Previously had Fibre 2, now not available?

[mr_zerostate]

I had previously been a BT Fibre 2 customer and switched over to Sky (due to pricing etc) and potentially looking at returning (at the end of the Sky contract), but BT now says that I don't have the ability to have Fibre 2, only Broadband (max 16mb) even though my address is the same and my current speed with Sky is 71mb?

Looks like I won't be switching if BT don't offer fibre.

[imjolly]

have you checked to see if your cabinet has a waiting list for fibre?  if it has when you switch from SKY you will lose you fibre connection and it will be given to someone on waiting list and you will join the queue

[mr_zerostate]

I'm sorry I don't understand. I switched from BT Fibre to Sky Fibre, but you're saying that I will now have to wait for fibre from BT if I went back to them? Wouldn't it just be the same line, but a different provider?

Plus TalkTalk shows that I can get fibre (or superfast broadband with them).

[pippincp]

No, Openreach in their wisdom have put in place a waiters system. If you transfer your current connection from one provider to another you effectively cancel your current connection and request a new one.

This means your current connection becomes available and will be allocated to the next person in the queue if there is one.

If no queue then you will have a seamless transition.

[Starwire]

Has this waiting list actually been confirmed as true. I’ve asked around, as well as others and no one has said if it’s true or not. You ask one person and they’re like, ‘no, no, no such thing exists’. Then you ask another and the answers, ‘erm yeah, yeah there is. I think.’

Can’t work out though if it is and they won’t admit to it or if it just doesn’t exist. 

[mr_zerostate]

Just been on a live chat with BT who explained the situation:

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Fibre can be available in an area but each provider only has a certain amount of Fibre slots available. The slots might have been already taken so BT will need to install more Fibre slots.

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So essentially all of the slots with BT have been used, but other providers like Sky and TalkTalk have available slots.

[licquorice]

No, that is incorrect and a line they keep peddling.

There are a finite number of slots in a cabinet but they are not allocated to ISPs. It is first come, first served. When the cabinet is full and a customer moves ISP, the slot he is currently using becomes vacant and can be grabbed by the first person to place an order which may or may not be the person just vacating the slot. It is a lottery as to who gets the slot. As far as I'm aware, although there is supposedly a waiting list, as @Starwire  says, I don't believe one exists.

[pompey1898]

Hi @mr_zerostate ,

Please post the results of https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL, remembering to delete your phone number or address.  Then the members will have a better idea of your situation.

[pippincp]

@pompey1898as the OP is with SKY at present his phone number won't work in the checker, they will have to use the address.

[Starwire]

The reasons I’m so convinced no such ‘Waiting List’ exists is because there’s not a chance in hell Openreach or any of the ISP’s would pay a person or persons to constantly check if ports become available in DSLAMS.

Also another issue is let’s say Dave Smith calls BT because they have an offer on Phone/FTTC but unfortunately there’s no Capacity in the DSLAM that his line routes through. So Dave thinks OK, I’ll take out a 24 Month Contract with Sky ADSL instead because they’re offering a good deal.

Then 8 months later BT call Dave and say there’s now a Port available and would be like to switch?

Is BT going to buy Dave out of the remainder of his 24 Month Sky Contract and are they also going to honour the same offer they had 8 months ago when Dave first called? 

That’s why I always tell people to check the Wholesale Checker once, maybe twice a week in the hope a Port becomes available or they increase capacity.