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BT announce 199 new exchanges for WBC ADSL2+ rollout
Thursday 12 August 2010 12:31:55 by John Hunt

A further 199 exchanges have been announced which will receive BT's Wholesale Broadband Connect (WBC) service increasing the reach of faster broadband to more than 18 million homes and businesses by Spring 2011. This update will add ADSL2+ which gives users access to faster broadband speeds up to 24Mbps. For those living further away from the exchange it will also help increase their broadband speeds. 55% of UK homes and businesses have already had their telephone exchanges enabled, capable of reaching around 14 million customers.

The new exchanges announced include the following regions. Click the region name to see the exchanges in the area that are being enabled.

  • East Midlands
    • ALLESTREE PARK
    • ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH
    • BEAUMONT
    • BELPER
    • BOLSOVER
    • BURTON LATIMER
    • CHALFONT
    • CHAPEL BRAMPTON
    • CHELLASTON
    • CLAY CROSS
    • EARL SHILTON
    • EDWALTON
    • KIMBERLEY
    • LUTTERWORTH
    • NEW OLLERTON
    • OLD WHITTINGTON
    • PINXTON
    • QUORN
    • RIPLEY
    • ROTHLEY
    • STAVELEY SZ
    • WARSOP
    • WOLLATON
  • East of England
    • DOWNHALL
    • FLITWICK
    • GREAT BADDOW
    • HARWICH
    • HOUGHTON REGIS
    • KEMPSTON BEDS
    • MANNINGTREE
    • SAWBRIDGEWORTH
    • SHOEBURYNESS
    • SOUTH OCKENDON
    • SOUTH WOOTTON
    • THORPE BAY
    • WHITTLESEY
  • London
    • BIGGIN HILL
    • HOLBORN
    • LODGE HILL
  • North East
    • DUNSTON
    • EAGLESCLIFFE
    • FELLING
    • GUISBOROUGH
    • HARTBURN
    • LEMINGTON
    • RYHOPE
  • North West
    • AINSDALE
    • ALLERTON
    • BACUP
    • BROUGHTON (NW)
    • CLITHEROE
    • COCKERMOUTH
    • EASTHAM
    • HINDLEY
    • HOYLAKE
    • HUNTS CROSS
    • IRBY
    • KIRKHAM
    • LAYTON
    • LONGFORD
    • MARSHALLS CROSS
    • MIDDLEWICH
    • PENRITH
    • SOUTH SHORE
    • WHITEHAVEN
    • WILPSHIRE
  • Northern Ireland
    • BELFAST EAST
  • Scotland
    • BELLSHILL THORNDENE
    • BROXBURN
    • CARLUKE
    • CARNOUSTIE
    • CLAVERHOUSE
    • COCKENZIE
    • COLINTON
    • CRANHILL
    • DAVIDSONS MAINS
    • DRUMCHAPEL
    • DUNOON
    • DUNTOCHER
    • GLASGOW BELL
    • GLENROTHES SOUTH
    • GOVAN(NEW)
    • GRANGEMOUTH
    • HELENSBURGH
    • HOLYTOWN
    • INVERURIE
    • IRVINE
    • JOHNSTONE
    • KIRKINTILLOCH
    • LARBERT
    • LARGS
    • LINLITHGOW
    • LIVINGSTON BRIDGE
    • MARYHILL
    • PENTLAND
    • PRESTWICK
    • PROVANMILL
    • RENFREW(NEW)
    • ROSE ST
    • SPRINGBURN
    • ST ANDREWS
    • STONEHAVEN
    • TROON
    • WISHAW
  • South East
    • ASHTEAD
    • BARMING
    • BLACKWATER
    • BURSLEDON
    • COPTHORNE
    • HAMBLE
    • HARESTOCK
    • HEATHFIELD
    • HORNDEAN
    • MIDDLETON-ON-SEA
    • MINSTER SHEPPEY
    • NEWHAVEN
    • OXTED
    • PAGHAM
    • PEACEHAVEN
    • ROWNHAMS
    • SANDOWN
    • SHOREHAM
    • SOUTHWICK (Sussex)
    • TWYFORD (NHC)
    • WALLINGFORD
    • WHITSTABLE
    • WINKFIELD ROW
  • South West
    • SHOPSWORTH
    • BITTON
    • BRADFORD-ON-AVON
    • CHURCHDOWN
    • DAWLISH
    • EASTVILLE
    • KEYNSHAM
    • MELKSHAM
    • ST BUDEAUX
    • ST IVES TR
    • STOKE BISHOP
    • WARMINSTER
    • WESTBURY
    • WINTERBOURNE
    • WOOTTON BASSETT
  • Wales
    • CARDIFF STADIUM HOUSE ROATH
    • CHARTIST (Newport)
    • EBBW VALE
    • KENFIG HILL
    • LLANEDEYRN
    • LLANELLI
    • PENCOED
    • SKEWEN
    • WREXHAM NORTH
  • West Midlands
    • BIRCHFIELD
    • BLACKHEATH
    • CALTHORPE
    • CRADLEY HEATH
    • DAWLEY
    • DONNINGTON (Q)
    • DRUIDS HEATH
    • FORDHOUSES
    • HAGLEY
    • KERESLEY
    • KNOWLE
    • MILTON LEE
    • NEWPORT, SHROPSHIRE
    • RUBERY
    • SMETHWICK
    • STONE CROSS
    • TRENTHAM
  • Yorkshire and the Humber
    • ARMTHORPE
    • ATTERCLIFFE
    • BALBY
    • CHAPELTOWN
    • CLEETHORPES
    • CONISBROUGH
    • DUDLEY HILL
    • GOLDTHORPE
    • GOOLE
    • HAWORTH
    • HAXBY
    • HONLEY
    • HUMBERSTON
    • IDLE
    • ILKLEY
    • ILLINGWORTH
    • KIRKBURTON
    • ROSSINGTON
    • ROYSTON (NE)
    • SCARTHO
    • SKELMANTHORPE
    • SLAITHWAITE
    • SOWERBY BRIDGE
    • STARBECK
    • STEETON
    • STOCKSBRIDGE
    • THORNE
    • UNDERCLIFFE
    • WETHERBY
    • WOMBWELL
    • WOODSEATS

BT Wholesale have also reported that they are trialling class of service priority on WBC and WBMC (Wholesale Broadband Managed Connect) which allows ISPs to prioritise traffic for specific services. This should help ensure a consistent quality of service for things like VoIP which can be affected easily by high latency, packet loss or jitter. The trial will run until Autumn 2010 with plans to bring a commercial product to market in 2011.

[ Topic: Broadband | 52 comments | link to this item ]

Comments

Posted by finn123 about 1 year ago
Is there a list anywhere that shows when other exchanges will be upgraded? Sam Knows doesn't offer a date for my exchange. presume that means it isn't scheduled for an update at all ;-(
Posted by adslmax about 1 year ago
Only 2 exchanges in Telford (Dawley and Donnington) what a F**king pity that BT love both with 'D' letters. BTW are useless ! I am glad to stick with virgin media fibre optic 20Mb
Posted by TaRkADaHl about 1 year ago
@Gamerwillz - And? There are no obligations/requirements to do exchanges, they are paying out of their own pocket, they will get them all done when they can get them all done.

@finn123 - Yes, but I cannot find it ATM... maybe someone else can.

@adslmax - If you can already get VM, why worry if your exchange is upgraded? VM will have a roll-out of 100Mb soon, BT are only just starting FTTC with 40Mb and FTTP with 100Mb, FTTP is only in about a dozen prems at the min.
Posted by dorsetmark about 1 year ago
Looks like they don't like Dorset either :o(
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
quote"This update will add ADSL2+ which gives users access to faster broadband speeds up to 24Mbps. For those living further away from the exchange it will also help increase their broadband speeds."

I dont see how unless BT ADSL2+ is capable of miracles after the 3500 (ish) Metre mark or 50(ish)db and higher attenuation. After that speeds start to perform roughly the same, infact in some cases speed after that can be worse on ADSL2+.
Posted by TaRkADaHl about 1 year ago
@CB - Usually does on the long lines, uses a higher freqency which tends to drop out quicker.

Not uncommon for BTW to switch people back onto ADSL if having stability issues on long lines.
Posted by deadman1984 about 1 year ago
well what a suprise my exchange still isnt listed for upgrades i mean wtf looks like my exchange wont be done until 2020
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@fin123
Not sure if the exchange list goes beyond those in this announcement, which presumably gives the 75% coverage for ADSL2+ that was announced previously.


Other than being frustrated at not having higher speeds sooner, not sure why others would be negative, after all they are no worse off than before? As TaRkADaHl says, this is being funded by BT shareholders, there are no obligations to do particular or indeed any exchanges.

Surely this is good news, even if 25% of the population are yet to benefit.
Posted by vicdupreez about 1 year ago
Ok... So BT have told us that they will be starting the roll-out of fiber to the cabinet, and for some very lucy people fiber to the home... with you so far... now they say well actually we are going to install ADSL 2+ in another 199 exchanges... So does it not make sense to skip this, and go straight for the fttp or fttc? What am I missing here, or is this just classic incumbant thinking again?

I am not trying to be funny, I really do not get it... Does anyone have any insight for me here?

Vic
Posted by GMAN99 about 1 year ago
^ What you are missing is that FTTC is still some years off for some people, so why not give them (possible) access to faster speeds in the meantime.
Posted by vicdupreez about 1 year ago
Ok, I get that, but can they not use the cash, time and resources they are spending on this to make fttc happen quicker...
Posted by EnglishRob about 1 year ago
I presume that each exchange needs a new DSLAM?

My local exchange isn't listed, but I gave up ages ago and switched to Virgin (was the lesser of two evils, the other evil being Talktalk LLU).

Rob
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@vicdupreez
Not all ISPs currently offer FTTC or FTTP-based products, so, even where these are available you will find ADSL still be offered over copper too.

Bear in mind it is much quicker to deploy ADSL2+ as only needs kit in the exchange, covers the whole area, FTTC and FTTP take longer and cost a lot more.
Posted by MarkHampshire about 1 year ago
The people switching to Virgin (as per this thread) is the most likely (I'd venture, only) reason for pressing ahead with ADSL2+. Suspect it has nothing to do with generous shareholders.
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
... also, don't forget that, with these announcements, ADSL2+ coverage already exceeds that promised for FTTC by 2015 (ie 75% vs 66%), so is giving a speed uplift to people unlikely to get FTTC/P without state aid.
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@MarkHampshire
I doubt this is driven by Virgin, bearing in mind ADSL2+ coverage is already far greater than cable (~75% vs. 40-50%).
Posted by TaRkADaHl about 1 year ago
@vicdupreez - ADSL2+ (WBC) needs to be enabled in the exchange before FTTC and FTTH can be installed as they work through this platform.

So you cannot just skip this step.
Posted by tobykim about 1 year ago
Nobody likes us at all, no cable, no LLU and now no BT upgrade boo hoo
Posted by bpullen about 1 year ago
@EnglishRob, the exchange needs kitting out with MSAN's as opposed to DSLAM's - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/21cn_network.htm#MSAN
Posted by Rocklett about 1 year ago
vicdupreez, as TaRkADaHl says, for BTW, ADSL2+ is a created as WBC tail type, as is FTTC & FTTP, the WBC Ethernet based backhaul needs to be rolled out and connected to the serving exchange before any of these tail types can be served.
Posted by o12no1 about 1 year ago
Dalkieth in Midlothian has a large catchment area yet it never gets a mention regarding getting ADSL2+
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
quote"@CB - Usually does on the long lines, uses a higher freqency which tends to drop out quicker."

Exactly TaRkADaHl :) So god only knows why the story says "For those living further away from the exchange it will also help increase their broadband speeds." CONT....
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
Obviously not true for those a considerable distance from the exchange and as you RIGHLY point out not uncommon for BT or indeed other ADSL2+ suppliers to switch people back to regular ADSL.. Not even going to bother with New_Londoners regualr cluelessness saying it equals faster speed (it doesnt for those a fair distance). VERY NICE of BT to continue rolling this out but my lord the inaccurate info in the story and what certain people are peddling needs to stop.
Posted by herdwick about 1 year ago
ADSL2 has features that lead to increased speed at long range, or increased range at a given speed. It's not a massive difference, prob a few hundred kbits/s or a few hundred meters, but if it meant going from 400k to 800k you would be pleased to get it.
Posted by chefbyte about 1 year ago
Glad mine is on that list as I have no hope of getting Virgin even though I have 3 VM boxes within 150 metres of the house 2 at the front and one on the road behind. I live on a private road and VM are not interested in serving the 8 houses on it, so I am stuck with BT
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@cb "Not even going to bother with New_Londoners regualr cluelessness "

USeful for you to be a bit more specific about what you feel is incorrect....
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
.. for the record, agree with you that those getting very low speeds on ADSL Max are unlikely to see improvement on ADSL2+. However, many will see better speeds, so surely not something to gripe about?

Who else is investing at any scale? I don't see signs of expansion from cable, the odd cabinet from Rutland et al is nice, but not likely to make a material impact nationally, and certainly not at the same scale / pace as ADSL2+ and FTTC/FTTP from BT.
Posted by davolente about 1 year ago
Bet it won't make a lot of impact in my 80's-built estate. Underground-fed but lousy lines and a fair way from the exchange. Nobody gets more than about a meg on a good day with a following wind.
Posted by timmay about 1 year ago
BT still playing catch-up! Hardly news worthy. TalkTalk already cover just over 22 million homes, Sky over 19 million and O2/Be* 18 million. This will over lap with the existing and much better services provided by Sky and O2/Be*. Too little too late!
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
quote"Who else is investing at any scale? I don't see signs of expansion from cable, the odd cabinet from Rutland et al is nice, but not likely to make a material impact nationally, and certainly not at the same scale / pace as ADSL2+ and FTTC/FTTP from BT."

What are you talking about? This isnt "Expansion" either in the sense you are talking its just basically updating equipment in an exchange. As Timmay points out above if anything BT with regards to ADSL2/2+ are years behind the competition.
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
quote"ADSL2 has features that lead to increased speed at long range, or increased range at a given speed."

True for very long distances, does BT ADSL2+ scale down to ADSL2 though? If this was being done for people a long distance than ReADSL2 would had been the system to go with. For long distances that performs best...
http://apcmag.com/system/files/images/adsldistance-amended.jpg
Not knocking BT glad to see them rolling on but this cant really be spun into a massive positive they should had done ADSL2/2+ years ago. Better late than never though :)
Posted by MarkHampshire about 1 year ago
From what I'd read, ADSL2+ is only expected to make any positive speed contribution on lines which can achieve 4Mbps on ADSL, which is going to be short or all copper lines - anyone can guess, but maybe 50% of people might see an improvement. The number of posts about people having difficulties and migrating back to ADSL might be an indication of the variable quality of lines - it's all well and good upgrading the kit at the exchange, but that isn't the weak point of the network.
Posted by TaRkADaHl about 1 year ago
I'll clarify my point.. ADSL2+ is a major plus for about 95% of people, probably more.

Short term, it allows for higher sync rates for most of these people.

The people that loose out are those on looooong lines. Like the people that can only get around 256k as it is.

If they go onto ADSL2+, it is not uncommon for them to suddenly start having heavily dropping connections and sometimes the service drop out altogether.

At this point BTW will usually put them back onto ADSL and all will be back as it was.
Posted by TaRkADaHl about 1 year ago
Long term, it is a plus for everyone not in a VM area, as it allows for FTTC/P to be rolled out in the future. This will help those on really long lines, just not as quickly as they would hope.

(Working on the assumption that long line = remote. Therefore no incentive to spend the bucks to upgrade the cabs and roll out fibre)
Posted by herdwick about 1 year ago
" does BT ADSL2+ scale down to ADSL2 though "

- yes, it does it automagically. I saw a line at 11M on ADSL2+ drop to ADSL2 when an ill-informed extension was added.

I believe ReADSL has conflicts with the ANFP which preclude its use, at least in "standard" form.
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
Some long lines in urban areas too - eg we get slow speeds in parts of Docklands. However FTTC will address that soon, unlike some of the more rural areas.
Posted by walkerx about 1 year ago
this is totally incorrect - for people living a distance from the exchange like i do, you see no benefit of ADSL2+ - if you're on 2mb or less then don't expect any increase in speed
Posted by walkerx about 1 year ago
@TaRkADaHl - ASDL2+ will not be a major plus for about 95% it will be more like 40%-50% - as with the rollout of FTTC/P again this will not always help people on long lines - our exchange is fibred and so is the cabinet 150yards from my house, yet BT state they will not supply infinity as the fibre is no good
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
@TaRkADaHl... Long term it may indeed help but you are way off on your figures wih regards to who this will give significant speed increases. ADSL2+ is not a solution for long lines, never has been, it is not even a short term solution. Theres a reason people like Be dont (or never used to) let those with poor lines sign up to ADSL2+. If you get only a few Mb on ADSL you aint going to see real benefit on ADSL2+
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
@Herdwick thats good to know, credit to BT on that :)
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@walkerx
Do you have a new "FTTC" cab near your home? If you do, can't image you won't get service as I believe the cost of putting it in is fairly high. If this is the case, I'm sure any faulty fibre will be fixed in order to get a return on the cost of putting the cab in.
Posted by walkerx about 1 year ago
yes we do - but not supplied by BT - done by DigitalRegion - where i live we were one of the trials areas for FTTC but BT have pulled out of supplying it - just waiting for a consumer ISP now on the DigitalRegion network to be able to get 30mb-40mb service while BT can only supply 2mb at a push
Posted by CARPETBURN about 1 year ago
^^^ A perfect example of why BT doing ADSl2+ does not automatically equal everyone served by the exchange ending up getting BT fibre in future..... A myth some obviously want us to believe.
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
"A perfect example of why BT doing ADSl2+ does not automatically equal everyone served by the exchange ending up getting BT fibre in future..... A myth some obviously want us to believe."

@CB is clearly correct that ADSL2+ does not automatically equaly FTTC/P deployment in future as the commitment on FTTC/P deployment is ~66% of the population by 2015 vs. ~75% for ADSL2+ by early next year.
Posted by evilpie1992 about 1 year ago
... Still no Oswestry
Posted by chris6273 about 1 year ago
That's a pitty - I was hoping to see my exchange (1,336 lines) in my village be upgraded to ADSL2+. Looks like a long way off yet ;)
Posted by NetGuy about 1 year ago
For evilpie1992 - don't give up hope! Recently I saw that Bagshot (Surrey) and Middlewich were being listed for FTTC. Given neither has as many as 9,000 lines, it seemed the only "advantage" they had was either Sky or BE/O2.

Frankly I was shocked to see Wrexham North listed in this 199, though as there's about 6 km as the cables run, from here to the exchange, am not expecting any change.

I at SamKnows and Sky is listed, so you need to get locals to 'enquire' about BE + Sky, and see if one of them "steps up"!
Posted by jeep about 1 year ago
As per usual the southwest seems bottom of the heap, with distinct lack of coverage for fttc or ADSL2+.
Posted by Minnie about 1 year ago
Love the London selection .... Biggin Hill (not far from where we live but not our exchange) is hardly London ... lol.
Posted by New_Londoner about 1 year ago
@Minnie
I know what you mean re Biggin Hill but actually it is in the London Borough of Bromley.
Posted by deleted-XenPuOSN about 1 year ago
BT advisors did advise me that their new fibre optics services for both Scotland and the rest of the UK would be implimented from December 31st, 2010 through to March 31st 2011 for the entire UK
Posted by eddiebirkett 8 months ago
I live in whitehaven and its past spring 2011
have BT canecelled the exchange upgrade
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