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[sheddyian]

So, I've started the process of buying a house in Wales.  I didn't rush blindly into it, I checked the mobile signal, the radio & tv reception, and, using the option on the Rightmove website listing for the house, confirmed that the house was an a fibre area (it suggested VodaFone Fibre unlimited, giving me "up to 76 mb".  So I was happy.

Now I look into it a bit further, I'm a bit less happy.  Putting the postcode into the Kitz checker gives me this :

Exchange: Ferndale   BT Code: SWFBX
Location: Wood Street,   CF43 4HG
Distance:-   Direct:        3.14 km
    (appx)*   By Road:   4.2 km
    Status   
   ADSL enabled:   December 10, 2003
   DSL Max enabled:   March 31, 2006
   21CN WBC (ADSL2+)   Enabled
21CN due : (PSTN)   Info N/A
   FTTC   Some areas
   SDSL enabled :   Not Enabled
Broadband Access Market   Broadband Access†   Market 3
BT price band   BTw Pricing Band   Band C


ADSL Broadband   Other Broadband Technology & LLU Providers
   Fixed ADSL:    1000 kbps   (1 Mb)
   DSL Max:     1000 kbps   (1 Mb)
   ADSL 2+ :   2000 kbps   (2 Mb)

YUK     


FTTC (Fibre)
   FTTC is available in your area.
    Speed   Max   Min
    DownStream   No info   No info
    UpStream   No info   No info

 No line speed data available.

Ah, ok that's not so bad    But why no info?

I then went to Talktalk, put in the postcode, and it offered me only ADSL, which it thought I might get 3mb speed.    BT also said the same on their retail page.  Neither TalkTalk nor BT offered me FTTC from a postcode search

And although the rightmove website claimed 76mb from Vodafone in that area, when I go to the Vodafone site and put in the postcode, it tells me they can't offer me ANYTHING at that address 

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Ian

[jelv]

Go back to the estate agent and ask them to prove the FTTC claim. If they can't ask them to drop the price.

[sheddyian]

Ah. now the BT Broadband availability checker via Kitz has this to say :

BT BROADBAND AVAILABILITY CHECKER
High   Low   High   Low         
VDSL Range A (Clean)   61.3   42.4   15.8   10.1   39.6   Waiting list   --   
VDSL Range B (Impacted)   51.9   32.4   13.6   7.1   27.3   Waiting list   --   
Featured Products

So... the area is covered, but the cabinet is full?

Ian

[Black Sheep]

It would appear so.

[sheddyian]

Go back to the estate agent and ask them to prove the FTTC claim. If they can't ask them to drop the price.

It's certainly something I'm going to take up, though it's not in the Estate Agent's info, it's a sponsored extra on the Rightmove web site (where you can also search for nearby schools and the like).


Ian

[sheddyian]

It would appear so.

This explanation, when I type the postcode into the Welsh government broadband checker https://beta.gov.wales/can-i-get-it, is a bit more helpful. 

"According to data from BT your area is enabled for fibre but demand is high on your cabinet right now. This means you can't order fibre today but BT are working to increase capacity as soon as possible."

I read that to mean there'll be another cabinet at some point.

Ian *waits*

[j0hn]

If you can provide the exchange and cabinet number I can check if there's plans to add capacity.
Sometimes they need a whole new cabinet, other cabinets can receive a high density extension.

Not every cabinet that's at full capacity will get more added unfortunately. If fast broadband is essential and the quoted ADSL speeds don't meet your needs then I would pause and think hard before proceeding.

[Ronski]

Now I look into it a bit further, I'm a bit less happy.  Putting the postcode into the Kitz checker gives me this :

The bit in bold was where you was going wrong, a postcode will not give you full information, it does state in the results

   Phone No not entered!
Possible reduced accuracy for some results

If you don't know the phone number for the address then try this one, just enter the postcode then click submit and then select the address. However doubt it will tell you any more than you have now worked out.

http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.AddressOutput

As others have said, it may just require another line card, or more tie cables, or the cab could be completely full.

I'm not sure what John's source is, but there is a forum member on TBB who can look up directly what's needed if you post the cab number and exchange.

PS. Perhaps our very own Black Sheep could take a peep if you give him the required info 

[burakkucat]

. . . using the option on the Rightmove website listing for the house, confirmed that the house was an a fibre area (it suggested VodaFone Fibre unlimited, giving me "up to 76 mb".

I'm really surprised that you thought the "Rightmove website" would provide sensible information about a broadband service for Internet access. 

Its rather like me asking the Girl Guides (or whatever is their current name) for information about domestic plumbing. 

[kitz]

And although the rightmove website claimed 76mb from Vodafone in that area, when I go to the Vodafone site and put in the postcode, it tells me they can't offer me ANYTHING at that address 

They can't be trusted?
Every single property that I looked at near here or near my parents said the the following.

Top broadband speed within this postcode Up to 76Mb provided by Vodafone Broadband*

Including one which I damn well knew which was ~1km walking distance from the cab.   The BTw checker said

VDSL Range A (Clean)    24.1    15    4.7    2.7    12.7    Available    --    
VDSL Range B (Impacted)    17.9    7.9    4.2    1.2    6    Available    -

I think it just goes to show that the info on RightMove is totally unreliable.     Me thinks that they must be on some sort of commission with Vodafone.   IMHO it is false advertising and it should not be allowed. 

[sheddyian]

I'm really surprised that you thought the "Rightmove website" would provide sensible information about a broadband service for Internet access. 

Its rather like me asking the Girl Guides (or whatever is their current name) for information about domestic plumbing. 

I am ashamed I didn't look into it a bit further.  However I've been looking at a lot of houses across a range of areas recently : Wales - Liverpool - West Yorkshire.  And the broadband checker link from Rightmove was showing differing rates for different areas, so it seemed plausible.  I saw much lower rates.

And, given the current / theoretical status of where I'm hoping to move to, the figure of 76mb was (broadly) correct, providing there was spare capacity.

I suspect it's showing a speed based on the theoretical top bandwidth of the package for that area : Virgin serviced areas were showing as 300mb, for example.  The Welsh house is showing as 76 because that's the top speed for that fibre package in that area (were the cabinets not full).

I'd have been happier knowing all this in advance though, not realising it this evening!

Ian

[sheddyian]

They can't be trusted?
Every single property that I looked at near here or near my parents said the the following.

Including one which I damn well knew which was ~1km walking distance from the cab.   The BTw checker said

I think it just goes to show that the info on RightMove is totally unreliable.     Me thinks that they must be on some sort of commission with Vodafone.   IMHO it is false advertising and it should not be allowed. 

From what I've realised this evening, I no longer trust the figures given via Rightmove.  (theory above : it's package theoretical speeds, not actual speeds).  But, moving around different areas, I did see Rightmove recommend different companies (including Virgin).  Clicking on the Rightmove link for Vodafone took me to comparethemarket , so perhaps the data / recommendations are coming from there?

Ian

[sheddyian]

The bit in bold was where you was going wrong, a postcode will not give you full information, it does state in the results

If you don't know the phone number for the address then try this one, just enter the postcode then click submit and then select the address. However doubt it will tell you any more than you have now worked out.

http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.AddressOutput

As others have said, it may just require another line card, or more tie cables, or the cab could be completely full.

I'm not sure what John's source is, but there is a forum member on TBB who can look up directly what's needed if you post the cab number and exchange.

PS. Perhaps our very own Black Sheep could take a peep if you give him the required info 

Thanks for reply.  I wasn't going purely on postcode, I gave exact address, although I don't know the phone number of the house in question.  I've tried the BTW link that you gave; I suspect the welsh government website uses the same database although it phrases the outcomes a little better - that's where I ended up with the my assumption of the cabinet being full but BT will fit another one at some point.  Let's see.  I won't be moving for a couple of months, so maybe the broadband will all be sorted out by then?  And the sun will be shining and I will have infinity + 1 sheds to enjoy.

Ian

[Black Sheep]

PS. Perhaps our very own Black Sheep could take a peep if you give him the required info 

Ian now has a PM with some relevant info. 

[sheddyian]

Ian now has a PM with some relevant info. 

Thank you for your help BlackSheep I am indebted to you.  And reassured that at least the infrastructure is there, even if maybe capacity is somewhat lacking right now.

Ian