cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Misconception re Fibre Broadband

TomDurham16
Hooked
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎06-11-2016

Misconception re Fibre Broadband

I have just gone through a steep learning curve over the past month re "Fibre" broadband as to what it actually means, there are currently two types FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) and FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) the latter is very scarce as it means laying in fairly robust fibre optic cable almost to the mastersocket, FTTC is the one most of us are on.

If the Cabinet is some distance from your home, you are on a loser because the transmissions are still coming into your property via the old BT cabling, you win if the Cabinet is in your street and they have actually put a fibre optic cable or I believe a fibre optic conversion box into that cabinet which takes the original signal processes it and speeds it up then sends it to you.

It would appear that in some cases it is better to stick with ADSL on poor or long distance transmission lines as the signal drop of rate is superior to Fibre.

The safest benchmark test is the one supplied by BTWholesale which tells you as it is and matches up with the test kit used by the Openreach technicians or www.samknows.com  seems to have no axe to grind.

I am awaiting the changeover back to ADSL from "Fibre" to see if the recieved mbps is the same or better than the Talktalk rate which was sitting at 6.2mbps

Watch this space

8 REPLIES 8
ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

What estimated speeds were you given before switching to FTTC?

Browni
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,673
Thanks: 1,054
Fixes: 60
Registered: ‎02-03-2016

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

@TomDurham16 there are 2 cabinets used for FTTC.

This link by Kitz gives a very good description.

TomDurham16
Hooked
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎06-11-2016

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

Initially I was told 10-15mbps this was uprated to 13 -19 mbps with a cutout point being set at 8.1mbps which would trigger a default in the contract, I assumed that the Salesperson would check that they were quoting the correct figures or that they were being supplied with data from Tech Support

I went to Fibre from ADSL in the hope of getting a more stable line with an increase in delivery speed (Not the massive speeds you get when you are in an ideal world ie next to the BT depot or cabinet.

I was told all sorts of things during the weeks I have been trying to resolve this and the only constant factor was the Openreach engineers test rig, there was a minor fault which on his initial visit to the cabinet he rectified but that still did not achieve what Plusnet were quoting

In my case I know I am on a long line so my hopes are not great but to go backwards from 6.2mbps to 4.3mbps using the fabled Fibre optric system was a shock

TomDurham16
Hooked
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎06-11-2016

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

For reasons known only to the BT Gods of Old the cabinet is within spitting distance of the exchange so the fibre otptic boost has not much work to do  , however the lines then go out on reasonably new copper across fields and meadows a distance according to plusnet of some 3200 yds/mts (According to a couple of sites the distance is 2.4km) and that is where the excreta hits the extractor .

Waterpipe analogy would say that to achieve the correct flow rates you need to increase the bore of the pipe and up the pressure , if you just up the pressure you create resistance and defeat your own object, Openreach do not have the facility to double the line width so stalemate re fibre to premises

 

Grezzer36
Rising Star
Posts: 106
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎23-02-2009

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

FTTC still a lottery depending on your distance from cabinet. But I was one of the lucky ones. Moved to FTTC 2 yrs ago. Due to long line (lots of aluminum as well)  ADSL only got max of 2mb. However, luckily very close to our cabinet gives us max FTTC speeds. Currently on 55 down- 10 up fibre, getting over 50. Would get over 70mb if on 80mb product. Was like going from night to day re broadband. Most importantly line been reliable as well. But realise been one of lucky ones. Still very frustrating for lots of people.

TomDurham16
Hooked
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎06-11-2016

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

Thanks Grezzer

I am aware that a fair number of people I know have blistering speeds, however the rest of the herd are doodling along on a lot less mostly due to poor quality or long supply lines.

My original post was to make people aware that the magic word Fibre is not a cure all for speed problems in fact it can exasperate your current situation

Telling someone that you have massive download speeds who is living with very low ones is like pouring a gallon of water on a drowning man

Grezzer36
Rising Star
Posts: 106
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎23-02-2009

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

Hi Tom,
No way did I intend to gloat about my speeds. Just trying to emphasise speed lottery issue. Having had 7/8 years of 2mb ADSL speed due to long line, & paying same price as those getting well over 10mb, I do really sympathise. Then by being so close to fibre cabinet lucky enough to get very good speeds. It's still lottery with some winners but lots of losers.
TomDurham16
Hooked
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎06-11-2016

Re: Misconception re Fibre Broadband

Hi Grezzer

After spending nearly a month waiting for them to answer the phone , then hearing a multitude of "Fixes" being put forward I am starting to get a bit sick of the whole thing and sometimes wished I had stayed with the Devil I knew.

At least though sporadic problems came up the were producing 6.1mbps on a regular basis which even with Plusnets latest offering of Normal Broadband does not seem likely. (3.5mbps to 5.5mbps is their quote) 

As they are using the same lines and as they are part of BT you would think that they could at least hit their rivals benchmarks.

I am pleased that I am not in the situation of downloading massive amounts of data or running a home movie system on their system

All in all someone should take the whole broadband supply chain and give it a good kicking re lies and investment, we cannot do without it now unless you have a brand new 4g phone and are prepared to look at eveything on a 4.5inch screen.

By the gonads would seem to be the words I am looking for