's the largest cabinet that BT install and has enough capacity to serve (almost) the entire village. It must cost a shed-load of money, I'm guessing they'll want to see some return pretty quick.
Being told for years that we've got zero chance of fibre has been awful. This has given me hope that something might be happening but, not knowing for sure, and not being able to find out, is excruciating! lol

[#5]

How far are you from an exchange that has been or is being upgraded to fibre? I believe sometimes BTOR connect the fibre cabinet to that exchange to provide an FTTC service though the local exchange continues to provide phone services.
In that situation, technically the local exchange is not fibre enabled though lines connected to it can get a fibre service.

[#6]

According to the http://www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk/where-when/ site, it says you should expect the upgrade between Jan 2016 – Jun 2016. Given the appearance of cabinets and the number of works filed on roadworks.org, I would imagine they are ahead of schedule.

[#7]

The only dates that I can find on Connecting Devon and Somerset is a SURVEY between January and June 2016. No mention of an actual upgrade.
Something must be happening. Well, I hope it is anyway.  lol

[#8]

Mine was teleported on the 18th Nov and beacme available to place orders 23rm March  - about 4 months.
Here is my story http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,134116.0.html
Good luck 
ATB
SN

[#9]

Cheers for sharing that supernova1
How are you finding it? How are the speeds? I'm jealous! lol

[#10]

Hi!
I'm off the same exchange as you! (small world).
I've just had a cab shoved in at the end of my village too and was quite delighted when it appeared!
I've been doing some exhaustive research, which may help adjust your excitement levels!  The important thing is to be realistic!
Now all the cabinets are in the next stage is BT putting in over the fibre!  If you look at roadworks.org "over the next 12 months" you'll see they have planning permission to do this up until 11th June so from the end of this month you'll probably see Openreach with trailers with rolls of fibre i should think!
This is where it gets interesting
They have shove the new cables through the underground ducting.  If they get problems with blockages then they will have to dig up the road and that requires planning permission and traffic management!
I don't have any special contacts anywhere but in my estimation i would say in an ideal world where problems don't exist then potentially as early as July!
Hope this helps