BT Infinity & FTTx Discussion

Amraam · 11 Feb 2016 at 15:14

Avalon said:
You are currently without internet access/phone/TV at home because you disconnected your partners services as you thought the contract rolled over and didn't understand the switching process and now you're giving him advice to book a disconnection and re-install? You have to see the irony in this situation.

Which is basically the same advice as this, no??

Avalon said:
If you do want to go with BT then check carefully about how long and when broadband could be reactivated on the line and make sure you understand it'll be with a new phone number etc. Personally not switching just because of BT Sport seems crazy, I understand they start charging for it when you're out of contract unless you take a new one.

Sparx · 11 Feb 2016 at 20:00

smit101 said:
Thanks, will probably take your advice here.

I've got little confidence in this line due to its age and long reach to both cabinet and exchange, it also seems to take a strange route from the cabinet to my place, it goes from the cab into the village where it enters a grey junction box, from here it goes across the poles to my place (I live way out of the village). I've mapped it on google maps and it's approx 1.1k to the junction box and then a further 800 mtrs or so to the cab, so in total it must be getting on for 2km but could be longer due to meandering route of line. We'll see how it goes anyway, cheers.

If you don't have one already, fit a BT Mk3 VDSL faceplate.

Also if not done already, remove the ring wire from your master socket.

Should see some improvement as well.

smit101 · 11 Feb 2016 at 20:33

Sparx said:
If you don't have one already, fit a BT Mk3 VDSL faceplate.

Also if not done already, remove the ring wire from your master socket.

Should see some improvement as well.

Just installed a Mk3 faceplate the other day, not sure about ring wire but I'll check that out thanks.

BT let me down with the activation yesterday, phoned them today and apparently the order hadn't gone through to Openreach. Order remade and managed to get activation expedited to tomorrow. This is the third order now as the first one also failed to go through, just hoping it can be third time lucky. Thanks again for the tips.

Buckster · 11 Feb 2016 at 21:53

mmm my outside wiring is a right mess from previous owners

seemed to have lots of extensions etc none of which we use

not quite sure where to start though !

guess I can't share a dropbox photo

R0Z4G · 11 Feb 2016 at 22:29

I have had a look at the new checker and our road where I work says IN SCOPE. Does anyone know how long it can actually take? our road must be the last place to get the cabinet upgraded in my town! there are lots of businesses connected to the cabinet too

#Chri5# · 15 Feb 2016 at 14:38

BT Approved VDSL Devices Thread

FTTC installation options changing in March (in theory... Eclipse emailed me today to say they are withdrawing the BT visit + VDSL modem install as of now), a VDSL modem or router is going to be needed in place of the BT supplied unit.

1. Self-Install, where an Openreach engineer will only visit the local street cabinet to complete jumpering activity, leaving you or your customer to complete the installation within the premises by installing an Openreach approved router. The engineering work will be completed between 8am and midnight and will not require access to the premises by an engineer. This installation type will incur no additional cost.

2. Managed Install, where an Openreach engineer will complete jumpering activity in the local street cabinet and will then complete the installation by visiting the premise and will connect your Openreach approved router. Please note an appointment will be booked when you order the service to allow the Openreach engineer to access the premises. This service will be charged at £140 ex VAT per installation.

Important Notice - the router that is used (whether supplied by us or not) must be compatible with the FTTC service and approved by Openreach. If the router is not on the Openreach approved list, we will be unable to support the device for FTTC services.

Current list of device is quite small - list via Eclipse/KCOM here. A load of Ciscos, three Zyxels, three Technicolor and a Huawei. I've seen a note that a BT SFI visit could/will be chargeable if the VDSL device isn't on an approved list...

Thus, I thought it might be useful to have a separate thread to detail approved devices as (hopefully) more manufacturers have devices approved. Quite a few other brands to cover eg Netgear, Asus, TP-Link

I asked Draytek UK (SEG) recently about the Vigor 2860 and 130. Units are going through testing and they are waiting on final certification which sounds promising.

Steve_bullockuk · 15 Feb 2016 at 14:58

I am confused. Surely this isn't for existing customers?

#Chri5# · 15 Feb 2016 at 16:35

No, would be for new install / migrations. I guess only going to be common for smaller ISPs that don't give free devices like Home Hubs.

Caged · 15 Feb 2016 at 19:42

Awesome list. Cisco stuff that nobody would reasonably purchase for home use, ZyXel and Technicolor garbage, and Huawei stuff that is seemingly impossible to buy unless you're a service provider.

Let's hope there's an approval process worth a damn that publishes the results.

#Chri5# · 15 Feb 2016 at 20:33

Caged said:
Awesome list. Cisco stuff that nobody would reasonably purchase for home use, ZyXel and Technicolor garbage, and Huawei stuff that is seemingly impossible to buy unless you're a service provider.

Let's hope there's an approval process worth a damn that publishes the results.

Indeed. If you could get HG612s via mainline distribution, I'd just buy them. The Vigor 130 is getting a bit steep for a "dumb" modem at £65ish+VAT (retail).

V F · 15 Feb 2016 at 20:35

^^ Why is the small selection like this?

#Chri5# · 15 Feb 2016 at 20:43

V F said:
^^ Why is the small selection like this?

My guess - BT will charge vendors to get approved and it's not the vendors who'll get the bill for SFI visits blamed on non-approved CPE. Therefore some will be slow or not bother at getting on the list.

I have a very vague memory that in the very early days of ADSL there was an approved list for that but BT eventually binned it.

V F · 15 Feb 2016 at 21:03

Lovely.

Caged · 15 Feb 2016 at 22:14

#Chri5# said:
Indeed. If you could get HG612s via mainline distribution, I'd just buy them. The Vigor 130 is getting a bit steep for a "dumb" modem at £65ish+VAT (retail).

It's also trying to be a bit clever. We're seeing some starting to drop PPPoE sessions but unsure whether this is the firewalls at this point. The Vigor 120 didn't do it.

I'd buy the HG612s all day long if it didn't have to come from eBay and/or used.

#Chri5# · 16 Feb 2016 at 10:42

Update from Draytek...

We're delighted to announce that the Vigor 2860 router has passed BT SIN 498 MCT approval. This is a key requirement for DrayTek and something that many dealers have enquired about. All dealers do need to be aware of the new requirements when supplying devices to connect to VDSL circuits.

DrayTek submitted the Vigor 2860 router for test in 2015; the tests and certification do take some time but we have now received the formal approval and it's now on the BT Openreach list of approved devices. Our other VDSL products (Vigor 130 and 2760) are based on the same VDSL chipset and have already adopted the approved code on those devices so we expect formal certification of those products very soon too.

#Chri5# · 18 Feb 2016 at 08:33

TP-Link

Sorry that we do not have any VDSL products which have passed the SIN498 standard yet, but we're already aware of this and our colleagues in UK are working on the process.
Moreover, as far as we know, all of our VDSL products can work properly with BT VDSL service. So don't worry if you can use our VDSL products normally but if you have any problem when using our VDSL products with BT, please feel free to contact us.

lude1962 · 18 Feb 2016 at 09:03

Doesn't this only apply to Eclipse installations?

#Chri5# · 18 Feb 2016 at 16:24

lude1962 said:
Doesn't this only apply to Eclipse installations?

Nope - Enta have the same list available for resellers.

DotA · 19 Feb 2016 at 09:31

Iv been trying to find out the speed of uploads for BT infinity 3 but just cant seem to find anything on BT's site anywhere that explains a rated upload speed.

Rendog · 19 Feb 2016 at 10:00

DotA said:
Iv been trying to find out the speed of uploads for BT infinity 3 but just cant seem to find anything on BT's site anywhere that explains a rated upload speed.

I'm 99% sure it is 20Mbps, with Infinity 4 it is 30Mbps. But you're right there isn't really anywhere on BT's site to confirm the upload speed.