This topic

Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 23:10:37 GMT

Hi everyone, so I recently moved from one place down south to further up north, I checked what broadband speed I could get and it is better than what I had, I called up BT to switch my internet to the new house and to see if I could upgrade, the person on the phone was very nice, he told me unfortunately the cabinet is full so I'll have to be changed to copper broadband instead of FTTC, I work from home as does my partner, so we need faster internet. Is there anything I can do or anyone I can contact about this?

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:22:01 GMT

@KB2173

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

Use the address checker on the page below, and post the results, but edit out your address details first.

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

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:37:38 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:43:55 GMT

Have you checked for other providers in the area? If nothing else then the only other option would be a 4/5G router. Although either would mean early termination charges for your current BT account. If you've a long way to go it may be better to take the ADSL & just keep checking availability daily. There is no actual waiting list so it's a case of getting an order in quick as soon as a port becomes free.

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:46:13 GMT

@KB2173

As you can see, the VDSL availability is showing "waiting list", which means that the cabinet is full.

All you can do is to accept an ADSL connection to start with, then check that page at regular intervals until it shows "available", then upgrade your package to FTTC.

You may wish to wait until it is available, and perhaps use 4G mobile broadband which may give you a better speed.

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:51:27 GMT

damn, I was hoping there might be something else I could do, I guess I'll look into mobile internet as standard copper isn't enough for me and my partner to work from home. thank you very much for your help

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:15:35 GMT

@KB2173

Do you have a strong mobile phone signal from your current network, and have you tried doing a speed test from your phone via the mobile network?

You may find that the most economic solution, at least in the short term, is to use your phone as a WiFi Hotspot to provide an internet connection for you and your partner's computers.

If this is successful, you may need to increase the amount of data on your phone package.

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 13:01:36 GMT

unfortunately we are both with EE and we get terrible signal here, I had delivered a Mobile Wifi from 3 since that network gets the best signal where I am, although it seems the speed is just as worse.

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:41:21 GMT

@KB2173

OK.

Just on the off chance, have you tried a speed test on EE from you new home? (What speeds are you getting?).

You might find that you get a high enough rate for each of you to use your own phones as separate Hotspots, or maybe one use phone WiFi and the other ADSL?

*** If you do use both phones, you may need to change the channel that one of them "broadcasts" WiFi on, so that they don't interfere with each other.

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:49:40 GMT

@Anonymous

Yeah we both ran speed tests and didn't even get 1mb down or up, the BT Wifi hotspot is giving me 11mb down and 4 up so I might just use that for the time being, hopefully a space in my broadband cabinet becomes available soon

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:52:16 GMT

@Anonymous

I checked and they highest one I could get is with talk talk which advertises 11mb, still not enough i'm afraid. I will just have to wait till a spot opens, i'll keep checking daily

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:07:53 GMT

@KB2173

Have you worked out what sort of speeds you both need to be able to work?

Have you considered Starlink - the satellite delivered internet?

It isn't cheap: a £449 one off charge for the equipment, then £75/month ongoing - though I'm not sure what speed you get for that.

Lots of info on their website:

https://www.starlink.com

Re: Been Told "Cabinet is full"

KB2173 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:13:47 GMT

@Anonymous

Well at our last house we had 60 down and that was pretty good for both of us and worked quite well. I have considered starlink, I know it's mostly pointed to rural areas of which I am in. If nothing becomes available by the end of the year I think I might try it out