BT & Vodafone saying broadband not available at my house - but I've had it for 8 years!

kazsbk14

I'm looking for some help/advice please...

I have been with Sky for BB for a number of years, previously with BT and before that Plusnet.  I have a landline just for BB, superfast/FTTP is not available in my area yet.  

I'm shopping around for a new contract and have contacted both BT and Vodafone - particularly interested in the current Vodafone Fibre 2 deal.  However, when I give them my postcode, their systems show all is OK and I can proceed, but when I give them my house number, they say their broadband is not available for my address.  However, online with Vodafone if I select ANY other house number on my street, it comes up with deals!

I've lived here for plus 20 years, have a perfect credit score, no debt, no issues etc.  Why would my house be the only one showing as unable to have BB - especially when I already have it via Sky?!

Very confused.....

iniltous

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Put your address here and post the results 

cannugec5

Some time ago we had exactly the same problem. Computer said no. All our neighbours had broadband , but BT said we couldn’t. Engineer visit confirmed we couldn’t. 

Ultimately we used satellite broadband ( which was expensive and limited) for a number of years until the computer changed its mind. 

Now we have fast broadband, able to stream movies without thinking about it. 

No idea how or what changed. 

kazsbk14

iniltous said:

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Put your address here and post the results 

Here you go....

iniltous

As can be seen , WBC SoGEA availability ( which is FTTC , fibre to the cabinet, without a PSTN phone service ) is waiting list , basically no spare slots available in the ‘fibre cabinet’  .

You have FTTC already with Sky but to switch to another provider taking FTTC requires a spare slot in the cabinet , you may ask why can’t you just stay on the FTTC slot you are on , and the new ISP arranges to take over that slot , but it doesn’t work that way , if it did , that would mean that once a cabinet was full anyone waiting for a slot to become free would never get connected unless someone gave up FTTC completely, and those already connected have preferential treatment as they can move between ISP without giving up their slot .

Having said that cabinet capacity is dynamic, there may be no slots today , but someone may give up their service tomorrow and the cab changes from   ‘waiting list’ to ‘available’ .

You could take a chance that no one is watching and waiting for a slot to become free , sign up for ADSL with someone other than Sky ( freeing up the port you are on ) then upgrade from ADSL to FTTC , provided someone else doesn’t get in before you once you give up FTTC with Sky , so it’s a risk .

As said , it’s not a perfect system, previously Openreach may have considered putting extra ports in a cab that is full , but it’s not likely anymore as it’s a dead end technology.

kazsbk14

@iniltous Many thanks for a comprehensive reply.  I think I just about understand most of it :-)
I'm still perplexed as to why the Vodafone website seemingly would let any other house on my street sign up, but just not mine.  I presume the availability is by area, not house number specific!

I was advised to use mobile broadband as an alternative, but I work from home and would also need for streaming etc, so worried it would be too slow for my needs.  

I'm stuck as to what to try next, stick with Sky and their price hikes or take a chance!

iniltous

As far as VF offerings FTTC to a house on the same street ( if the cabinet is full ) some providers offer service they have no way to fulfil, just to sign you up , they then switch the order to ADSL and say they will upgrade as soon as possible, or they may progress your order to a point , and then state  only lower speeds are available and do you want to proceed…..VF don’t have special ports just for them , if the cab is full it’s full for everyone.

Is an alternative network available ? ,
Vodafone use City Fibre as well as Openreach, if the CF network is available when you checked VF the service may have been based on City Fibre ,  if that’s the case , then much higher speeds would be available as CF is  FTTP not FTTC .
TBH if CF we’re available they probably would have already knocked on your door or put a leaflet through your letterbox , but it may be worth checking, otherwise as you say stick with Sky , or dump Sky , take ADSL from an alternative ISP , and trust to luck that pretty quickly after you start service with them , you can upgrade to FTTC with the new provider once Sky give up the FTTC port .

kazsbk14

@iniltous Again, thank you for a helpful and detailed reply.  
I've just looked - City Fibre not yet available in my area.

However, I am confused by the ADSL point, as I'm not really sure what this is or how it's different to what I already have?
I'd be interested to go down this route so that I can move away from Sky and as you say, wait then for a FTTC port to become available.  Is ADSL something that I can get through the likes of BT/Vodafone etc and would I be tied into a 12/18/24 month contract?  

iniltous

ADSL is exchange based ( the equipment in the exchange building ) and can give a maximum speed of 24Mb but that’s on very short lines , your prediction is 16Mb because of where your house is in relation to the exchange, the further away , the slower the connection,

With FTTC the equipment is in the roadside cabinet and is technically superior to ADSL so can deliver 80Mb (if you are close enough to the cabinet )  most people live closer to their cabinet than the exchange ,  using the prediction you posted from the checker , in your case going  from FTTC to ADSL your speed will reduce from 50-70Mb if you were on 80Mb , to 16Mb , if you were on a 40Mb profile on FTTC then the reduction is smaller but it’s still 16Mb on ADSL .

Most providers will allow a ‘free’ upgrade to FTTC from ADSL , so if it’s a 24 month minimum ADSL contract you don’t have to stay on ADSL for the entire time  , as long as you don’t leave the company and upgrade to FTTC with the same ISP  , you don’t pay ETC or anything like that unless you leave completely during the minimum term .

 Some providers don’t bother with ADSL anymore so you may have a reduced choice .

If you take ADSL it is a little cheaper than FTTC but the speed will be less 

housebuyer143

Just to add, I use 4G unlimited SIM in a 4G/5G router and we get 120mb which is more than adequate for a high usage family of 3 who work at home and steam everything.
Have a look into it if you get a good speed in your area on your phone. 

kazsbk14

@housebuyer143 - Thank you, that's really helpful to know.  I will investigate this as I was told that it could be just as fast as my current BB.