What happend to BT fibre?

[alfred]

In reply to ringi. Unfortunately the cable network now operated by Virgin stops about 500 yards from our house! So no I can't get that.

In reply to tonyjones. I also have some knowledge of the BT system. I was in fact a telephone engineer for fifteen years in an earlier life so I do understand that the last leg of the connection will be copper. My only reason for mentioning that my number is a 449 number is because the installation work might be being rolled-out on an exchange number basis. Who knows?

Yes it is quite possible that I am one of the people on the edge of the area who will never get the service but if that is the case surely someone in BT/Openreach would be able to tell me. Instead they say it is on its way.

The fact that there has only been one reply to this post indicating they have fibre on the Marple exchange indicates to me that our installation is by no means complete.

So what is the hold up I wonder? Could it be that Openreach is not really interested in their retail customers now that the big towns are connected? Perhaps it is time for a letter to my MP.

[ringi]

Check if you are in an area covered by the Virgin network, they offer speeds that are as good as BT fibre and don’t charge for installing.

[TonyHoyle]

For well over a year now we have had the new BT fibre cabinets on our streets with labels saying "High Speed Fibre is here".

Where is it? I have tried to apply for it through PlusNet and BT but both of their websites say it is not available to me. I am connected to Marple Exchange on a 449 number. Does anyone know what is going on? Has anyone in Marple managed to get connected?

If you're connected to the exchange you will never get it - it's FTTC - fibre to the cabinet... no cabinet, no FTTC.  (It's not just from BT - although BT Wholesale run most of the infrastructure, same as they do for standard ADSL, but the Retail side is just one of several ISPs including the big ones like Sky and TalkTalk).

There's another technology upcoming, FTTP, which has no copper element, with speeds currently at 330Mbps.  That'll be rolled out in the next few years.  At the moment though it's on trial in select areas of the country and extremely expensive (installation fees in the thousands) so look in the 5-10 year mark for that.

[tonyjones]

It does not matter whether your phone number is 427, 449, or 484. These  all come from the exchange of Hollins lane.

BT Openreach installed the fibre to new cabinets some months ago. That is as close as the fibre will get to your house.

Copper cables were then installed to link these new cabinets to the existing cabinets, thereby connecting the broadband service to your existing telephone line at a point closer to your house. As the 'Broadband' connection is now shorter it is able to be used at a higher data rate (higher speed).

I suspect that if your house is not connected to one of these new cabinet then you will not be able to get BT Infinity. This may be the case for houses away from main roads.

Ps.
I do not have any inside knowledge about BT Openreach, I just spent the last 20 years working on computer networks. !

[alfred]

I think it is entirely relevant to ask the community about their experience of this new facility in our area. I thought this forum was set up to share local information.

I have contacted BT/OpenReach and they tell me fibre is not yet available to me. Whether this is due to my telephone number being a 449 one or not I am not sure. Unfortunately the call-centre staff seem to have little local knowledge and just repeat what is on the web. It's impossible to get further down the management chain.

Thanks for the tip about the "Sam knows" website. I have already tried that and it tells me fibre IS available in my area however when I apply, both OpenReach/BT and PlusNet says it is not!

This roll-out is not very "high speed".

[amazon]

For well over a year now we have had the new BT fibre cabinets on our streets with labels saying "High Speed Fibre is here".

Where is it? I have tried to apply for it through PlusNet and BT but both of their websites say it is not available to me. I am connected to Marple Exchange on a 449 number. Does anyone know what is going on? Has anyone in Marple managed to get connected?

Try Sam knows website .for info .

[Bluezorro]

Its availiable to my 427 number.

Surely openreach are the people to ask not the community noticeboard.

[alfred]

For well over a year now we have had the new BT fibre cabinets on our streets with labels saying "High Speed Fibre is here".

Where is it? I have tried to apply for it through PlusNet and BT but both of their websites say it is not available to me. I am connected to Marple Exchange on a 449 number. Does anyone know what is going on? Has anyone in Marple managed to get connected?