This topic

BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 10:48:45 GMT

good morning,

I hope you can help. I am moving into a house on Monday (built around 15 years ago). I did all the basic searches on the address and all confirmed it had fibre broadband but when I went to transfer my account BT said it doesn’t have fibre to that property. They suggested it’s maybe because the current occupier never upgraded to fibre and said maybe when I take over control of the line on 30th March it will allow me to upgrade.

using the BT wholesale dsl checker with the address it said it was connected to Lincoln exchange and is served by cabinet 25. It confirms FTTC is available.

I have now found out the actual telephone number of the property and when I put that into the DSL checker it says Lincoln exchange but makes no mention of any cabinet. As such it doesn’t mention fibre at all.

is anyone able to assist. Does this mean that line is connected directly to the exchange? That doesn’t make much sense to me as Kitz says I’m 1.55km from the exchange and I live in the middle of a city. There are dozens of cabinets between me and the exchange. Also everyone else on the estate (there are 17 properties) has fibre.

I work from home so really need to get to the bottom of this. It’s causing me a lot of stress so if anyone is able to help I would be really grateful.

many thanks, Nick

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

imjolly — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:08:11 GMT

if you used the existing phone number of the property and dslchecker result was an exchange name but no number then that exchange only and as such there is no FTTC available

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:17:00 GMT

@nickshaw11 wrote:

They suggested it’s maybe because the current occupier never upgraded to fibre and said maybe when I take over control of the line on 30th March it will allow me to upgrade.

That is a very likely reason

using the BT wholesale dsl checker with the address it said it was connected to Lincoln exchange and is served by cabinet 25. It confirms FTTC is available.

I would be extremely surprised if you are on an EO line if the rest of the estate is connected to cab25.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:22:18 GMT

Can you post screenshots of both checker results please, one using address and the other the number. Edit address and number from screenshots before posting.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:32:33 GMT

Thank you all for your prompt responses. Here are the two searches

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

imjolly — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:35:22 GMT

if latter dslchecker results are using the current phone number for your new property then owners currently have broadband but adsl not fibre as dslchecker shows not available

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:39:13 GMT

I suspect that is because they haven't upgraded to fibre rather than being an EO line.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:39:16 GMT

Hi imjolly. Yes that’s correct. She never upgraded (although not sure if ever given the option) so has adsl.

does that mean when I take over the line I would be able to upgrade?

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:41:08 GMT

I am starting to feel a little bit more positive with the responses you have all kindly sent. So just because it’s saying no FTTC using the exact number could simply be because she never upgraded to fibre rather than it not being available?

and as such BR are hopefully right in thinking that once I take over the line I would be able to upgrade?

many thanks, Nick

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:43:05 GMT

That would be my understanding.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:25:04 GMT

Imjolly is this your understanding as well or do you think the current owners are only using adsl becuase there is no fibre at all to the property?

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

pippincp — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:33:49 GMT

I have never before seen a result from the DSL checker result (using phone number) showing an EO line that is actually connected to a cab. As such I would say fibre unavailable to you.

@licquoriceI have seen a few times where one house in an estate was EO, can happen when the site office is closed and the line reused.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:39:48 GMT

If the houses either side of the OP are connected to cab 25, there is no way in the world that the property isn't, It's physically impossible.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

pippincp — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 12:51:12 GMT

Then why does the DSL checker not show a cabinet for the number? That has nothing to do with upgrading from ADSL to FTTC as if no cab shown BT would not be able to progress the upgrade order.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:01:04 GMT

Do we know who is currently supplying ADSL and phone to the property.

If the DP serving the properties either side is connected to cab25, then the D side must be connected to cab 25. For the property to be EO would require it to be connected to different DP and D side cable. Extremely unlikely.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:17:08 GMT

Good afternoon. I believe it’s Plusnet. I don’t know who supplies the houses either side though.

you have lost me with some of your abbreviations. I’m not sure what DP is or D side?

thanks, Nick

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:22:09 GMT

DP Distribution Point. Either the pole your house is connected to if overhead or joint box if underground.

D side is the distribution side of a cabinet. The cable that feeds the DP.

Are the houses fed via a pole or underground?

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

nickshaw11 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:28:17 GMT

So I’m not 100% certain but don’t see any poles or wires going to the house so it must be underground I guess. Is that helpful or not?

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:32:49 GMT

Just if it was overhead feeds, it would be a simple matter to see which properties are connected to where. Obviously impossible with underground distribution.

Re: BT saying Fibre isn’t available at house I’m purchasing

licquorice — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:52:37 GMT

What is the postcode of the property?