Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => FTTC and FTTP Issues => Topic started by: biohead on October 09, 2019, 08:33:04 AM
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Hi all, It has been a long time since I was last here! A few years ago I moved to a new build area that was all cabled up and it worked well. I enjoyed the 200/350mbps speeds, but I've moved again and although cable may be possible, I'm just going to stick with FTTC this time.
Anyway, I digress! In my old property I previously posted on the TBB forums questioning whether a new pod that had appeared on the local cabinet was a GFast one (Dec 2018). These were popping up all over Bracknell at that time. My new house also has a GFast pod attached. However, neither of them are showing as live yet - nor are many others I have been searching in the Bracknell area (I think I only found one cab that's showing active).
I've seen people commenting the GFast activation can take quite a while from the install - but most of the pods have been sat there for coming up to a year. Is there anyone in the know that know's what's happening? I've seen the talk of BT halting the GFast rollout - but surely they wouldn't halt one where a vast bulk of the equipment has already been installed?
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They won't install the kit then not activate it - that would be a waste.
I do know it can take some time from the pod going live after it is installed. Though, one question - how close to the cabinet are you>?
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By the road, I'm about 250m from the cab. I'm only getting 55-60mbps on FTTC.
I don't know if I'll actually benefit from G.Fast, but I was more wondering if it was normal for an entire area to have a slow rollout.
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So it could be a bit longer depending on the route.
Those speeds don't make me confident of you being able to benefit from G.fast unless you are unfortunate to be on an ECI cabinet where the absence of G.INP and XdB in combination with crosstalk has really notched your speeds down on a relatively short line. But this is a speculation.
I understand that VDSL stats are not the most accurate prediction for G.fast, but they are certainly better than nothing. Do you have access to your line stats?
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Not yet, I just have the bog standard talktalk hub for now. I'm looking at what my options are when it comes to modems whilst the line "trains" (it only went live today) - a Zyxel 8324 is looking most likely, as I just need the modem part of it in bridge mode.
The cab itself is set away from any nearby houses - so my street is one of the closest to it depending on which route the wires take underground. That said, it was an early-to-mid 70's build - I know there may be the possibility of it being an alu line as well.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to benefit from gfast but I know it may not work out - it's not the end of the world. I'll give it a try... if anywhere in Bracknell ever seems to get activated! :lol:
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There's a whole load of live G.Fast pods in Bracknell.
Cabinet 10 is live.
What cabinet are you on?
edit: as is cabinet 36, and 7
ThinkBroadband maps show large areas live.
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I'm now on cab 8, previously on 110.
It's nice to see a few cabs out there that are live! For most of the properties we went to look at, this is the one of the things I looked up - which is when I started asking questions about all these pods but so little service out there.
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Cabinet 8 showing G.Fast on the checker and addresses on cabinet 8 are able to place G.Fast orders through BT.
If no G.Fast estimates show for your number or address then you are out of range.
Number 12 RG12 9SB is an example of G.Fast on your cabinet.
RG12 0PH can place orders with BT for G.Fast.
Seems like a shocking choice of cabinet for G.Fast with very few properties even having 80Mb High estimates on VDSL2.
I can find about a half dozen with G.Fast estimates.
Not knowing the location of the cabinet makes it awkward to check.
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Wow - thanks for that info John! I didn't realise the GFast range was so small, to the point where most properties on this cab won't actually show it.
I've attached a map image of where the cab is located physically - along with the 9SB postcode you linked to, which is enabled, and where I'm located, which isn't. At first glance, the difference doesn't look that much, but I guess it all depends the path the wires takes.
Almost every cab in Bracknell now has a pod on it so I guess there's some sort of roll-out which drove it, rather than it being a feasible one. ???
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I thought that might have been cabinet 8.
I found the FTTC DSLAM on the roundabout and could see the PCP down towards the walkway but there was no number visible on the PCP.
I must say I really don't think I've seen so few properties with a viable G.Fast service from a pod.
Even the example I gave you may be too slow for G.Fast to even be sold as it has a 120Mb minimum.
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I am 600m from my cabinet, and getting 70Mbit. Suspect your line length is too high.
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Seeing as the OP's cabinet as Huawei and not ECI as I previous speculated, then the line is probably a bit longer than anticpated.
It actually doesn't look that far away, but that approx. 250m by road could easily exceed ~300-350m by electrical distance depending on actual route - the case would be more likely if the D-side is composed of thin copper and/or aluminium. At that point, there is no real chance to supply G.fast above the min. 120 Mbps threshold.
The end result here is that it not showing as available is almost certainly correct.
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What also can add to the distance is which side of the house the distribution pods are (if applicable). Mine is the other direction to the cabinet - and that in itself is 50m from my house, so there's 100m of it!
Maybe this is the case for OP here too, (and many other people, I'd suspect). All depends on where all the cables go, of course.
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It does seem absolutely crazy to install a pod there. There's a business building over the road, and a block of flats being built the other direction - those are pretty much the only two building that would remotely be in range - and that's if the flats will even be fed by that PCP.
As soon as I get a proper modem I'll post some line stats for people to have a look over. As to whether the lines are alu, I don't think there's an easy way to tell is there?
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It does seem absolutely crazy to install a pod there. There's a business building over the road, and a block of flats being built the other direction - those are pretty much the only two building that would remotely be in range - and that's if the flats will even be fed by that PCP.
Can happen with OR's deployment of G.fast to the cabinet. There is that rare cabinet which serves sparse dwellings or is placed in an odd location that gets a G.fast pod. As a result, only a few properties can actually benefit.
As to whether the lines are alu, I don't think there's an easy way to tell is there?
You'd be correct. Other than asking OR themselves.
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So, there has been a slight twist to this story somewhat...
I originally opted for TalkTalk and their FTTC service. For whatever reason, their system won't allow them to add what they call the "Fibre Boost" to my address, which caps me to 40/10 (I'd really benefit from the greater uploads). They have agreed to waive any exit fees, so I went to look for an ISP that could offer it.
Sky are now showing as Ultrafast 1 available for my address, estimating speeds at around 145mbps. The BT DSL checker still shows no availability at all - so I'm not sure where they are pulling this info from. I have ordered, and I shall keep you updated! I'm kind of expecting it to get cancelled at some point, but I'll play it out first!
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I think it's probably a quirk of Sky's system. I would be very surprised if it progresses and the install gets booked for install.
If it progresses and the speed is below their estimates they sent you, then you should be fine to just leave.
I think the case here is that it will get cancelled, as you have expected. There is no record of G.fast being possible for your address/line from what I can gather.
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So, as suspected install day came around and things didn't go to plan. The install itself actually went ahead, nothing flagged up on the Openreach system beforehand.
The engineer didn't have to do anything in the house, other than swap the Mk4 filter for a gfast one and made sure the modem was powered on and plugged in. He did his bit in the cab, confirmed it was all setup, then waited for the modem to sync. And waited. And waited some more.
In the end he did a pair swap, a port swap but it always resulted in no-sync at the house. After a few hours (!) he called it in and only then was it confirmed it can't be done. Good effort from the engineer, and he was willing to try everything to try and get some life out if it Although I did find out the line length is around 450m, useful to know!
He also commented I was the only one hooked upto that pod at the time - clearly showing what a ludicrous plan it was to install to this cab.
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Bummer. Surprised it went ahead. Though it is not really a surprise that it wasn't working as intended - it was only going to be slow in the best case.
At least you know now!
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So, as suspected install day came around and things didn't go to plan. The install itself actually went ahead, nothing flagged up on the Openreach system beforehand.
The engineer didn't have to do anything in the house, other than swap the Mk4 filter for a gfast one and made sure the modem was powered on and plugged in. He did his bit in the cab, confirmed it was all setup, then waited for the modem to sync. And waited. And waited some more.
In the end he did a pair swap, a port swap but it always resulted in no-sync at the house. After a few hours (!) he called it in and only then was it confirmed it can't be done. Good effort from the engineer, and he was willing to try everything to try and get some life out if it Although I did find out the line length is around 450m, useful to know!
He also commented I was the only one hooked upto that pod at the time - clearly showing what a ludicrous plan it was to install to this cab.
At first I thought my line length was 250m from FTTC but openreach engineer say my G.fast line length are 297m but I don't understand how could 47m addition because the Fibre cab are very close to my PCP cab (nothing is more than 50m away from each others)
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At first I thought my line length was 250m from FTTC but openreach engineer say my G.fast line length are 297m but I don't understand how could 47m addition because the Fibre cab are very close to my PCP cab (nothing is more than 50m away from each others)
Especially as G.fast should be shorter as its physically stuck to the PCP vs FTTC where there are the tails to the other cabinet, which sometimes can be quite far apart.
I think its more the nature of how the length is calculated, as I've seen 100m difference on my "calculated" length to the exchange. Never been told my length to the PCP though, but I know the exact route and estimated from Google Earth its at least 220m.