This topic

BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 13:08:53 GMT

So we are lucky if we get 4Mbps, currently:

...as no-one else in the 4 adult household is using the internet right now, it's not too windy rainy and the internet gods are smiling - or is that smirking. Usually, it hovers around 1.5Mbps and the upload doesn't exist.

So reading about USO got my hopes up, I went on BT website and entered our postcode and property and got this:

So I thought oooh maybe BT will be better than our current ISP so went to the BT availability page and got this:

and

Using thinkbroadband we are 5.57km from the exchange so I'd expect poor speeds but I would also most definitely expect to be eligible for USO

Does anyone know what we do next?

Cheers

Charly

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

iniltous — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 13:50:15 GMT

Post the results for your phone number ( or address if not a BT customer ) from the wholesale checker
https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/
It’s not just OR fixed line but also mobile broadband that is taken into account to see if you qualify for USO so even if you cannot get 10Mb or more with fixed line broadband there may be other solutions available from other providers.

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

licquorice — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 16:24:38 GMT

@iniltous For future reference the checker URL has moved and is now https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 18:28:49 GMT

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

licquorice — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 19:33:39 GMT

As you can see from the checker, FTTC is planned but unfortunately no projected date. Once it is available, you should get at least 40Mbps. Which exchange and cabinet did it say at the top of the screenshot?

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 11:29:28 GMT

Sorry connection has been so bad I haven't been online!

Exchange WATERBEACH is served by Cabinet 12

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

licquorice — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:54:41 GMT

It was supposed to have been live in March, but I guess Covid has caused it to be put back.

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:02:02 GMT

Well, that's nice in principle but gets us nowhere in fact. How do I find out what is happening?

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

licquorice — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:09:12 GMT

As it is a BDUK funded cabinet, you could try contacting Connecting Cambridgeshire, they might have some more information.

https://www.connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk/about/

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:40:00 GMT

Cheers - I have now contacted them

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

Starwire — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 19:55:14 GMT

Can you get 4g where you live, if so that counts towards the USO.

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:18:14 GMT

I have to walk several hundred yards down the road to even get a phone signal.

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

imjolly — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:30:46 GMT

@CharlyHamlyn wrote:

I have to walk several hundred yards down the road to even get a phone signal.

Is that on the network you currently use or is that on all the mobile networks as often there is one network better in a rural area than another

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:45:40 GMT

With Vodafone you can occasionally get 4g if you stand on your head and recite spells from Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Re: BT USO - Lies, damn lies and no decent internet... Help?!

CharlyHamlyn — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:50:25 GMT

Vodafone and a good 4g router gives a less erratic 3-4 Mbps on a good day, if the internet gods smile on us, than the highly erratic 0-4 via our laughable broadband.