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[Weaver]

I wonder if there is an availability checker or whatever that actually works, the ones I have tried just seem completely broken. I'd like something that shows me what the planned developments are. I can't see any point in secrecy, it buys the powers that be some goodwill by relieving long-suffering would-be users' frustration, if they show what is planned well in advance and there's no hiding it as the gossip machine and crowdsourced BTOr surveillance is pervasive and very effective, and aside from that BT guys are quite happy to tell you what is happening according to their internal rumour mill.

Some of the BT guys I have talked to don't understand much about DSL, the Internet and networking, they find it all v confusing, a blur of TLAs and jargon. One guy I talked to a while back, a really nice guy, was definitely in this category. I think he was trying to tell me about planned FTTRN but didn't have all the vocabulary, so I had to use a bit of reading between the lines / guesswork to make it out. They've all just been incredibly helpful, one guy even gave me a free Pressac NTE2000 just to be nice as he just had one in his van.

[Ronski]

I think the problem with BT releasing their plans is that they can change at any moment, remember the fuss and problems when the availability checker used to show an estimated date and people complained because the dates kept slipping.

With reference to the storms I guess it must be like the bad storms we had many years ago in the South East of England, fortunately we don't get them very often, but it sounds like you get them every year.

Regarding insurance, try someone like Hiscox, they are expensive but apparently very good. I recently changed over to them, cost me another £15 a month but it's worth it for the peace of mind.

[Weaver]

Does FTTP become available on some / all / no exchange upgrades nowadays ?

[ejs]

I think all updates about the progress of any current FTTC deployment are published by the local council / authority responsible for it.

I think FTTP might get made available in a few places, if that worked out the cheapest solution for a few properties somewhere. I doubt they would do FTTP for a whole exchange, it would only be for a few specific areas.

[benji09]

   Weaver, if you are worried about the BT line suffering a lightning strike, why don't you only terminate the modem/router to the line and use a Wi Fi extender ( like a Netgear WN 2000RPT ) to isolate the rest of your equipment from the line. Provided that you use mains surge protector on your equipment, only the modem router should be vulnerable. Using WiFi to isolate your modem from the outside world is hardly likely to affect your speed considering your few neighbours around where you live    

[Weaver]

@benji09 I've recently lost one £700 router so I need to protect everything (bar the three modems they are cheap). I'm thinking about putting the modems onto a VLAN switch, aggregating them into one VLAN-tagged pipe and putting that through an RF link into the PPPoE Input of the router, which understands VLAN tags with PPPoE.

[Weaver]

I'm also thinking about Ronski's tip concerning insurance and get a few grand's worth of cover for  all the hardware.

[Weaver]

*** BAD NEWS ***

The powers that be emailed my wife and told her flat out that they are not offering any solution for rural users. No FTTC for the likes of me and presumably no FTTP either.

I assume this is because they are going to put up one single cab near the exchange? I don't know, but the plan is to let all the haves have much higher speeds than ever, given that they are the ones most in need, obvious eh?

Anyway I completely lost it at this point, and sent back a furious and utterly pointless response to the couldn't give a stuff officer at HIE or whoever it is. I will post said rant up if anyone is st all interested in a bit of fun.

[Black Sheep]

I'm also thinking about Ronski's tip concerning insurance and get a few grand's worth of cover for  all the hardware.

When working at Hot-sites, we have to protect the EU's equipment using Line Isolating Units. For PSTN and DSL we would use a 3C and a 12C. Although it only electrically separates (via a transformer) up to 20Kv ...... if I remember rightly
I may be way off the mark there, as although we fit these units, it might be one every 5yrs !!

PS ...... again if memory serves, you're looking at approx. £500-600 for the two units !!   

[burakkucat]

Two words for Weaver to consider: Optical isolators. You will, of course, need as many as the number of lines you are currently using. 

I am referring to the devices that Openreach will use when a circuit needs to enter (exit) a "hot" area. ("Hot" as in hazardous high voltages.)

[Edit: I see Mr Sheep's hoofs are faster than my paws.]

[benji09]

  Sorry Weaver, I forgot about your duplicated internet connection. Since I have had not used that facility, I  can't comment about it. The fact you mentioned MODEMS instead of MODEM/ROUTERS means that even if it were technically possible to set up duplicate WIFI paths, then combining the data stream would not possible anyway ? 
 Reading the latest replies about you lack of an increase in line speed at this, BT must come with something in the future to include you and others in the same position as yourself. Maybe they may come up it a pole mounted regenerative repeater ( two complementy modems connected back to back ) in the future, as cheap non F/O fix....... 

[Weaver]

So it seems I am out-of-luck.

No high speeds until [?]2020 (haha), but possibly some other goodies!

Could someone help me with a few answers to easy questions?

* 21CN: Do I get a 21CN exchange then? Could anyone tell me if that's a definite yes in an FTTC deployment.

(21CN is good as it halves my data costs in the daytime peak hours. )

* Does it then also mean that I could definitely get ADSL2? A bit more speed then compared with ADSL1, if so.

* Any chance of SRA some day? (Q: don't know if I have a modem that can support it? DLink DSL-320B currently)

Note to self: I will get 1500+8 byte MRU/MTU working now with my DLink modems. Excellent

* ADSL2, or ADSL2+, or both?

* Which do I choose? (Ultra-long line 4.6 mi from the exchange.)

[Weaver]

@burakkucat - I have looked at optoisolators and found a suitable device qty 6. All a bit of a nightmare.

But seeing as I might be getting a fourth line, just possibly, I will need to go with the cleaner VLAN tagging switch plan as I run out of free ports on the Firebrick to use as modem links, and in its favour the VLAN switch plan has been written up in detail by an AA staff member, or user I forget which.

[Weaver]

BTW - If anyone feels up to putting me straight on those few questions I would be extremely grateful.
--
Feeling pretty miserable and deflated after having had dealings with Goebbels department at the HIE where everything is shiny and wonderful, unless you are a rural user, and what are the chances of one of those in Skye or in the Highlands.

* Aside from possible 21CN-ness and possible ADSL2, then I'm stuck until we see what 2020 may bring - if the year of the USO turns out not to be just another bad-taste joke.

Maybe wait another decade again then, powerless, to see if those in control of our lives decide to throw us a few scraps, or see if technology gives us a break, or if there is a big shift in local politics.
--
Apart from answers very gratefully recvd, and any welcome exchange upgrade bonuses, this is unfortunately the end of this story for another four years or ten years or whatever.

[Weaver]

@BlackSheep, @Burakkucat  - the optoisolators I was looking at possibly spoke Ethernet were rated as good for 100 Mbps anyway. Can't remember the mfr, would need to dig out my notes, but they were ~£50 (× 2 × 3)