Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => FTTC and FTTP Issues => Topic started by: A1d3n on April 24, 2018, 08:04:03 PM
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Today was my changeover day from a copper line to FTTC,
I had a phonecall from an openreach engineer whilst at work asking if I could plug my new router in as there seems to be a problem with the line. I explained that I was at work and my ISP told me I diddn't need to be home and the changeover would happen automatically.
I now have no internet at all and my ISP are arranging for an engineer to come to check the line in my house.
I have never had a problem with my copper line and as the I am getting FTTC I would assume that the issue is somewhere between the exchange and the cabinet.
As my isp could not give me any info on what the problem might be I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me understand what's going on.
Thanks
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'Fibre broadband' as they advertise it is a little misleading and it's a bit of a bug bear of mine! It's fibre to the cabinet (fttc) but then the last leg is the original copper line which you use to make calls etc.
My guess is that there are some anomalies shown up in the copper line which isn't supportive for VDSL2 frequencies. Or the local FTTC cab needs further investigation.
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It's impossible to draw any definite conclusions from the limited info, I'm afraid.
The copper/aluminium pair should already test ok (via your ISP when you raise an order), before they issue a task for us to perform the subsequent cab work.
It could be anything. Please keep us apprised of the outcome. Cheers. :)
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Thanks for your replys.
After speaking to a friend who is an engineer he said that one of my copper pairs could be broken or have a bad connection which would make sense as I have never used a house phone because when I plugged it in I had no dial tone but broadband always worked. I am currently waiting for my ISP to arrange an engineer appointment but am concerned that if the problem is within my house I will have to pay the call out fee (ISP told me I won't have to pay anything). For some extra info my phone socket has never had a faceplate since I moved in and I've always had my ADSL filter plugged into the test socket so not sure if this could be an issue
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Thanks for your replys.
After speaking to a friend who is an engineer he said that one of my copper pairs could be broken or have a bad connection which would make sense as I have never used a house phone because when I plugged it in I had no dial tone but broadband always worked. I am currently waiting for my ISP to arrange an engineer appointment but am concerned that if the problem is within my house I will have to pay the call out fee (ISP told me I won't have to pay anything). For some extra info my phone socket has never had a faceplate since I moved in and I've always had my ADSL filter plugged into the test socket so not sure if this could be an issue
No, being in the test socket won't be a problem. Also, if we (Openreach) have to apply charges, we charge the ISP ... not the customer. If the ISP then wishes to pass the charges on, that is up to them ?? But you already have it from them you won't be charged anyway ... as is usually the case with a 'New provide'.
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Thanks for the info, I will post updates and let you know how it goes
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Update:
Had an email from ISP saying an engineer has been booked for Wednesday 02.05.18 (8 days after my go live date) and once again I don't need to do anything or even be at home. I phoned ISP to make sure I don't need to be at home and asked if the engineer couldn't do it last time because I wasn't home ,how can he do it next time without me being home. They told me the problem was within the exchange and that openreach have different bands of engineers and it's a different type of engineer coming next week to fix the problem.
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My last three "don't need to be at home” appointments the engineers always knocked on the door and started by doing tests and asking about the problem.
I do not believe my fault would would have eventually been resolved the best it could have on the third visit without me being there on all visits.
Does anyone know what happens if the engineer turns up hoping to get access but the customer was told they do not need access and are not there?
I don't even know how they would have known the full details of the problem in my case. The later engineers did have notes of previous engineers but I am not convinced they were told the information I provided the ISP.
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I'm a bit concerned that this appears to be being looked at as a broadband fault when from the information provided it looks like a phone line fault. Are you paying line rental to the ISP or someone else?
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All I have been told is that there is a fault with the line (ISP say it's in the exchange),not sure whether it's broadband or phone line (I thought they ran on the same line) i was paying line Rental to my old ISP but switchover was supposed to be Tuesday which couldn't happen due to a fault with the line. New ISP haven't taken line rental yet as it has not been activated due to the fault. I was switching from a copper line (broadband worked fine) to fibre and during this a fault was found with the line somewhere. But because my ISP told me I diddn't need to be home, when the engineer called me to ask my to plug in my new router so he could run some checks I could not plug it in as I was at work. Now we have had to reschedule the appointment for next Wednesday but ISP are still saying I don't need to be home. When I asked why it couldn't be done last time without me being home
they told me a different type of engineer will be doing it next time.
If the problem is in the exchange (as ISP are saying) then why was it a problem that I wasn't home on tuesday? I might just take the afternoon off work to be safe.
Email reads
We have contacted Openreach for an update on your order and have been advised that an engineer is scheduled to connect your Fibre Broadband service on 02/05/2018. We have confirmed with Openreach that there are no system issues preventing this appointment from going ahead. Your service will be activated remotely on this day, so there is no need for you to stay in and wait for an engineer on this day.
Thanks for your help everyone. Sorry if I seem a bit clueless
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The broadband and phone do run on the same line - from the cabinet. From the cabinet to the exchange it is the phone line only so I'm not sure how a fault at the exchange would affect FTTC broadband.
I think being there for the appointment would be a good idea.
If you knew the phone wasn't working why didn't you get it fixed? It is highly likely that your ADSL speeds were significantly slower than they should have been. Even if you don't use the phone you should check the phone line periodically to make sure that (a) it is working and (b) it is good quality with no background noise (you can dial 17070 to perform a quiet line test). This applies even if you are on FTTC. The tests should be performed using a WIRED phone handset - Argos sell a cheap phone ideal for this use: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/3924358 and it means you have a backup method of communication if mobile goes down.
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I only tried the phone line once after buying a cheap phone from Asda and assumed that it was the phone that was broken and it diddn't click till now that it could be the line. Can I check the line now if it is inactive?
Just spoke to ISP again to ask what time the engineer will be doing it as would rather take half a day if possible off from work and they assured me that the problem was in the exchange and said i definitely don't need to be home. From the sounds of what they are saying it just needs to be enabled in the exchange. Is it possible that last time the engineer diddn't finish it as I wasn't home to plug the router in for him to test?
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I'd have taken the Asda handset to a friends and tested it on their line!
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I diddn't think to try. Wish I did get it sorted beforehand now. In future I will take your advice and check my phone line regularly.
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Update:
I now have WiFi. Today at work had a call from the exact same engineer asking if my router was plugged in. This time it was and within the hour I was connected. Not sure why it couldn't have been done last time without the router plugged in but it's all sorted now. ISP told me that router doesn't need to be plugged in untill I went live so I will mention this to them for future customers
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Very peculiar. ???
However I'm pleased to read that the service is now operational.
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Indeed as sotonsam says, if you have FTTC then you still have copper and all its problems. It's just that your copper line is shorter. do not be fooled by lying marketing material. It is incredible that the advertising standards authority blatantly neglected its duty with this and now feels stuck.
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An ADSL resilience postscript.
A neighbour partially severed my phone line while removing ivy, breaking one wire.
ADSL continued operating despite the phone ceasing to work.
I can't remember how much it was degraded.