This topic

Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 21:52:39 GMT

I live in a rural area of Scotland, Openreach recently installed a fiber optic cable in the area, the cable goes past my house and all the other houses.

A lot of people in houses not very far from me can order fiber to premises, but in areas around my address it is still listed as unavailable. The people who are having it installed are further along the cable than me.

Do you think it is possible BT accidentally haven't updated their system to take orders from our area? It seems very strange that other houses can and the same cable passes all the houses.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

imjolly — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:05:43 GMT

it is openreach who update the dslchecker not BT

if you are a bt broadband customer then enter your phone number and post results remember delete number

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:23:38 GMT

Below are the results for my house and a house that is 250m from my house further away from the exchange, the fiber optic cable passes in front of our houses, I can't understand why they can order and we can't?

The results for my house:

The house near me:

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:25:02 GMT

thanks for your reply, I posted the results above, what do you think?

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 17:08:01 GMT

I've been speaking to openreach for almost a month (only had 3 replies they take ages to reply), they say I can't order fiber but can't explain why.

The fiber runs through my village from the Dunvegan exchange to the Glendale exchange, they say it's because of the Dunvegan exchange I'm listed as being on I can't order and that is final I can't order.

But as shown in the screenshots someone near me also as listed being on the Dunvegan exchange can order, we have the same cable passing our houses and have boxes next our homes where we can connect to the fiber.

How is it possible I can't order?

They have given me a kind of 'computer says no' answer without explaining why people near me can order but I can't. I'm 99% certain it is a problem with how they classify properties, but it's frustrating they won't investigate it.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

imjolly — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:00:22 GMT

If you have been in contact with openreach and they constantly tell you FTTP is not available at your address then there is nothing you can do to get it installed

A neighbour 250m away is not a close neighbour

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:13:21 GMT

They installed the fiber optic cable through the village earlier this year, there are around 12 properties who are listed as being unable to connect when they have a fiber optic box next their homes which has access to the same cable everyone else in my area is connecting to.

They said to me:

"One option is to consider getting together with neighbours or local community group and raising the money to help build the network yourself. We offer a community fibre partnership scheme where we work with local communities to find a fibre solution. We cannot always guarantee this will be feasible but we would be willing to look at it if you were interested. "

It might a similar question to "how long is a piece of rope", but how many homes can connect to a fiber optic cable in one area?

The problem is they won't say why we can't connect to the existing cable or what upgrades would need to be made to connect to it.

I would understand if they said to me 'sorry there is not enough capacity on the existing cable' or 'the exchange in Dunvegan needs upgraded', but they are just saying no without explaining what needs done.

I'm thinking of writing to a local politician to try and get more traction.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

pippincp — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 21:07:51 GMT

Use the enquiry form on this website (near the bottom). https://www.scotlandsuperfast.com/

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 23:17:43 GMT

Thanks for that, hopefully they can help.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 10:08:21 GMT

Openreach got back back to me with more info, they said:

"In order to have a viable FTTP fibre service your home needs to be within 150m of a piece of equipment called a Connectorised Block Terminal (CBT) - you are approximately 237m away. One of the reasons we keep suggesting you contact the Community Team is that they could look into the possibility of installing another CBT closer to your home - they would be able to advise costs etc. With fibre you cannot just cut into cables that may be running past your home."

They installed a cabinet to access the fiber next my house, and all the other houses in our village who also can't order, presumably we just need to try and get someone to install CBTs in these cabinets and we can order.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

licquorice — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 11:52:27 GMT

CBTs don't go in cabinets.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:02:19 GMT

What does a CBT look like? Where does it go?

I've tried searching on google images there isn't much clear info. I want to go and have a look to see where it is and check if maybe there is one closer to me that is lost on their system.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:41:08 GMT

After googling it seems like CBTs can go in cabinets. I'm probably using the wrong terminology, by cabinet I meant manhole, there is a man hole next my house not cabinet.

From this site:

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2019/12/identifying-bt-and-virgin-medias-uk-broadband-street-furniture-2019.html/2

The top right in this image:

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/2019-article-illustrations/openreach_fibre_splitters_nodes_joints_cbts.jpg

Also this image:

https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5622AQG9c_ABgHA-Fg/feedshare-shrink_800/0?e=1595462400&v=beta&t=li9_7qQccva39SNw4UK3KtErC2virjEtZ57TjrUpG2c

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

licquorice — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:48:45 GMT

Or it can be at the top of a pole in areas with overhead lines rather than underground.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

iniltous — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 16:11:14 GMT

Is your current service delivered overhead or an underground feed, CBT’s can be pole mounted ( overhead areas ) or in a joint box ( underground areas )
Although you are close to existing fibres, apparently not close enough to benefit, so extra network needs to be constructed, presumably your home was not included in the scheme that provided the nearby fibre CBT’s presumably due to cost.
A CFP ( community funded project) may be affordable , depending on how many could benefit , and how many covered are prepared to contribute , otherwise it would be a case of waiting for the next Government subsidy and hope it covered your area, or wait until the area is covered by a USO order

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:49:20 GMT

I've made a rough drawing on google maps of the arrangement, they buried a new fiber optic cable going from Dunvegan to Glendale.

Almost all houses are next the road. Only houses which are in the orange circle can't order, everyone else can.

All houses have a 'joint box' over where the cable passes, including the houses they say can't order. There is a joint box 20 meters from my house over the fiber optic cable, but openreach are saying that it doesn't have a CBT fitted in it yet so I can't order.

I don't understand why they didn't put a CBT in it so we could order. Initially it seemed like they were saying that we needed a new cable laid when there is one already there with joint boxes available to access it. Seems very confusing.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

imjolly — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 20:26:08 GMT

I don't think posting all the information is going to persuade openreach to fund a fibre connection to you home bearing in mind this is a BT RETAIL customer help customer forum

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

ananan — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 21:07:18 GMT

Openreach is part of BT, I didn't know the difference.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

supertedster — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 21:21:32 GMT

It does seem stupid though and I understand your confusion and exasperation.
I just hope you get connected soon.

Re: Fiber to premises available in my area but not at my address

imjolly — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 21:23:00 GMT

Openearch is part of BT GROUP but is entirely different company to BT RETAIL so posting here is not going to effect openreach. I suppose you could post on EE forum as they are also part of BT GROUP