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Space in FTTC

noise747noise747 Posts: 30,857
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in Broadband Internet #1
i was asked yesterday how to find out how much space is left in a FTTC, as this person is at the moment using mobile broadband only and thinking about going Fibre. but they have no phone at home and do not want to go through the cost of doing so and then finding out that there is no room at the cabinet. they know what cabinet they would be connected to.

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    MeanMintMeanMint Posts: 454
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    #2
    Open Reach will know, but members of the public cannot speak to them. He would need to contact the telephone provider and one that provides Fibre. Best bet would be BT as they are doing some really good deals for Fibre at the moment.
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    mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    #3
    The cabinets can handle either up to 144 or 288 lines as I understand it, with the actual capacity being determined by how many line cards are in the cabinet.

    If you mean if there are any available ports, then as the poster above says it's probably best to try an ISP (as much as you hate package deals, if you go with the same company for both, they might show leeway if the phone is available but broadband isn't).

    http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/ claims to be able to show cabinets that are in "high demand" but how often it is updated is anyone's guess
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    lonewallerlonewaller Posts: 722
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    #4
    I would imagine that any ISP will / should be able to tell if a FTTC service can be supplied via any cabinet.

    You simply have to make clear you're ordering a fibre service and will take a phone line only if the fibre can be supplied.

    Brian
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,857
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    #5
    moox wrote: »
    The cabinets can handle either up to 144 or 288 lines as I understand it, with the actual capacity being determined by how many line cards are in the cabinet.

    If you mean if there are any available ports, then as the poster above says it's probably best to try an ISP (as much as you hate package deals, if you go with the same company for both, they might show leeway if the phone is available but broadband isn't).

    http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/ claims to be able to show cabinets that are in "high demand" but how often it is updated is anyone's guess

    Thanks for the info, I will text them later and they can either do it their side or if they give me their post code i will do it my side. I forgot about the BTOR site to be honest.
    It is not for me anyway, just someone I know, but they live on a pretty large estate and while people there do not have a bundle of money, He thinks that a fair few may have gone for fibre and why he do not want to place a order for a phone and then find he can not get FTTC.

    I suppose asking a ISP may be ok, but i thnk he have not had much luck with providers over the years, which is why he stayed with Mobile broadband.

    He will take a package, if it does what he want, not sure if he would go with BT mind you.
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    IcaraaIcaraa Posts: 6,068
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    #6
    I'm pretty sure the BT Wholesale checker will show when a cabinet is full.
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    Dr.OliverTwichDr.OliverTwich Posts: 1,580
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    #7
    https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.Address?URL=&SP_NAME=a%20service%20provider&VERSION=35&MS=E&CAP=no&AEA=Y

    Enter the address and it will (should) tell you if it is available or not, together with estimated speeds etc.,.

    This tells me my cabinet is full but Openreach says it's accepting orders.
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,857
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    #8
    Dr.OliverTwich wrote: »
    https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.Address?URL=&SP_NAME=a%20service%20provider&VERSION=35&MS=E&CAP=no&AEA=Y

    Enter the address and it will (should) tell you if it is available or not, together with estimated speeds etc.,.

    This tells me my cabinet is full but Openreach says it's accepting orders.

    How can it be full and accepting orders?

    I got his postcode and had a look and it seems like there is still room.
    Lucky sod looks like he can get 70Mb/s where he is and FTTP on demand, not that he will do that. Saying that I had a look here as well and I can get FTTP on demand as well. but a little bit over my price range.

    I also noticed I could get 45Mb/s, but could i believe that since my next door neighbour get about 25.
    Anyway, this person is now going to try and work out who to go for, now he knows his cabinet is fine.
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