Superfast Broadband - update

New cabinet Metheringham 16

I have been through all the Project Updates from OnLincolnshire since the middle of 2015 and extracted all the relevant data regarding the Metheringham Exchange cabinets.

I have also created a document incorporating all my emails with OnLincolnshire and British Telecom in my search for information on the Nocton village upgrade to FTTC (fibre to the cabinet).

It appears the final upgrade work is targeted for 31st March, but I'm not convinced that Pillar 3/2 is being replaced/upgraded despite assurances, as there is no work currently ongoing in the village... and certainly no new FTTC cabinets being erected!

I have telephoned Steve Brookes of OnLincolnshire and he will enquire where the Metheringham 16 cabinet is located.  In view of the confusion, I have also contacted Chris Jones at British Telecom and asked him to look into the matter for us too.

We'll see what they both have to say on the matter in due course.

Faster broadband for thousands

"More than 20,000 District homes and businesses are now fed from a fibre-enabled cabinet for faster broadband connections.

North Kesteven is in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council, BT, The Government and the EU to provide faster broadband to up to 90% of the Lincolnshire intervention area.

A second phase of the programme begins in March to increase this coverage to 95% of the UK - more information will be published on the OnLincolnshire website, found below, in the coming months.

The OnLincolnshire subsidised satellite solution is now available for application - if you cannot currently achieve speeds of at least 2 Mbps you may be able to benefit from this.

To find out more and apply, please visit www.onlincolnshire.org"

Source: newsnk Spring 2016


Update for 9th/10th March 2016

I decided to escalate this matter to Marianne Overton:

From: Geoff Hall
Sent: 09 March 2016 16:09
To: Marianne Overton MBE
Cc: Nocton Parish Council
Subject: Superfast Broadband

Hi Marianne,

I know you will be very busy on many other matters. However, I wonder if you could possibly endeavour to obtain more information from Onlincolnshire or BT on the provision of superfast broadband for the remaining properties in Nocton village.

All the information you require is encapsulated in my blog entry of 7th March 2016 – the text of the Onlincolnshire Forum enquiry sums up where we are at.

I think the community have been very patient thus far, but time is pushing on and we need more concrete information now please.

Many thanks,
Geoff

Reply

Marianne wrote:

Thanks Geoff, I have responded to the web and will let you know when I get a further response from Steve Brooks.

Thanks, Geoff

Kind Regards,

Marianne

Councillor Marianne Overton MBE
Independent Councillor for Branston and Navenby on Lincolnshire County Council
and for the Cliff Villages on North Kesteven District Council
Leader of the Lincolnshire Independents
Vice Chairman of the Local Government Associationwww.independentvoice.org.uk


From: Geoff Hall
Sent: 09 March 2016 18:35
To: Marianne Overton MBE
Subject: RE: Superfast Broadband

Thank you so much Marianne, your assistance is very much appreciated.

Kind regards,
Geoff


OnLincolnshire Forum

To reinforce the enquiries I submitted the following on the OnLincolnshire Forum for comment on 9th March:

"Good afternoon,

I would like to know when/if the remaining properties in Nocton will obtain superfast broadband. There are three cabinets from the Metheringham Exchange (SLMIM) currently serving Nocton:

1. Cab 3 (FTTC enabled) GR 056625 that feeds 528 premises, mainly in Dunston;
2. Pillar 3/2 (not FTTC enabled) GR 058641 that feeds 210 premises in Nocton;
3. Cab 12 (FTTC enabled) GR 058646 that feeds 62 premises in Nocton.

I understand Pillar 3/2 will be amalgamated into a new cabinet (Cab 16) and this will be fibre enabled. This work is due to be completed by 31st March 2016. I have been told the new cab "is stood and power is supplied", yet this is most odd as there is no evidence of any new cabinet in the vicinity of Pillar 3/2, or even within the curtilage of Nocton!

On a more personal note, my own BT line is linked through Cabinet 3 and whilst this is fibre enabled it is 2.5km away from my cottage, which means I cannot get superfast broadband. However, Pillar 3/2 is within 50 metres of the telegraph pole taking my line, so I am hoping this will be re-routed to the new Cab 16 so I can get the faster broadband service.

Please will you look into this matter and let the Nocton residents have a comprehensive reply on what is happening for this village and where the new Cab 16 will be located.

Many thanks,

Geoff Hall"

Response

"10/3/2016 08:08  Author: Stephen Brookes

Good Morning Geoff,

I visited Nocton yesterday to take a look for myself and despite being assured the DSLAM at SCP 3/2 was up and powered, it very obviously wasn't. Further investigation has revealed that the DSLAM is actually situated at SCP 3/1. Clearly this is an error that BT has recognised and I have assurances that they are meeting with their supplier this morning to fast-track the build at 3/2.

When we get the output from the meeting, we will be a little clearer on the next steps and will update the website accordingly. Please accept my apologies for this, but we are working to meet existing timescales.

In terms of your actual connection, the physical re-configuration of existing infrastructure comes under a set of regulations that refer to 'Equivalence'. In other words, if BT move an existing routing for themselves, or indeed another ISP, they are obligated to provide this facility for any other line that requires it and on that basis, they keep away from it.

Having said that, it may well be that they amalgamate all lines in Nocton en masse and this is something that they can possibly do under certain conditions.

Regards
Steve"