My exchange takes a blow...

[Technical Ben]

Turns out BT have dropped the 21CN WBC switchover, that was planned for march, off a cliff. To make it worse, my exchange is now getting congested.
Not had much of a problem myself yet.
Plusnet now says (and verified on Samknows) VP capacity at this exchange is currently showing as Red.
BT have advised that no current planned date for WBC on 21CN exists

I was all geared up for 24mb internet in a couple of months. Also the better price, and bandwidth. I guess the Martch deadline was just the blanket deadline for the country switchover. We know that was never going to happen. 

[Simon]

Sorry to hear that, Ben. 

[colonelsun]

I feel for you. Sorry Ben.

I have no idea if my exchange will get upgraded or even BT knows it still exists but lately i've been telling myself to believe the worst and nothing will happen.

Less disappointment that way.

[Glenn]

Dave, mine is in the same situation, it has the slowest throughput of all 3 exchanges that serve my area

[colonelsun]

Dave, mine is in the same situation, it has the slowest throughput of all 3 exchanges that serve my area

Glenn....we're in the same boat. Our only crime is living somewhere BT have no intention of bringing into the 21st century. I just keep on telling myself that at least i have broadband and a good ISP in IDNET. But i think the ADSL & ADSL2 price differential is criminal and BT seems intent on keeping things that way.

[Rik]

BT really should be accountable, they certainly aren't to Ofcom.

[dujas]

I think if your exchange had a WBC date, then at least you can expect to be upgraded at some point before 2012. The question is what about those exchanges that were never given a WBC date, to what percentage of UK households, does BT intend to make 21CN ADSL2+ available?

[Rik]

I wish we knew. Dates have been set and put back, dates have been set and withdrawn. BT are, quite literally, a law unto themselves on the issue.

[dujas]

This is where I find Ofcom and the Government useless. Future plans of what could happen in 2017 is fine, but what about the here and now...

[Rik]

What makes you think the future plans will be any better, sadly I fear that they will be as ill-conceived and engineered as WBC.

[dujas]

I fear they'll be purely focused on headline grabbing speeds and low consumer prices, with little consideration of widespread availability and transit infrastructure.

What I meant previously was that, why is the regulator not poking BT to update the public with their plans for an infrastructure that our politicians believe is so critical for the UK economy and future jobs. 21CN WBC is already a year behind schedule and now numerous 2010 exchange dates have been scrubbed, let alone what's happening with the PSTN update?

[Den]

Our nearest exchange has had it's wbc date removed, this seemed to happen at about the same time has the main exchange about 4 miles away in Wrexham was enabled (lucky Niall).   

[Rik]

What I meant previously was that, why is the regulator not poking BT to update the public with their plans for an infrastructure that our politicians believe is so critical for the UK economy and future jobs. 21CN WBC is already a year behind schedule and now numerous 2010 exchange dates have been scrubbed, let alone what's happening with the PSTN update?

I couldn't agree more, as so often seems to be the case, the regulator appears to work for the industry, not the consumer.

[Rik]

Our nearest exchange has had it's wbc date removed, this seemed to happen at about the same time has the main exchange about 4 miles away in Wrexham was enabled (lucky Niall).   

You're one of many, Den.

[Glenn]

Mine never had one to be removed 

[quandam]

Mine never had one to be removed  

Glenn

You and me both! Possible that my exchange won't even get a mention on Sam Knows for at least another 5 years. Suppose if the exchange does not get congested (unlikely here in my village) we can tick over on reasonable speeds

[Glenn]

Only just above 2mbs for me Q

[dujas]

A double blow as it seems the exchange being upgraded to 21CN is a prerequisite for BT's FTTC/FTTH roll-out in the local area.

[Glenn]

My exchange has 21CN, just not WBC.

[colonelsun]

Local business, in my area, was supposed to be the driving force for the upgrade of rural exchanges. We all had a slap up champagne dinner at the mayor's office and he, and the local council, pledged to pressure BT not to keep us in the second class business lane.

One year and a half later all has gone quiet. Any talk of pressuring BT has gone, local residents who were led to believe they would be piggy backing on the success of local business and receiving upgrades think they've been conned and in some areas of our county it is quicker to use the phone than a BT based broadband package. Our councillors find it increasingly difficult to sell our area as a viable business destination in Europe because most Europeans don't stop laughing for long enough once they've seen our broadband infrastructure and delivery results.

[Saad]

Very weird. The Aberdeen North exchange also was originally meant to have 21CN WBC by mid-May 2009 if I remember correctly. By it seems that BT has dropped the exchange from being upgraded. I guess it not just small towns and villages but also cities as well that's being ignored by BT.

The maddening thing is that in another part of Aberdeen, the Aberdeen Denburn Exchange does have 21CN WBC enabled. That particular exchange is only 1.6 miles away from the exchange I'm using. I can't understand why some parts of Aberdeen City has 21CN WBC (Aberdeen West, Aberdeen Lochnagar, Aberdeen Kincorth, Aberdeen Denburn, Aberdeen Balgownie), but other equally populated parts don't (Aberdeen Ashgrove, Aberdeen Bieldside, Aberdeen Bucksburn, Aberdeen Culter, Aberdeen Dyce, Aberdeen Kingswells, Aberdeen North). 

[Gary]

Mine never had one to be removed 

Same here Glenn , another rural location ignored, we have a 21cn date for Q1 2011 but no date for WBC, but as has been said putting the equipment in when we have such a small population and minimal business, most are home based, the shops you can count on one hand, makes it just not a big enough draw for the investment. That also goes for any other provider, so a rescue by LLU is as likely as WBC

[TheMonkey]

I was going to get the 21CN WBC Q3 09.

Guess what................... 

[Rik]

BT are living in the past...

[Glenn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8

[rgt247]

My exchange has recently not got a date. It was 31/3/11 but now has a red cross on Samknows. However http://adsl24.co.uk/checker/  Quote "Your exchange is due to be enabled for the ADSL2+ (up to 24 Mb) service between 1st Apr 2010 and 31st Mar 2011."

On http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php Quote "21CN WBC (Broadband)     RFS date 30.03.11"

So who is right ? Has BT recently updated there records ?

[Glenn]

Your guess is as good as mine Rich

[Rik]

For a definitive answer, Rich, drop support an email. All the 'public' information is dependent on BT putting out the data and individual sites keeping them up to date.

[dujas]

Plusnet exchange checker and Samknows are up-to-date. ADSL24 and Kitz are using the old dates announced back in 2008.

[rgt247]

I am still expecting to wait to 2011. I am in no rush the 8Mb service is brilliant. But it would be good to know what 21000Kbps feels like.

According to http://www.farina1.com/adsl/ with my line stats I can expect 21000Kbps . Quote "With ADSL2+ the maximum IP throughput (result from a speedtest) is likely to be around: 18584 Kbps"  

Plusnet has no date for Adsl2   

[Rik]

I can only dream. 

[rgt247]

Plusnet exchange checker and Samknows are up-to-date. ADSL24 and Kitz are using the old dates announced back in 2008.

Cheers 

I will keep an eye on Plusnet and Samknows site.