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Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

I am a value Fibre customer who has recently moved home. My new house is also in a FTTC enabled area, so initial checks showed that there would be no problem transferring the service. The initial order for FTTC rejected, understandably so as there was no phone line installed at the time (it's a newly built house). I've had a new phone line installed by PN and transferred my old number to the new line, but further attempts to order FTTC have also rejected, citing phone line incompatibility as the reason.  Angry
I'm trying to get some more information about this incompatibility issue, because the line is brand new and therefore I don't understand why it wouldn't be up to the job? An address check shows that the house is suitably placed to receive fibre at the full 40Mbps speed, but since the order failed I no longer see FTTC availability if I put my phone number into the BT wholesale checker.  Sad I tried entering the direct dial number of the homebuilder's sales office, because I know that's just around the corner and on the same estate - it said FTTC available at 40Mbps, no problem!  Angry
Please can anyone shed some light on what's gone wrong? Having enjoyed the benefits of fibre speed at my old house, I'm very disappointed and rather upset at the prospect of being unable to get it indefinitely! Frustrated by the lack of information, I did approach BT as a prospective 'infinity' fibre customer, and they suggested that my phone number might be the reason for the failure to provide, so I could definitely get FTTC but a number change might be necessary first. Could this be true or is it complete nonsense?
Would be very grateful if anyone can help me out with this or at least explain what's wrong.  Huh
Stu
34 REPLIES 34
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Hi Stu,
If you put your postcode in the BT Availability Checker it also shows as not being available, so it's definitely not an issue with your phone number. Although your exchange is enabled, it does serve 40,000 premises and only states FTTC to be available in some areas.
Jojo Smiley
stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Thanks for the response Jojo. I see what you're saying about the postcode checker, but if I use the address checker (supposedly more accurate) and include the house number with the same postcode, it comes back with 40meg available as do all the other house numbers under my postcode. So there appears to be some doubt about the issue - I'm sure there must be good reason for thinking it should be available otherwise why would PN have made a previous attempt to order it for me? As I said in my OP, the reason the order rejected was some kind of line incompatibility rather than unavailability of the service.
I just feel the need to press the issue further because I know that the local Fibre cabinet has been installed - I've seen it, and I'm actually closer to it here than I was at my old address. To me, that means the upgrade work has been completed and therefore if I can't figure out a way to get fibre here now, I never will. Sad
dick:quote
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Hmm, yes, I can see that now; how odd! I'll ask around and see if I can get more of a handle on it. Smiley
stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Thanks Jojo. Would be great to get to the bottom of it and find out once and for all if I'm on the map or not as regards FTTC.  Smiley
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Well. no joy so far. I can ask Dave to find out definitively on Monday Smiley
stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Quote from: Joanne
I can ask Dave to find out definitively on Monday Smiley

Yes please. Smiley I've already tried to find out the reason for rejection by calling PN customer support, but all I learned was that the reason was of a technical nature and the person I spoke to wasn't able to explain it to me because he couldn't understand the email from openreach. He tried consulting with a member of the FTTC provisioning team while I held on the phone, but neither person was able to give an explanation    Huh
So I've opened the subject here on the forum in the hope of reaching an expert!  Wink
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Hi stuartsharp,
I'll still ask Dave but I'm not holding out much hope, as I've tried placing an order on our supplier's systems using your circuit identifier rather than the phone number and it's not allowing an order for FTTC.
Jojo Smiley
stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Thanks for trying Jojo.
I have now had a response from PN support and they've offered an explanation: Apparently, my local cabinet is NOT fibre enabled yet. The written response I've received via email says that there are no plans to upgrade it in the near future.  Angry OTOH, I've also had a phone call and been told that it's going live some time this year, and that the order will be placed for me as soon as they find out it's been done.  Huh So there are still condradictions and it's still slightly worrying that BT's address checker shows that it IS available right now, as does their infinity retail site. It seems I have no choice but to sit it out for a while and see how things develop. Shame they couldn't just tell me there was no FTTC here yet from day one - it would have saved a lot of frustration on my part. Somebody somewhere has obviously got the wrong information!
Thanks for trying to help out.  Smiley
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

I will find out from Dave, and I'll explain about the discrepancies too, see what he can find out Smiley
stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

I did a bit of detective work this morning and I found there are actually two new cabinets installed on the main road near my new house, one on each side of the road (see attached).  I checked the google maps street view and neither of them were there on the street view - so they're both definitely new cabinets and they've both had cable trenches dug into them as the photos show. The bigger one has a small sticker on saying 'Yorkshire Forward,' and it's situated next to an old existing telephone cabinet. The slimmer one is unmarked and stands alone. They look remarkably similar to the one that was installed in my old area to serve FTTC, especially the slim one, and it's hard to believe that two new green cabinets have popped up in the last couple of years with neither of them being for the purpose of fibre.
What are your thoughts on this? Could it be that the cabinets have been fitted and wired but not connected yet? Surely openreach would aim to have them up and running quite quickly having gone to the expense of doing the installation?
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

They are different shades of green.  Cheesy

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Quote from: A
They are different shades of green.  Cheesy

That's very true, although I'm not sure what the relevance of that is LOL Wink
I could be barking up the wrong tree with these two new cabinets - they may have nothing to do with FTTC. Kinda coincidental though, don't you think?  Smiley
Oldjim
Resting Legend
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

stuartsharp
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎22-03-2012

Re: Unable to get FTTC in an FTTC enabled area. Why?

Thanks for that, Oldjim, very interesting.
Having identified their cabinet and passed the postcode check, it looks like YF could be a genuine option for me if I can't get a definitive answer as regards when BT's FTTC will arrive here. Not very many ISPs providing it though, and none I've heard of, so  I would still prefer to get the BT service via PN if at all possible.
The only thing that stands in my way is a £65 charge for doing a broadband house move if I leave PN.  Sad The only reason I agreed to a house move in the first place is because they promised they could move my FTTC, but I've ended up with ADSL because of the duff availability info. Had I known this would happen, I'd have closed my PN account before I moved and signed up for ADSL from Sky - as a  TV customer I can get their £7.50 unlimited package which is obviously better value than the current PN products. Feeling rather stitched up, to be honest!  Angry