FTTC Availability checker


Telephone number
Post code

Pre-register for FTTC at [email protected]. Zoom in on the map to check availability of FTTx in your area. It will in time include FTTP as well as FTTC. The availability checker below the map connects directly into the BT broadband estate database so the accuracy will match that of a search done directly with BT. Note that a picture of a cab doesn’t represent the actual location of that cab – one cabinet will serve a number of postcodes. Note also that whilst Phase6 exchange data is now available the cabinet rollout info has not yet been released so will not appear in the map. Phase 6 exchanges can be found here. FTTC Phase 6 Exchange List

BT has asked me to remove the FTTC postcode map. I did originally have permission to use the data, but Openreach has now objected.

I am in discussions with BT Re this- if you would like to see the map back, any supportive comments would be highly welcomed.

There are a few things you need to know about this map. Data is updated weekly as I get it from BT. As is the nature of a rollout that involves planning applications as well as civil engineering works the dates are subject to change. Also the fact that a particular postcode is showing up as “To be enabled” doesn’t mean that you will be able to get FTTC. Some cabinets will not have support for 100% of the lines within that cabinet due to length and quality of the line. Clicking on a green icon should tell you the percentage of lines from a given cabinet that will support FTTC.

I’m afraid a grey icon means that there is currently no plan to roll out FTTC to that postcode. BT’s stated goal is however to infill all these with FTTP when that becomes available so I wouldn’t get too disappointed yet.

BT availability checker notes

Of course the results won’t be totally accurate. The BT checker naturally has a tendency to be quite conservative (ie low) with its speed estimates and slow with its availability dates. Sometimes your exchange will already have been enabled for a particular technology/speed but this may not yet have registered on the checker. It does at least give you an idea.

The checker will work for ADSL, ADSLMax, ADSL2+, FTTC and FTTP. Because FTTP is only in trials at the moment it is unlikely that any areas will show up as available. If you don’t find what you are looking for by all means drop me a comment or an email and I’ll see if there is any more info available for your particular area.

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166 replies on “FTTC Availability checker”

I’ll take a look Stephen – I think I have the Northern Ireland data – it will probably be monday now though. As far as the colour coding goes there isn’t a science – I think the colours came with the google API. The numbers are more meaningful – they represent the number of postcodes covered by the circle.

Thanks for the effort, and the additional accuracy of showing data at postcode level (just checked Middlewich, Cheshire, and Bagshot, Surrey).

Sad to see that North Wales seems hardly to get a mention (and let’s face it, if fibre could be used to connect some of the remoter cabinets, it would make a major difference, esp in areas where few firms are even offering faster services at present) – Sky only added my nearest [6 km] exchange in July or August, so it looks like my best bet will be to move to Mold (served by Be Unlimited) to get a higher speed (not even 2 Mbps at present).

Wrexham, a University town, might be on some list (do you know of any public collection of the exchange lists showing Phase 1 etc, up to latest released list?) but unfortunately my little satellite exchange (Wrexham North, out to the west!) isn’t likely to get FttC for a long time, and I’ll be retired by then, I expect…

The data you have for Postcode DE118DW is wrong, This post code is served by cab 21, I know this cus when I had the line installed, BT eng (a friend) went to this cab to hook it up and showed me where the line went under ground, also there is only one cab that serves this new estate, there is no cab 25.

Hmmm….

The checker for my phone No says I will be able to have FTTC with a RFS date of 31 Dec 2010, but the map shows a grey cab with the following:
Status: Not enabled
RFS Date: Unknown
% Lines: 100 %
Phase: Phase 4b
Exchange: WMWR
Cab Number: 46

Interestingly cabs only a few hundred yards away but served by the Fernhill Heath exchange show green with
Status: To be enabled
RFS Date: Unknown
% Lines: 100 %
Phase: Phase 5b
Exchange: WMFER
Cab Number: 30

I hope that this is just telling me that the data is a bit inconsistent, not that I won’t be getting FTTC afterall (all the Worcester Central exchange cabs are showing grey AFAICS despite an RFS date this Dec).

The comments re mistakes are quite interesting. When BT gave me approval to use the data I was a bit surprised because I figured it would bring out stuff like this. I guess that with hundreds of thousands of cabs being done they are bound to have mistakes. As people leave me comments I will check them all out individually and report back unless i get hundreds which would make it impractical. I would say though that on balance it is better to have this info out there with mistakes than not to have it at all.

I understand BT make mistakes, I’m 110% sure I’m connected to cab 21 at DE118DW post code, I even phoned my friend today (BT eng) to confirm this. It will stop me ordering infinity as it’s putting my line estimate at 13.mb speed under FFTC, even though I connect at 18mb with ADSL2+ now, would it be possible for BT to change the data for my line and post code, Thank you.

Chris if your gettin 18mbit on adsl2+ you must have a short line, and well you should get a better speed on vdsl2 as it is a better technology than adsl2+ and your line will be nearer the cab than the exchange.

thanks

Cab 21 which feeds this new estate is about 150 meters away, funny thing is on the address checker next door can get 21.9/9.9 estimate, I just wanted the data changing so when my exchange is live I can order BT infinity, under currect data I can’t

In my area I see numbers of cabs with the same cab number – is this the upstream cab where the fibre terminates? Might explain why FTTC isn’t available to me despite my cab being enabled – I’m a mile past the nearest cab to the exchange with the same cab number.

Yes John – the postcodes almost certainly don’t represent actual cab locations but they do refer to the specific cab number feeding that postcode which could be a way away.

1. I’ve finally found my cab, thanks to this – and it covers a larger area than I thought!
2. The checker does produce some interesting/odd/unusual results though. For instance:

Postcode: SW18 5NA
Status: To be enabled
RFS Date: Unknown
% Lines: 100 %
Phase: Phase 5b
Exchange: LSWAN
Cab Number: 32

but

Postcode: SW18 5RJ
Status: To be enabled
RFS Date: Unknown
% Lines: 0 %
Phase: Phase 5b
Exchange: LSWAN
Cab Number: 32

despite the 2nd one being a shorter distance to Cab 32! I guess ‘RFS Date’ will be populated in due course..

Tref, any luck trying to convinve BT to focus on Lincoln a little more (?!) its depressing to zoom into lincoln and not see an Exchange / Cabinet on the map for 20 odd miles!

or even anymore news on your PoP in a garage!!

No news at all sorry Matt and I think you are the only one that has expressed an interest in the garage POP 🙂 !

As regards the other topics on the above jobslist I have found NI postcodes / availability dates and will see how to go about mapping them into the database.

Also I have asked BT if they will supply a direct contact for me to resolve specific availability questions. It isn’t difficult to imagine that this is not an attractive thing for BT to agree to as it opens up a whole can of worms and potentially could attract large volumes of queries. However I think that this is positive PR for BT. The one thing this postcode map has show is what a huge job it is to roll out fibre anywhere and the level of interest in availability is an indicator of demand.

Another interesting point is.. I tried next doors house number (same postcode) on the BT infinity site & wholesale checker and got this ..

BT Infinity Fibre optic broadband
We’re rolling out our fibre optic network to bring you faster speeds of up to 40Mb. Register your interest now and we’ll contact you near to the date stated. 35.9Mb download
9.1Mb upload 31-December-2010

When I try my house number I get nothing on the BT infinity checker and wholesale checker i get this.

Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 31st December 2010. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 13.3Mbps and upstream line speed of 5.2Mbps.

I just don’t understand.

I have contacted them Chris but no answer yet – said it would be a couple of days. I wouldn’t worry if it shows up wrong on the map though in theory it is meant to come from the same database as the checker so there does seem to be some inconsistency there.

Tref,

I live in a new build area of Dunfermline, unbeliveably 1000’s of new homes have been built yet there was no foresight to either build a new exchange close to this area or to be FTTC ready. Those in areas closer to the exchange who already have access to reasonable speeds can now upgrade and recieve higher speeds yet those who would benefit most have to struggle along on a speed somewhere between 512k and 1mbit when it works, it doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway is there anyone i can contact to discuss my frustration, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee help!!!!!!

Couple of things spring to mind Stuart. There is suposed to be a BT poll coming out at the beginning of November to determine which areas get the next FTTC. You could mobilise your ocmmunity or at least take part in the vote – a Google should find it.

You might also write to your MP which won’t of course have any effect but if enough peoplearound the country do it it might spur the government to make the investment environment more favourable for this type of roll out – tax breaks etc.

Btw I am in the same boat in Lincoln – no consolation I know – and I spend hundreds of thousands of pounds a month with BT as an ISP partner!!!

@Stuart I’m one of the lucky ones living down at the Bay,and I sympathise 🙂 however I have always wondered since the launch of ADSLMax and Dunfermline having several LLU operators how speeds faired out by Duloch ? Maybe being new housing, FTTH maybe the direction BT are gonna take.

@Stuart. FTTC cabinets have popped up all around DEX (if thats where you are). I created this map to try to map what was happening where, but I never had much responce from others with regard to filling out PCP details. If I check my number I get FTTC 11.6D 4.1U, I think I’m about 800 to 900m away from my PCP, so can only think that speed is about right.

Tref

The tool was hugely informative so it’s a real shame that BT have forced you to remove it. It certainly explained why friends in neighbouring streets have 25 Mb broadband while my neighbours and I have 1 Mb or slower. Quite why the cabinet serving our street can serve some streets but not ours though is a mystery. I have asked Openreach but they say they can’t help

Sad to see the map closed, I can’t see what harm it has done and brought to light some mistakes BT have in the system,

tref, who do I contact in BT to get my line estimates fixed so I can order BT infinity?

I’m also sorry to see the postcode map gone. Other than the BTW checker, there seems to be little publicly available information regarding roll-out plans. If there were more information it would be easier for communities to club together to make their own plans (as some have done with Rutland Telecom) rather than adopt the “wait and see” approach.

WHYWHYWHY have BT made you take down the cabinet map. This was such a useful resource.

Is there a forlorn hope that BT plan to make their own map available sometime soon ?
If not then keep pestering them for a re evaluation of their decision. I cannot see that publishing the map harms BT’s reputation in any way, but refusing their permission to publish the locations most certainly does.

The answer I got was “The concern is that if this information is made publicly available on FTTC Openreach might be asked to provide the same info for other products and services to level the playing field.”

Chris
As far as your problem goes your best bet is to contact the ISP you intend to use as a provider & get them to sort it. This is certainly the kind of thing I would expect us to do for customers.
Tref

The most annoying thing is I have campaigned for 2 years in regards to FTTC, and now supposedly over the last few months the Cab is in and we should have had something by End of Sept.
The main problem is communication. BT have none. Openreach don’t want to know. I ask the question approximately when will my local cab be ready give or take a few months and they couldn’t / wouldn’t answer.
When you placed up the Cab info that was a bit of a life saver as at least I would be able to see local Cabs go live slowly and to see as a nd when my one might go local.
I thought I was on a paticular cab that is new to the estate and les than 100mtrs away. The Cab info stated I was fed by a different one which is UG, So does this mean I will never be able to get FTTC or would a link cable go in.
Guess what with No communication I’ll never know!
So I say bring back the Cab Map.

Hi, This tool would be really useful – I am currently experiencing an unacceptable level of service but if I knoew FTTC was being made availabel in my area soon it would make me able to bear the poor service knowing I could upgrade soon – lets hope BT see the light and let the paying customer see the potential upgrade path.

The map needs to come back its useful to consumers, who would like to know more details, locations, times etc.,
When you are ordering something its not acceptable for the company to say I don’t know when it will be available if ever!

Keep the good Work up, and if you can find anything out about ME105JP, Sittingbourne that would be great!!! or at least someone I could speak to in the know…

Interesting how I can get FTTC by 31st December (when is was initially 30th September) when I use the phone number checking. Post code checking says I can get it now, and I know the shop around the corner can get it today (I checked their number). So do I have the bad luck of being connected with the only cabinet in the street that is not FTTC Enabled ?

Jean-Marc
You may find that your bad luck is that your line is attached to a different cabinet to the rest of the street – apparently quite common. Otherwise hte data could of course be wong.

A shame BT have made you pull your map. I hope they allow you to publish it again.

It can’t do them any harm to have such information available – and indeed sites like samknows.com were supported/awarded prizes by BT for doing something similar during the original ADSL rollout.

Its would certainly a useful resource and if BT showed a bit more insight they could use such a map to further promote FTTC/P and avoid lots of queries being directed at them, as the information would be publicly available.

If anyone has a consistency problem – line check saying one thing and post code another – if you want to email me your number and postcode I’ll ask BT directly to check up on it. Sorry if you have already sent me the info once.
cheers
Tref

Unsurprising to see an unhelpful and obstructive ISP remove data from the public domain that is actually useful. BT have listed the exchanges it wants to activate online in numerous locations so this isnt commercially sensitive information. Another example of BT’s complete disregard to providing a worthy service. Glad I dont have to take Infinity as im in a Cabled area!

Hello Trefor,

Thank you very much for the wonderfully useful map data. I am very disappointed that Openreach have objected to you using it. I would very much like to see it return. It was brilliant while it lasted.

Thank you for all your hard work.

Thanks for the link to the exchange list, Tref, and can I also add my disappointment that you’ve been forced to remove the map. It might still be years away for me to get higher speeds but BT is advertising nationally on TV as if large portions of the country can get fibre ‘now’ whereas it is large cities and various other places (almost at random… eg MRMDW and THBA – both places with under 10,000 lines, but having competition in the form of Sky or O2/Be) which are lucky enough to have the option.

I’m sad the map has gone before I had chance to check it.

I’ve always bemoaned the terrible broadband I get. Actually, I get around 2.3mb (higher than what is listed for my line), but interestingly my postcode suggests that my line should be able to cope with 4mb higher(!)

Phone number:
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 1.5Mbps.

Postcode:
Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 5.5Mbps.

What the heck is up with that?!

Lovely map. But what does it all mean?
What do all the little different coloured circles with numbers in them mean?
Please explain the colour coding.
Apologies if the information is already published somewhere, but I’m afraid I can’t find it.
Cheers,
Peter

Hi

Shame the map has gone, that was really useful. How did you create the map? Was it Gmaps? If someone wanted to recreate it, how difficult would that be?

Any advice on this would be appreciated

Cheers
G

All cabinets off Worcester Central (WMWR) still grey – however as new FTTC cabs are now being installed alongside the older ones (at least around here) I suspect that we will get FTTC before too long.

Interesting that BT/OpenReach want to keep the true picture secret! Not only is this frustrating, but it prevents Users making an informed choice of what future service they choose – e.g. if FTTC is never going to happen in a certain area, people may want to look at setting up, say WiMAX.
I strongly support all your efforts to get information out of BT/OpenReach – it always seems like ‘pulling teeth’ to get get ex government bodies (i.e. the GPO) to ‘open’ up; there seems to be a “control freak” element ever present here – I remember the days of Pirate Radio when the GPO said they jamming Ambulance radios!

Please, ofcom, allow the reposting of the map!
Being able to find out the coverage of FTTC affects me both in business and personally… if I am moving house and need bandwidth at home so I can work from home with my own business, and also affects my work in choosing where to site my future office.

I see no benefit in blocking this information other than allowing BT to get an easy ride.

Although I would like to have a map of the local cabinets to find out if FTTC will help me I can understand BT’s reluctance to reveal all.
The cabinets, at least the one near me ( 1.5 miles) that I have identified would be easy to sabotage.

The map didn’t tell you exactly where the cab was – just which postcodes were served by it. However you only have to go on Google Streetview to find the cab in a given area.

Trefor – my take on the issue

I have been waiting since last september to move over to the infinity product

My exchange is now enabled but not my cabinet. Other cabinets on my estate are enabled.

I have an offer for very cheap broadband from another supplier but not as fast. If however my cabinet is going to be upgraded soon then I will go to the faster infinity product

My business will be launching a product /service soon and requires a faster Broadband connection than I am currently getting. The lack of information is impacting on my plans for roll out. I may be forced to take a lower speed product and compromise my business profitablility, but better this than no product at all.

What is the rationale for withholding the information. I understand it may not be exact or accurate and subject to change. We are all grown ups here who realise that these things
are subject to change and can cope.

Re: your discusions with BT – I’d love a chance to see the map (I missed it the first time round). My BT Infinity date keeps slipping back (March then July now hopefully 30th Sept). However I think I’ve found my existing cabinet and there’s no sign of a new one along side it so I’m starting to worry it’s going to slip even further back. I’d be great to get more accurate info for my specific postcode.

For the record I’m currently on ADSL2 and with an i-plate fitted I get about 1700kbps sync – not good!

RM
Unfortunately that’s one of the reasons they pulled it. The database was too inaccurate. After being up for only a week the map lead to a large number of questions and I guess they hadn’t realised the can of worms they were opening up.

I sympathise to a certain extent – the whole project is a massive one. However it isn’t as if the technology doesn’t exist to keep such databases up to date – a simple mobile application could do the job. Also Openreach don’t quite realise the hugely positive PR benefit they would have by being more open about these things.

Thanks for leaving the comment.
Tref

“Also Openreach don’t quite realise the hugely positive PR benefit they would have by being more open about these things.” Yep, and equally the negative effect of keep giving a scheduled date then moving it back 3 months just a week or two before it was supposed to start. Just checked today and guess what, they’ve moved it back another 3 months – for the third time now. Stevenage exchange has been enabled since March, current promise is now December 2011.

I must say when I first read about FTTC with 40Mbps speeds a year ago, I was very surprised as I’d always thought that BT were so inept that we wouldn’t get such a huge upgrade in this country for years. Looks like I was right after all.

Our Livingston Station Exchange was FTTC Enabled months ago & no sign of New Cabinet Yet. I can see BT Openreach Installing New Cabinets in other parts of Livingston but not ours, the strange thing is they installed new Cabinets in the street next to ours 6 months ago but nothing in our area yet. Download Speeds are Hardly 2 MBPS. Please Bring the MAP Back as Virgin is also not available in our area…

Hi Trefor,
Im getting exactly the same problem as Chris Baker, when i enter my address it says i can get a downsped of 10.7mb and an up speed of 3.8, also on BTs websote they dont show that infinity will be available. But when i enter my next door neighbors address they are predicted to get 32.8 down and 7.8 up? Also were both connected to the same cabinet.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Not a simple answer here Tahir as not all lines from a cabinet are guaranteed to be able to support FTTC let alone a decent speed. You might be unfortunate enough to have a “dodgy” one. The only way you can find out would be to ctually order the service. Alternatively you might try asking your provider what speed they could do for you if you ordered a new line. Bit of a faff but there is no mileage in asking BT to drill into your line specifically as unfortunately they probably have thousands of such enquiries.

Sorry I couldn’t provide a magic wand here – I’d be a popular guy if I had one!

Hi Trefor,

I wondered if I could pick your brain.

The postcodes in my area (MK16) are mainly coming up as Infinite active, but mine isn’t. I’m kind of in the lower-left quadrant of these postcodes and it seems other houses there are also inactive.

It’s probbaly a case of our cab isn’t up or active yet. But what I’d like to know is how do I investigate this further? Merely being told I can’t get it on BT’s site isn’t helpful, at all. I need to know which cab I’m on, and if/when it’s moving to FttC so I can plan a house move if need be (bit hard to do my business on 4mb down).

Even more frustratingly, a new FttC cab has appeared in the last two weeks, about 0.5m up the road. I’d love to know if this is my cab and if I should just be patient but once again I am met with a brick wall when I try to find this out. I can’t seem to find any information anywhere, and the infinite checker doesn’t even say it’s pending or anything.

Janine
Sorry for the delay in answering this. I can’t access any up to date cabinet data but if you email me your actual postcode I’ll see if it is on the original
all the best
tref

I’d also like to add that I not only support your idea of a cab by map search, but I encourage BT to work with you to make it even more informative. They should provide you more information so that you can list a status on each box; active, inactive, no plans, due for upgrade.

They do have this information, and they should share it.

Then people like me can stop pestering people like you and people like them for simple answers. 😉

Hi my local exchange is Dalton in Furness code LCDTF . I’m currently achieving 1.2 Mbps down and 0.36 Mbps Up. I am wondering when BT is going to rollout the FTTC in our area we are still on copper the poor speed is down the losses on the cabling as the exchange is 3 miles from our property. I’m seeing lots of fibre being installed in our area but not much action, can anyone advise where the information is available on the planned upgrades ? Thanks in advance Richard.

Perhaps you can help me.

I live in a village approximately 3.5KM from an FTTC enabled exchange. The Exchange code is NISD. My phone line seems to terminate in a BT cabinet labeled 10, could you please shed any light on FTTC cabinet installs in my area

Postcode BT247PS.

Many Thanks

Ant

The cabs hanging of NISD appear to have been done up to number 9! Looking at that postcode though my records suggest you use either cab 5 or 7, both of which are enabled but the spreadsheet is telling me that not 100% of the lines out of those cabs to that postcode are enabled. The spreadsheet is not totally clear here though. Regardless of this for some reason the checker comes up with your postcode as not being able to get any broadband at all. You will likely know whether this is correct. If it isn’t then I’d be inclined to point this out to BT.

Hi Tref,
From the latest information you have, please can you tell me if our local street cabinet is on the list to be updated to FTTC : {LCBOL}{p106}
The postcode is M26 3XB
This cabinet is supplied from Bolton exchange which is now offering high speed services.
Thanks

Tony,
Can’t see your cab on the list sorry. These are the ones I have 2,6,8,9,10,11,12,14,16,20,24,26,27,28,30,35,36,39,41,42,43,47,48,50,51,53,54,55,57,59,63,67,71,74,75,76,78,79,84,86,87,88,89,97,101,112,117,119,124. You can see there are a fair few gaps.
Sorry I couldn’t be the bearer of better tidings.
Tref

Hi Tref,

seem to have similar issues to others around not knowing when our CAB would be upgraded to support FTTC. Our exchange is Worcester St Peter’s (postcode WR5 3GG) which was enabled for FTTC several months ago and in fairness we are probably the furthest you can get from the exchange so we’re probably about last on the list or may be one of the lines excluded.

However, with a 3.5Mb/s connection we’re also probably one of the properties that would most benefit from FTTC. We’re high users of broadband on BT Option 3 averaging around 90GB per month. I don’t mind paying a small premium for a better service and at the moment we get intermittent drops when the internet is not available for a couple of minutes every hour or two, the exchange connection never goes down so I don’t think it’s a line problem. I was hoping that if we could get FTTC then this issue might go away.

However, I would say I’m disappointed in BT taking down the FTTC cabinet map on this site. I can accept not having the possibility of getting an FTTC connection but the really frustrating thing is not knowing whether we have a chance or not and some sort of date when it might be available. I can live with disappointment but living in the dark is much harder to stomach.

Hmm – just ran the checker on your postcode and got this

Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 3.5Mbps. Similar lines predicted with this speed have achieved ADSL2+ line speed in the range of 2 to 6Mbps.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 32.9 Mbps and upstream line speed of 12.9 Mbps.

Says you should be able to get FTTC. I’ll ask someone to contact you – sometimes the only way of really finding out is by placing and order.

I too share the frustration of others for the lack of clarity on FTTC availabity. It’s staggering that BT will not or can not provide more detail on likely FTTC availablity, given that people want to make major decisions such as house purchase based on FTTC availability. It’s all the more frustrating when you are served by an exchange that is FTTC enabled (St Peters Worcester), but no way on knowing for sure where your local cab is and if it’s earmarked for FTTC. Post code checker for me (WR5 3SN) states no FTTC, but for my parents, who live 5 mins walk away, WR5 3BE, show that it is an option. They don’t want it but I do! I did got through the process of attempting to order, but BT call centre person could only tell me I couldn’t get FTTC at the moment, but not why or when I might get it, so was presumably just using the same data as the checker. So frustating!

Hi Tref,

thank you so much for the possible lead on FTTC, will wait to be contacted. I’ll not get my hopes up though as although there are two green cabs near me (I could see them from here if there wasn’t a house in the way) they are about 200yds apart so I don’t think they are upgraded yet. The info I’ve read said that the second cabinet to support FTTC is always right next door to the existing.

@KJO – I think you will probably get sorted out before me. The BT exchange is closer to you.

A map showing the location of cabinets would be wonderful. My line checker says no but I have discovered that my small town exchange (Dromore, Co Tyrone – NIDMR) DOES have a few FTTCs but as I have no idea where my cabinet is I cannot judge how close they are to me! I know we are near the limit of line length at the minute.
So fed up getting NO info from BT, what IS the big secret?

Parts of the estate around me have been enabled for FTTC, any ideas when the cabs serving SN12 6XB will be FTTC enabled? (lines should be good, houses are newish builds – 4-5 years old)

The only reason the map has gone is that they are so far behind schedule, up to March/April there was a real push to commission as many cabs as possible since then there hasn’t been much going on. More likely there will be a massive push from January to March/April again to meet some target which has been changing all the time.

Just my thought’s!!!!

Hi Tref

I’m reposting here because this seems to be the best page for availability issues rather than the FTTC one where I posted originally.

My exchange (Bollington – MRBOL) is said to be accepting orders now but not for my number which presumably means that my cab has not been done. The post code is SK10 4PL (but this postcode is actually served by both Poynton and Bollington exchanges) – I think we are served by Cab 12 of Bollington. I believe the line plant from the cab is in pretty good nick – a planner I spoke to said it dated from the mid 90′s which is pretty good for copper and we had a new DP installed about 10 years ago – we’re right on the edge of the exchange area but we get about 2.5meg at the moment which also indicates good quality existing plant.

Anything you can find out about plans for the exchange would be welcome.

Thanks

Duncan

Hi Duncan,
Sorry thought I’d sent you an email on this one. Cab 12 doesn’t appear to be on the list of ones done for that exchange which is unfortunate. However the postcode checker says you can get FTTC. Why don’t you drop an email to [email protected] and see if you can order the service. I’ll forward your details to someone who can sort something out.
atb
tref

Hi.. my exchange has been enabled for a while, but it seems they forgot to do my cabinet? If you have any information about what happened to Cabinet p28 STCFORD, that’d be useful.. my best hope at the moment is that p28 (covering residential postcodes SO53 3PA,3PB,3PD,3PE,3PF,3PG,3NY,3NZ,4AG,4AH,4EA, 4NG,4NH,4NJ,4NL,4NN,4NP,4NQ,4NR,4NS,4NX,4PH,4PJ,4PU,5DP) might be downstream from the industrial estate, so is possibly planned FTTH, rather than FTTC.. but that’s just guesswork..

Hi Oz
It is really unfortunate but that cabinet is one of only a very few not done for that exchange. Usual reasons for not doing a cab are planning permission issues or difficulty in getting the fibre to the cab. BT won’t take enquiries on a specific cab situation as reasonably rightly they would be inundated. Their stated position is that they expect to infill non FTTC areas with FTTP but I realise that doesn’t help you if you don’t know when.
tref

@ Jon
I doubt it! I’ve been using the post code checker, it seems that all of streets surrounding me can get FTTC, but all of Magpie Close can not. We’re in a FTTC free island! What I’d really like to understand, is how all properties in all of the surrounding streets are FTTC capable, and all of the properties in my street are not. I could understand it if some of our houses could get it and others not, maybe down to the odd poor quailty pair, but not the whole street. I’m not sure I believe the checker, but so long as it’s showing WR5 3SN as not being FTTC capable, I can’t get past the BT order desk, and they know less than me about FTTC!

Hi Tref
My exchange (Marlow – THML) is said to be accepting orders now but not for my number which presumably means that my cab has not been done. The post code is SL7 3RQ
Is there are way to find out which cabinet we are served by and where it is?
We are about 1 mile from the exchange and can only get 2mbps on ADSL2. Can you tell me which cabinet we are connected to and when our cabinet will be enabled to FTTC.

Simon
Your postcode is served by cabinet #9. There is no way of finding out where physically the cab is, at least no public way. looks like cab 9 is on the list to be done so you should be getting it sometime.
Tref

Hi Tref

My exchange (Barnsley) is FTTC enabled and most of the postcodes around me can get the service. However my postcode S75 3TD has all its lines connected directly back to the exchange and not via any form of street cabinet. This gives a line length of about 5.5km. Any ideas on how to get BT to either install or connect us to a street cabinet so we can get FTTC.

Thanks

Richard

Richard
Unfortunately if your line is exchange fed, ie no cabinet, then you will have to wait until BT roll out FTTP in your area. FTTC can’t be provisioned from an exchange and your line length would in any case preclude the service.
Tref

Hi Tref

Have you got any cabinet info for my postcode ts17 5bj please? Exchange (ingleby barwick) is enabled but not the cab by the looks of it. Also no mention of fttc on the postcode checker. Don’t even know where my cab is, can you provide a street or postcode? I could keep an eye out for any work.

Cheers, Rich

Hi Tref,
The FTTC enablement date for my cabinet (HP10 0FE) keeps getting pushed back later and later – the last date was 31st December 2011, but now when I check the BT wholesale checker, no date is even listed any more! 🙁
Is there any way I can get more information on the chances of my cabinet being upgraded any time soon?
Thanks
Trev

That’s odd Rich as there is only one data base – are you entering your phone number in the BT checker – that might be more drilled down and accurate than the post code

I’ve sent you a mail with more details in if you wouldn’t mind having a look for me. I’ve tried my phone number in the BT products/services checker which says no as does my postcode but you indicated it should be available. My property is a new build < 12 months old and my line is with Sky LLU if that makes a difference?

Rich
Postcode says you can get it – phone number says not but it might be because you are on LLU & they may not have your number in the system. I’ll ask our provisioning people tomorrow.
Tref

Hi Tref,

Had a cabinet installed nearby about a month ago and last week my postcode was on the database with an estimated date of 31/12/11.
This week it says infinity is not available (MK13 7LQ).
I want to sign up as soon as I can but not sure what’s happening now.

Thanks,
Dave.

Hi Tref,

My post code is WR5 2ES and originally FTTC was scheduled for Dec 2010, then moved back to March 2011, then Sep 2011 and then end Dec 2011.

Now when I do a check using the BT availability I get “Sorry, you’re not currently able to get BT Infinity. This may be because your area has not been enabled yet, or your individual line does not support super-fast broadband. Register your interest and we’ll let you know if this changes.”

Have BT changed their minds? I have no idea where my loacal cabinet is but as the crow flies I am less than 200m from the St Peters exchange ?!?!

Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

Dom

Strange one Dom – when I put the postcode into the availability checker is says you can get FTTC

“Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed between 35.2 to 38 Mbps and upstream line speed between 12.6 to 13.6 Mbps.”

Try again here – it uses the same checker as BT http://www.timico.co.uk/soho/data_networks/availability_checker

if you want to try ordering fttc from us drop a mail to [email protected]

Hi Tref, my postcode RG18 9JB shows FTTC is enabled (Thatcham Exchange) and local cabinet is wired for fibre. Neighbor 300m away on same cabinet has just got new Fibre option 3 installed getting around 10mb and happy. BT checker refuses to give me the same option?
Any ideas how to get around this?

Thanks

Hi Tref, my exchange is Alfreton (EMALFRE) supposed to be enabled in March 2012 running a SamKnows against my postcode I get the following;

FTTC should be available in your area from 01/03/2012

Downstream Min: 15.8 Mbps
Downstream Max: 28.2 Mbps
Upstream Min: 2.2 Mbps
Upstream Max: 11 Mbps

» Matched result using the postcode you provided

However if I use a neighbours telephone number on BT (I’m not with BT) nothing shows up. I live around 4.8kms from the exchange so I really need our cab to be done, do you have any details you could email me regarding cabinets to be done for that exchange? My postcode is DE556DW

Thanks

Hi Tref, I am wondering can you advise me that when FTTC Broadband will be available in my Area as BT Infinity Checker doesn’t come up with any Results & Samknows says its available. I am only getting 3.0 MBPS which is Half of the UK Average.

Also when our Cabinet will be upgraded as well?

My Post Code is EH54 9JH

Many Thanks In Advance….

Hi Tref, I hope your able to get the FTTC postcode map back-up soon. My exchange is enabled now, but my line / postcode shows as not available for me. Would be great to see where my cab is and what, if any, plans there were for it. Its frustrating, I’m so close, but so far and can’t find out the reason why.
Buckley Exchange

Hi Tref

Great information. Openreach state on their website that My exchange (WF11 8QP) is accepting orders for fibre, yet BT say it isn’t available until March 2012? Any ideas why?

Regards

Hi Tref
Looks like my exchange (Hatch End)has been enabled for Fibre back in September, but i don’t think the cabinet has (i’m not even sure where the cabinet is for my phone line) is there a resource / number / website i can go to a) physically locate my bt cabinet b) speak to somone to see when the cabinet is due to be upgraded?
My Post Code is HA3 6JQ

Thanx

Hi there people,
just thought you might like to know that B.T/Openreach will be abolishing the FTTC and directly going to FTTP as there have been many issues with the DSLAM equipment from the new Fibre cabinets.Also permission from various boroughs is becoming an issue regarding the cabinets,mainly due to their size.After the Olympics have finished and the new financial tax year is here Openreach are going full steam ahead with the FTTP mainly due to competition from virgins ‘fibre’.Hope this helps everyone.FTTP speeds will be 110MB D/L and 30MB U/L.

Sam
I hear what you say but I can’t see it happening. If anything it is likely to move more towards FTTC – the baseband frequency changes are resulting in an 80/20 service being launched next month – 11th April – and vectoring is likely to take this up to 100Megs in the near term.

In the interest of open debate though if you have a source for this info I wouldn’t mind talking to them.

atb
tref

Hi tref,

Great site! My post code is SK14 4GQ, Hyde exchange. I am on a new estate built in 2007 and can’t get FTTC do you have any info if BT plans to upgrade the cabinet ? I tried to call BT but the CS agent did not have any information.

Thanks

Phil

Hi Tref,

I wonder if you can provide any info for my post code: IP32 7GF. The exchange (EABSE) is enabled but a small number of areas are not eligible for FTTC :o( I’m not sure where my cabinet is, can’t find it from memory or streetview…

many thanks,
Nath

The postcode availability checker no longer seems to include FTTC data. I guess your FTTC form is hooked into BTs dslchecker – around mid February they seemed to have removed all FTTC data from it for the postcode only checker (you can still get FTTC info if you use the telephone number or address checkers).

By the way. How did you get permission to use BTs data? Is there a complicated vetting process or do you have to pay for it?
Thanks

Hello Tref.

Ill be moving into a flat soon (202-bl32nl). According to checks the adsl speeds are poor. I checked the availability of infinity on bt’s website twice and also called twice. The first phone and the first check online showed that infinity was available, however it’s now showing as not available. Also I have checked other flats in the building and according to the checks infinity is available in those flats. Yours thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks Andy

Hi Tref
My Postcode is HA5 3DL and I was very happy to find that FTTC was to be enabled in June 2009. Since then every 3 months the date gets incremented to the next quarter date. Sure enough when 31 March 2012 approached the date was advanced to 30 June. My exchange, Pinner, has been enabled for ages and I know of others in my area (e.g. round the corner to me but connected to a different cabinet) have had FTTC for quite a while. It seems that BT or OpenReach or both have just skipped my cabinet (No. 82 I’m told). Can you think of anything else I can do?
Regards
-Keith

Sorry keith. Your cab could have any number of problems – perhaps even planning permission problems. BT/Openreach won’t countenance answering questions on individual cabs because they would gt so many of them.

Hi, my postcode is l124ze.
My exchange was supposed to be accepting orders from march, but isn’t yet.
Any idea when my cabinet will be upgraded?
Thanks
Jason.

Hello,

Taunton has recently become fttc enabled, and two of my colleagues have ordered fibre from BT. My postcode is TA1 2DR, would you have any way of knowing when my cabinet is likely to be enabled please?

Thank you for your time, nice website 🙂

Russ

thanks Russ. Unfortunately the only source nowadays is the availability checker. there are too many enquiries for BT to be able to cope with.

Hey Tref…

I know my town’s exchange (Stevenage) is able to get Fibre technology, my parents have it and there about 20 minutes away from me, but i’m unable to, I also live in a new estate which is still being build, and if anything, i’m closer to the exchange than my parents.

My postcode is: SG1 4GH, any ideas my friend?

Regards

Lee

My exchange (Innerleithen) has just been upgraded. All subscribers in local village (Cardrona) have been upgraded to BT Infinity on request. I live around 500m further from the FTTC and BT refuse to upgrade me as they cannot provide BT Infinity with this additional distance. My current speed is .25Mbps. How can I get best FTTC service?

Hello. Great info on your site here. My post code is yo127rt. Do you have details on what cabinet I am connected to. I am with in walking distance from exchange. I notice there is a cabinet just down a bank behind my house. I’m not sure if I am connected to that one. But it’s taking me over. I look at it every day. Part of my town say its up and ready for fttc. I just hope which cabinet I am connected to does get upgraded. I see new cabinets and bt openreach all over the town. But don’t ever seem to get to the cabintet near my house.

Any info would be fantastic. And thank you.

Hello.
Since my last comment I have found further info on my problem with BT – in Cardrona village (EH44 6PS) on the Innerleithen exchange. I am connected to cabinet 5 which is now FTTC enabled, at a line distance from my house 0f 1.6km. All lines in the village have been given Infinity on request, but so far they refuse to connect me because of the extra distance. I have found graphs of broadband speed versus distance from the FTTC enabled cabinet. I know I should expect a huge improvement in speed from my current 0.25Mbps. I feel heads need to be banged together at BT to provide an answer. I wish I could do it!
Innerleithen was one of the first rural exchanges in Scotland to be upgraded, and it was a high profile project fro them.

Lindsay

Hi,

An interesting one..

After a little investigating it seems that my line is connected to cab 11 just round the corner on the next street and according to the December data is due to be upgraded to fibre … (although no sign of a new cab yet) the exchange is set to go live 30/06/2012

However after a walk at the weekend I discovered another cab actually on my street slightly hidden behind a bush and half the size of the other, but strangely it also labeled as number 11! Two number 11’s on the same exchange! Surely a numbering mistake. My Post code is NR8 5DF

cheers
Jonathan

Hi Tref,

my postcode is SE28 0HX, served by the Woolwich enabled exchange. Can you please tell me when my cabinet will be upgraded to fibre?

Regards
Eren

Hey Trefor,
I was wonder if you could find out which cabinet i am connected to? The reason I want to know this is that I have been predicted to have an FTTC speed of 20.7 down and 5 up, but the cabinet i think i am connected to is only around 300m from my home, and i have seen others the same distance from the cabinet be predicted much faster.
My post code is SL2 4LG
Thanks

I have noticed a new FTTC cabinet has been installed near by the exisiting cabinet, my Exchange has been enabled (Woolwich) but still no sign of Infinity being made available to me?

Is the fact that a new cabinet has been sited a clue that Infinity is imminent?

What’s going on with apartments and such? I’ve been told thats the reason why my cab hasn’t been upgraded. M15 4JJ. It’s annoyinh as they have upgraded a cab that is further out from the exchange.

Hi Tref,

I’m interested to know if FTTP is likely to be an option in the following circumstances, I’m looking for an alternative to a leased line which is coming in at £450/m:

Post code: HP9 2XE
fibre is already in place between the premises and the Gerards Cross THGX exchange.

What are the chances of getting this fibre plugged in to some fttc or fttp kit at the exchange. I’m looking for a 10 Mb/s service…

Thanks in anticipation
Russell

Not sure it is that easy Russell as BT needs to follow a process for scalability of its services. If the exchange is not already down for FTTP it won’t happen. Have you thought about EFM? This could give you 10Megs. I’ll ask someone to contact you if I may.

tref

I’ve spoken to talktalk business about EFM and it’s working out to be more expensive than a leased line through CCS in Leeds, an the service offering is worse 🙁

Until recently I had a private wireless link from a near by (2 miles) residential property to the premises delivering 11Mb/s but that solution had to end when the home owner moved…

I’ve been around the telecomms and data world in various roles for quite a few years and I suspect the only issue preventing this fibre from being illuminated in a meaningful way and at a reasonable cost is not so much a technical issue but more to do with the billing platforms / administrative will…

I’ve built private fibre networks and populated them with SFP modules housed in reliable but not excessively expensive CPE that provides a level of service way in excess of what we need at these premises…

Such is life 🙂

Hi

Can you let me know when ol11 5na will be live. There is a new cabinet and on the bt map it says accepting ordeers. But when I try to order with BT they say it’s not available.

Thanks

Hi,

Is it possible if you have any further information on FTTC availability within WF4 3AG area?

I have seen new cabinets appearing within the area in the last few weeks.

Thanks

Hi Tref,

It seems that there is a link on that doesnt work. I put in my phone number, and its not recognised. It tells me if this is the case (number is 6wks old now and provided by Sky) to then “click here” for more info, but there isnt a link! 🙂

Can you help direct me please so i can get this number added as no provider seems to recognise 🙁

Cheers,
Gary

Hi Gary – can you mail me the link please & I’ll take a look. btw I wouldn’t be surprised at it taking more than 6 weeks to get on the system though.

i work in IT for a company in london with multiple sites scattered the centre of london.
however, postcode checkers for 4 post codes in clerkenwell (ecm1) and 2 postcodes in soho reveal that infinity aka fttc are not yet available in the capital? amazing… right in the heart of london and we’re still stuck on upto 1mbit upload speed via adsl2 circuits or expensive bonded adsl2’s.
EFM/Fibre leased lines are silly expensive (even more so because they know you are a business) so i’m a bit stumped.

shame they took down your map because zooming in on those area would give me an idea of what sites i Can setup with fttc….or if they decide to open and office what availability is there.

cheers for the info.

tony

Just wish they had left your availability map alone… Would have helped me when I moved home!

I moved from a rural area to my current location on Merseyside about a year ago, hoping for higher speeds, but ended up in a house in the 30% of this postcode area with no Virgin Media option (houses behind me were able to get 50 or 100 Mbps when I moved here). Still no FTTC though the exchange is serving a posher postcode area where they have a cabinet enabled. Where I used to live the estimate is for near 80 Mbps (the cabinet for the whole estate is under 20 meters away, I lived in a little cul-de-sac with no heavy traffic, just off the entrance to that estate).

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