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[Bowdon]

The Q4 2015 BDUK and BT UK “Superfast Broadband” Take-up Figures

The Government has today published its latest Q4 2015 uptake figures for their state aid supported roll-out of superfast (24Mbps+) capable “fibre broadband” services across the United Kingdom, which shows that many local authorities are passing the key 20% threshold.

As usual the following figures ONLY reflect take-up (customer subscriptions) of superfast connectivity in areas that have been upgraded through Phase One of the Broadband Delivery UK scheme with BT (i.e. % subscribed of premises passed by BDUK), which has predominantly been rolling out its up to 80Mbps FTTC and some 330Mbps FTTP technology.

[kitz]

Thanks for posting - its interesting to note that aside from Rutland and Surrey the majority of take ups are 25% or less

However, that is still about half that have now reached 20% which is the point of clawback. 

[William Grimsley]

My area (Devon & Somerset (including, Plymouth, Torbay, North Somerset, Bath & NE Somerset)) had a take-up of just 16.8% in December 2015. I'm a bit annoyed that people aren't taking the opportunity to invest in this new infrastructure that Openreach have worked tirelessly to build.

[ejs]

Tech Apathetics have low engagement with technology despite most having good tech literacy.
They understand what technology can do, but it doesn’t excite them. Their priorities are elsewhere
and they see technology as a means to an end, rather than something that can enhance their lives.

Somehow the above is considered bad and evil? I really don't think a load more technology is going to enhance my life. Nor do I find the fact that a load of time and effort and money have been spent making something a particularly compelling reason for wanting or needing it.

[kitz]

I'm a bit annoyed that people aren't taking the opportunity to invest in this new infrastructure that Openreach have worked tirelessly to build.

There are some people who really don't care too much about speed, as long as they can do what they need to do then they dont bother upgrading.   
This is one of the reasons why Openreach see it as more sensible to gradually extend the reach of fibre to the home - they have to be able to get a return on their investment. 

It's not just Tech Apathetics that ejs quoted either.   Finances will also play a part for many.  Sometimes its neither.

I would have hardly call my dad a Tech Apathetic.  He was the one who I used to sit next to on the sofa every Thurs to watch Tomorrows World..  he also watched Click or anything else like that.   OK he never had a clue about how to build a PC or didn't understand lots of techie things, but he loved his gadgets and would sit for hours figuring things out on the laptop.  He loved his ipad and his smart phone.  It may have taken him a lot longer to learn something but I would say that was more down to his having to learn something new at his age.    He was very well aware of FTTC, but at the end of the day he was happy with his 8Mbps on which he could surf, email and skype his sister in Aus.  8Mbps was sufficient for him to stream... he simply did not see the point of paying £10 per month for something he didnt need.

I also look after a couple of other DSL accounts for people who feel exactly the same.   One of them most certainly is not in the cant afford it category.. he just doesnt see the point.

In fact look at b*cat - he's also happy with his adsl2+ connection - I think he'd be at home in the tech engaged category

 

[sevenlayermuddle]

Somehow the above is considered bad and evil? I really don't think a load more technology is going to enhance my life. Nor do I find the fact that a load of time and effort and money have been spent making something a particularly compelling reason for wanting or needing it.

When FTTC arrived here, after I'd got mine installed, I excitedly spread the word to all the neighbours.  None of them cared.   They do use the Internet, but only for web browsing, email and the likes, download speed was of no interest.   And that's in an area circa 55-60dB attenuation, 1-3Mbps download but the fact is, speed was simply not a problem.   

Most are reasonably tech-savvy, there are a couple of retired lawyers, a mechanical engineer, and the likes.   They are just not interested in Internet services, and IMO they are entitled to make that choice without name-calling such as "tech-apathetic". 

[burakkucat]

In fact look at b*cat - he's also happy with his adsl2+ connection - I think he'd be at home in the tech engaged category

Although my circuit is provisioned as G.992.5 (ADSL2+) from the TalkTalk MSAN in my serving exchange, due to its length I only manage a DS throughput of ~4.8 Mbps. With that throughput, and knowing the differences between G.992.5, G.992.3 & G.992.1 (ADSL2+, ADSL2 & G.Dmt), I made a conscious decision to restrict my CPE to operate in G.992.3 mode. The throughput I achieve is sufficient for me to moderate in this forum, moderate two other fora and to administer the ELRepo Project. Attached below is the image of what is currently available to me from the fibre cabinet. (I have used my neighbours telephone number for that check, as I have an LLU'd circuit.) I have no need for the throughput speeds that any of the four Openreach VDSL2 delivered FTTC products can provide. (80/20, 55/10, 40/10 & 40/2.) If I was offered a service, the equivalent of G.992.5, from the fibre cabinet then I might consider it. (That topic is discussed in later posts to this thread.)

[ejs]

Personally, I think having a fairly low FTTC speed estimate, and then being expected to be pleased with it because it would still be much better than my ADSL speed, is not exactly encouraging. And my actual ADSL2 stats make the 5.5 Mb ADSL2+ estimate look wildly optimistic (currently at 3998k on a 3dB target SNRM, attn 57.8dB). So I don't really have much confidence about getting towards the higher end of the FTTC estimate if I were to take it.

I suppose the "Engaged Complacent" category could just as easily apply to the people who are sticking with whatever they've currently got because they don't have any great want or need for something more.

[niemand]

Meanwhile here there are about 550 premises on the cabinet. It has one full Huawei 288 DSLAM and the second Huawei 288 on its 5th line card.

Largely family housing, mostly younger families, some apartments, poor ADSL, maxing out around 2.1Mb, going as low as below 1.

[renluop]

I think Kitz is on the ball, also like minded posters. I have very little need for gob smacking speed, as I have what is a good line in comparison with estimates for line length and attenuation. Being retired and not a gamer I am not glued to the internet, so in a day the benefit in time saved in that day by having a superfast connection is abated.

OTOH, I do not think my daughter and her husband wastrels for having fibre. Much work for their employers, given their statuses, means some work is done at home, and they have children as well.

My other daughter, and her husband (who is highly skilled in IT) and tree offspring need the speed and bandwidth too.

I happened to remark to that son-i-l on monitoring programs, and he remarked to the effect that, whilst useful, too close attention might be a type of paranoia.

In all I suppose it's like driving: some put foot down to get their first, but often their leisurely friend is not far behind at the goal.
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I see that Dorset data includes Bounemouth and Poole, and think that might be misleading as their are other suppliers in such a large conurbation.