Broadband/tv Fibre Connection

[porkchop]

Our Broadband speed is pathetic compared to the speed achieved by houses just a few hundred yards down the road from us. How near to one of these FIBRE boxes on the street do you have to be to get the 100% signal. Also, how is the signal connected to the house, is it my a wireless signal or by some sort of cable.

[sunny-dave]

Fibre broadband is delivered either via a Virgin cable or a BT phone line - the big green cabinets with "FIBRE" stickers on them tend to be BT ones.

This graph will give you some idea of speeds at various distances from a BT cabinet

http://www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/FTTC-speed-distance-graph.png

[hc4361]

If you're with Virgin the broadband gets to your house by fibre cable.
If you're not with Virgin the broadband gets to your house through the old copper wire from the cabinet.

[sunny-dave]

Because Virgin is "fibre to the premises" rather than "fibre to the cabinet, and copper to the premises" their speeds are pretty much guaranteed - you pay for 50/100/200 mbps and you get 50/100/200 mbps - the distance from the Virgin green cabinet is irrelevant.

[paddyk]

hc - that's if you're lucky enough to be in a cabled area. Because our street is a bit out of the way, it's not likely we will ever get fibre cable - unless BT ever install it.

[hc4361]

I'm lucky enough to be in a cabled area.

[mikey4444]

If you have a BT line, have you upgraded to "fibre to the Cabinet" ?

BT are rapidly putting a fibre optic cable to most new green cabinets, usually situated very close to the old one. This new one is easy to identify....it will have louvres on it and a yellow sticker.

Just to explain further......from your house to the old cabinet, then connection will still be the copper, or aluminium "tail" but from the new cabinet, your line is then taken by fibre optic.

BT won't upgrade you automatically, but they probably should have asked you by now if you would like to upgrade.

Even if you don't have a BT phone line, the actual line is still provided by BT, via its subsidiary, Openreach.

If you upgrade, then you should see a dramatic improvement in speed....I am getting about 50 mega pixies, which is more than adequate !

Please come back if there is anynore info you need, as I am always happy to help !

[porkchop]

Thanks Mikey4444, you have been most helpful.

[mikey4444]

Porkie....I am happy to help !

Please let us know on AB what your outcome is, as it adds to the knowledge of all of us.

[Zacs-Master]

50 mega pixies. LOL.