The issues with capacity on the BT Wholesale network are continuing, but if the indications
from our user forums are correct it looks like an end may be in sight. The BT
Wholesale availability checker is indicating for some people in congested areas
that there is no capacity on the WBC network (i.e. both ADSL2+ and FTTC over
the BT Wholesale platform) and that orders are delayed until 7th April when
more capacity will be expected.
BT Wholesale expected bandwidth growth and network performance
targets
Click image for larger version
The rise in demand both in terms of raw numbers of users and increasing
bandwidth usage is no surprise to BT Wholesale, the above graphic from a
presentation suggests they are expecting a five fold increase in traffic
between 2013 and 2018.
Updated 6pm: BT Wholesale have confirmed that if you use the BT
Wholesale availability checker and get a capacity warning as per the below
graphic this is referring to port capacity.
Click image for larger version
Merula is one of several providers that publish the notices that
BT Wholesale sends out to its ISP customers and these reveal that it does
not appear to be one massive upgrade but rather upgrades at multiple locations
across the UK.
It needs to be pointed out that FTTC services via LLU providers such as Sky
and TalkTalk are not affected by these capacity issues, since these providers
utilise their own backhaul networks from the telephone exchanges. Zen Internet
who have a network of some 200 locations with their own backhaul network (and
LLU ADSL2+ service) will not see the problem for connections on those
exchanges. AAISP has also offered to move customers to the TalkTalk Wholesale
network if they wish.
At this time it is unclear if someone at BT Wholesale took their eye off the
ball with regards to upgrades to capacity, or whether there has been a big
burst in bandwidth consumption brought on by more people shifting to OTT TV
platforms for peak time TV viewing or some other use.
Update 6pm 20th March It seems there are two issues, both
backhaul capacity, and port capacity. Where the BT Wholesale checker is talking
about capacity this is referring to port capacity.
“We currently have issues with port capacity across a small proportion of
our WBC enabled exchanges.This means a small amount of new customers are being supported by our legacy
broadband network as a temporary measure before being moved onto our next
generation network once new ports become available.We have recovery plans in place for each affected site with the majority
being upgraded over the next few weeks.BT Wholesale statement on Port Capacity Issues
We have added a new BT statement on the backhaul capacity issues to our
other news item.
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I thought it was BT’s view that there was no or little demand at all and little money to be made, hence why they’ve needed to be bribed with public money to provide capacity.
Which bit of BT is saying that?
Bandwidth usage growth has been happening since the first TCP/IP packets were sent.
Demand for superfast services and making it profitable is another whole argument.
Is this capacity in terms of their backhaul or the physical connection capacity (line cards/FTTC DSLAM) being full?
I tried a few residential addresses where BTw have acknowledged capacity problems and there were no availability issues like your picture in the article.
Believe it is related to backhaul.
On FTTC for example when waiting on capacity usually no date given and product vanishes from list.
25th April it says for my exchange (Sowton).
Another one I got in email says 9th April
I have a feeling this is to do with new capacity for physical ADSL connections – the two examples I’ve seen were not exchanges that Plusnet/AAISP were reporting capacity issues.
I also had a look at some areas where BTw have acknowledged capacity problems and they don’t have this “Capacity expected” message on the checker.
We had an issue with lack of capacity at an exchange when O2 closed down. We had to get a line from TTB instead as BTw said, “Sorry, no capacity here”.
andrew according to revk’s blog BT seemed to have a sudden change of attitude like they stopped proactivsly upgrading as well as cooperating on congestion reports and even a BT senior network manager claimed packet loss doesnt matter, so to me it seems a policy change rather than taking eye of the ball but keep the bad publicity coming as its needed to revert the change.