IDNet launches FTTC

[Technical Ben]

My exchange has no date for WBC, but does have a date for fibre, hopefully a very nice xmas pressie

I hate to say it. But what are the chances FTTC roll-out (by BT) has the same lack of action as WBC? 

[Technical Ben]

http://www.relay-rutlandtelecom.co.uk/

That is close enough for me to move to! 38mbps?! Nice... Except I don't think I can afford the house prices. 

[john]

Sounds good to me, scheduled for December 2010 for my exchange. It will be interesting to see what the actual speed will be as I'm about 1.5 miles from the exchange (by road, I don't know what route the cable takes). Still a minimum of 15 mbs is better than what I'm getting now 

[Gary]

Join the club as I am in exactly the same position.

Colin

It really makes you feel like a second class citizen somehow for actually living somewhere that is vaguely peaceful and not full of concrete  and lifts that smell of wee.

[Tina]

Derby isn't on that list oh well it saves me having to make yet more decisions

[zappaDPJ]

An interesting occurrence happened around my FTTC cabinet last week. It was being ripped apart by 4 or 5 BT engineers while a couple of suits stood over them. I tried to find out what was going on but they didn't seem to want to tell me much. I know there are people in my street that already have it (a BT trial in one case) and I've been offered it by BT myself but the exchange keeps disappearing off the list. I do know there was said to be a planning objection with two cabinets in this area but from what I could see, after ripping out the guts, of it they just put it all back in  

But anyway, thumbs up to IDNet once again, a cutting edge product (for the UK ) delivered at an affordable price. I'll be placing an order the next time my exchange comes up on the list.

[MikeT]

Am I missing something here cost wise?

My local caabinet is due to upgrade Dec 2010.

Looking at Idnet price against BT Infinity, Idnet doesnt look such good value to me.

BT £24.99/month 18 month contract. Free Hub, free install and unlimited (fair use) downloading.

Idnet £34.99/month 12 month contract. Connection charge of £47, Need to buy Modem £30+ , 200GB allowance.

I am a long way from the exchange and 2MB is about my max on adsl+ so any increase in speed will be very welcome but not at any cost, having to lock into a contract for 12 or 18 months makes little difference, you are still locked to someone.

[Gary]

Am I missing something here cost wise?

My local caabinet is due to upgrade Dec 2010.

Looking at Idnet price against BT Infinity, Idnet doesnt look such good value to me.

BT £24.99/month 18 month contract. Free Hub, free install and unlimited (fair use) downloading.

Idnet £34.99/month 12 month contract. Connection charge of £47, Need to buy Modem £30+ , 200GB allowance.

I am a long way from the exchange and 2MB is about my max on adsl+ so any increase in speed will be very welcome but not at any cost, having to lock into a contract for 12 or 18 months makes little difference, you are still locked to someone.

Well there is 18 month vs 12 month, BT call Centers which are hell, vs IDNet which are clear and concise, those two things I prefer, also I am not sure how BT will use the infinity service, will it be throttled, shaped of have port blocking, even if it is FTTC, BT will want to maximise the network for its own good. Look at BT's fair usage policy unlimited will not be unlimited. Oh and just to remind you, have you been in a call centre cue to India recently when you cannot understand the accent, they cannot understand yours are are reading from a script? Its not fun, oh and IDNet email you back or call as promised, basically you pay for better CS and its problem solving with IDNet, that in itself is peace of mind to me. 

[gizmo71]

I am a long way from the exchange and 2MB is about my max on adsl+ so any increase in speed will be very welcome but not at any cost, having to lock into a contract for 12 or 18 months makes little difference, you are still locked to someone.

It's been suggested that if you can't get at least 6MB on ADSL2 they won't even consider you for FTTC. That rules me out unless I can persuade them to do something about the piece of wet string between the cabinet (all of 500m away) and my house.

[lozcart]

Does anyone who has Virgin Media (Cable) available in their area have a date for their exchange to go FTTC?

The reason I ask is my exchange (Erdington) is north Birmingham and covers a dense area of business and housing and it has no date for FTTC, this I find strange as it is normally one of the first to be upgraded. When I checked further it seems no North B'ham exchanges which cover areas where cable is currently laid have dates for the upgrade.

Are BT hoping that they can use the existing ducts already laid under the footpaths and are waiting for Virgin or whoever owns them to agree?

[MikeT]

It's been suggested that if you can't get at least 6MB on ADSL2 they won't even consider you for FTTC. That rules me out unless I can persuade them to do something about the piece of wet string between the cabinet (all of 500m away) and my house.

Well if thats the case then I am stuffed anyway. Cab is maybe 600mtrs away but speed is 2MB at best.

[pctech]

The exchange I'm on was supposed to be upgraded to support VDSL2 or FTTC as its more commonly known and there was an article in the local paper but not heard a dicky bird since.

[Rik]

The cost is £47 for BT to install the service, Niall, and that includes the supply of a modem. You need a new router, <£50, and the prices are about £7pm above current levels, at least at the entry level.

[DorsetBoy]

You only need a new router if your current model does not have an Ethernet connection. My DrayTek has  Wan2 Ethernet on board, just need BT to stop messing around and actually do something about upgrading the system 

[Rik]

True, Dorset, but most routers don't, so it's easier to give the general answer.

[Technical Ben]

You only need a new router if your current model does not have an Ethernet connection. My DrayTek has  Wan2 Ethernet on board, just need BT to stop messing around and actually do something about upgrading the system 

I read that as you need one that will allow a login via Ethernet. I don't know how the modern ones work, but won't they only support login via ADSL? You can use them as router/switches, but not sure if you can key a login over lan?

[Rik]

Hopefully, we'll all get to find out, Ben. All we have to do is wait for BT to get to us.

[pctech]

The modesms are simply that because manufacturers aren't yet manufacturing VDSL modem/routers for the UK market.

[pctech]

An interesting occurrence happened around my FTTC cabinet last week. It was being ripped apart by 4 or 5 BT engineers while a couple of suits stood over them. I tried to find out what was going on but they didn't seem to want to tell me much. I know there are people in my street that already have it (a BT trial in one case) and I've been offered it by BT myself but the exchange keeps disappearing off the list. I do know there was said to be a planning objection with two cabinets in this area but from what I could see, after ripping out the guts, of it they just put it all back in  

But anyway, thumbs up to IDNet once again, a cutting edge product (for the UK ) delivered at an affordable price. I'll be placing an order the next time my exchange comes up on the list.

They could have been upgrading the VDSL switch to add more capacity Zap.

[dills]

Do you know anything about the fibre roll out in Northern Ireland? There's only two or three exchanges on the Infinity list but there's another list cabinets up for FTTC here ~~ http://www.fasterbroadbandni.com/checkcabinet.php . It is initially aimed at businesses but I'm wondering do you know if idnet or any other ISP are going to be in on this or will it be BT only?

[pctech]

In theory if BT build out VDSL2 to those cabinets there should be no reason why you cant have the IDNET FTTC service.

As far as I know the only other provider offering fibre to the cab but not using DSL in Virgin cable.

[quandam]

It really makes you feel like a second class citizen somehow for actually living somewhere that is vaguely peaceful and not full of concrete  and lifts that smell of wee.

I suppose Gary that we have to give some things up for our tranquil environment

[pctech]

It really makes you feel like a second class citizen somehow for actually living somewhere that is vaguely peaceful and not full of concrete  and lifts that smell of wee.

And I'm sure that the locals in your area may be rather upset if BT plonked a dirty great street cabinet at the edge oif the road.

I have a space outside my house that I'd be happy for BT to use as I'd get 100Mbps then

[quandam]

Wow! Wow! Wow!

I have a feeling that I'm quickly being left behind here? VDSL, Draytek, VDSL2, FTTC, Cabinets ( Ikea?), Infinity, Cab (Hackney Carriage?), Fibers (Ian Botham's favourite?) 3G (Chewing Gum?) WBC (World Boxing Championship?).

I know things move on quickly but some of these totally mystify me, I just want a steady connection with a very nice download speed and allowance that will deal with all of my very simple requirements. I don't want to buy cabinets, hire a cab, eat fibers like Ian Botham, chew 3G gum but I may like to download the odd World Boxing Championship fight.

Oh dear! this cutting edge technology is trying its best to put me on the back burner.

[Gary]

And I'm sure that the locals in your area may be rather upset if BT plonked a dirty great street cabinet at the edge oif the road.

I have a space outside my house that I'd be happy for BT to use as I'd get 100Mbps then

We live in a villgae with alot of listed buildings but also a lot of Londoners who have bought up the properties, our church predates the Bayeuex Tapestry.
The Parish council emailed me back and do feel very concerned that rural areas, are being ignored on a purely financial premise and where I live is classified as an area of out standing natural beauty with the harbour and wetlands but we are in fact only 4 miles from FTTC/WBC  to the east and west maybe something will come of it, failing that as I have said before I'll take the Kijoma wifi ISP and have an aerial on my chimney, 50mbps down and 20mbps up with no fibre or copper sounds good, and could be the only way to get greater speeds for myself. Then tbh the telephone becomes obsolete, after all we both have mobiles.