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[Lostinthewoods]

Hey guys first time here and love this site exists! Got a bit of an issue trying to get FTTC...

I’m with Sky for ADSL and openreach activated my cabinet on 30 October for FTTC (although the only places that say this is their checker, their twitter guys and samknows). No ISP can provide me with an order!

Sky have been useless throughout this whole thing and suddenly turn around today and say the cabinet is at full capacity after 3 weeks of constant “fibre is not yet active at your property”! Openreach confirm the thing is empty and all slots are available.

Where do I go from here? Anyone have a similar experience or have some knowledge about how long this might take? Sky have sent something off to openreach to address the discrepancy between their 2 systems but I have totally lost faith in sky now and will happily move provider if they can provide me with a fibre service.

[gt94sss2]

If you try and order FTTC via BT Retail website what does it say?

Sky use their own LLU backhaul for FTTC so in some cases, you can order FTTC via other ISPs (BT, Plusnet etc) but not Sky as the link they would use between your exchange to their core network isn't yet operational.

I'm sure you are aware of http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/ - its the best way of knowing if your cabinet has capacity atm. You may need to use your address rather than your telephone number as you're on Sky

[Lostinthewoods]

Thanks for the response

I assume you mean to order infinity? If so, this also says I cannot order fibre and only gives me ADSL results.

The dsl checker lists FTTPoD only and is the same for any postcode served by my cabinet (checked about half a dozen)

[j0hn]

Then the cabinet likely isn't ready, and may require additional work.
They don't go around activating cabinets and not letting anyone order. Quite often unforeseen problems are spotted during the commissioning process.

Where do you see the cabinet is live? The OpenReach Where/When fibre checker? If that says "Activate" then it's still not ready.

Unless the http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/ actually lists estimates for anyone on the cabinet then I wouldn't worry too much. Does the dsl checker list vdsl multicast as available?

[Lostinthewoods]

Well this was my thinking but the OR Where/When site says 'Superfast Accepting Orders', as well as their Twitter team confirming it's active and ready for orders.

The dslchecker site has no mention of FTTC however VDSL multicast is showing as "Available"

Just come across MouseLike and that says "Exchange Status: fttcfibreavailable, PCP Status: acceptingorders"

So confused!

[digitalis]

Use address or line checker, not postcode

Post the results here omitting any identifying info (address, line number etc)

[Lostinthewoods]

Here's the results I get...

[WWWombat]

The presence of the "VDSL multicast" line usually means that the service is indeed live. This form of output is normally consistent with a line that is too long to receive a VDSL2 FTTC service from the cabinet.

However, the checker requires that Openreach's database holds valid information about the amount of loss between the cabinet and the DP serving your line (eg on a telegraph pole). That is the data that tells the checker if the line is too long ... but missing or invalid data gives the same result.

This needs Openreach to update their database ... triggered by a request from your helpful ISP. Or bypassing the ISP if they turn out to be less than helpful.

(edit: This answer shouldn't be a surprise, as it is the same one in this TBB thread)

[Lostinthewoods]

Thanks for the response... I posted here and then came across TBB so thought I’d cast a wider net! It’s an odd prospect that the cabinet would be upgraded then because checking multiple properties attached to it we’re probably one of the closest and if it turns out we are still too far away I’m not sure what they thought they’d gain if the majority cannot get FTTC from it.

Oh well I’ve still got my fingers crossed it’s just a database update we’re waiting on as there’s been no indication from anyone that our line is too long to support it.

Just today OR said they were liaising with a “cabinet manager” to see what else can be done.  Sky have, as usual, failed to get back to me as agreed.

Any idea when the BTW site is updated? Code look is saying it’s now well over a month since the last update!

[WWWombat]

Oh, it almost certainly isn't because you are too far from the cabinet, and almost certainly going to be because of a data problem.

Getting data changed seems to have long been an issue with the setup of Openreach - where they won't talk to you, only an ISP. Yet ISPs aren't very willing to take on support cases like this.

My own issue (of a slightly different nature) took 3 months to resolve, even though the engineers who attended could see the problem instantly. The first month was getting someone at the ISP to take ownership, while the rest was getting Openreach to do their side of things.

Is your cabinet one that has been in place a long time, and has only recently had an FTTC twin added? Or is it one when BT have recently placed the copper cabinet too? The latter cases seem to come with an increased share of drama.

[Lostinthewoods]

There's a cutting irony about all this taking so long when it's to do with speedy internet.

Well we're already a month into this one - and OR have said the project manager is looking into it further as they cannot see what the issue is.

It's been there for a while but I think they've replaced it with a new one - it definitely isn't the one on Google street view - and subsequently enabled FTTC with it.

I've emailed the CEOs of Sky and Openreach to see if I can get a response from higher up but the OR twitter team have actually been good, to give them due credit.

[ktz392837]

Long shot but in the past I have seen some VIP forum users helping with their BT contacts to fix data issues.

Not sure if they still do and not sure if it was this forum or thinkbb.  I am sure someone will probably have the username(s) and which site so you can see if they can help before providing your details?

Another option is use an ISP that has a better influence with BT again I can't remember if that still works and can't remember the isp either.

[Lostinthewoods]

Thanks - MrSaffron over on TBB has done something to prod Openreach into updating something but unsure of what and the timescales.

Just waiting for that to bear fruit!